'84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread

[SteveM]

I like that plan.  What did you use to re-arch the individual springs?  Hydraulic press?

Steve.

[Stan Back]

We've had it done at a trailer supply shop that does installations.  They're also a spring shop.  Must be one around somewhere. 

Great to watch the guy do it.  He rolls each leaf thru a 3-roller affair, and compares it to where he wants to get with a fresh chalkline on the floor.  Just right tech for our sledge hammer.

[Stainless1]

When you lower, be sure you can still get it on and off the trailer without dragging the pan off of it....

[Peter Jack]

I've used a hammer and I've used a press. Just put the spring on a couple of pieces of wood had apply the pressure in between the wood. These days I'd probably just use a dead blow hammer and take it slowly. (Lots of little taps.) Springs aren't really as springy as they may seem at first glance. Just keep everything the same side to side.

Pete

[gkabbt]

Steve, just a thought.....
My thought for the lowering of the rear is to install a spacer in between the rear axle and spring with longer u-bolts.
This way, there is no need to do anything with the springs. Am I off base on this thinking?   



Gregg

[tauruck]

    Old age ain't so bad hey Gregg!.

[gkabbt]

  Old age ain't so bad hey Gregg!.

It beats the alternative.....And I get another year older in 1 week!   

[SteveM]

My first idea was to remove a leaf or two from the spring pack, then use air shocks fine tune the ride height.  Although air shocks are not intended to support big loads, I think that if I get the height close enough with the springs, I can get maybe a total of 2 inches of travel with the air shocks for clearance in loading/offloading the truck onto the trailer.


I used to have a '63 Chevy II which utilized air shocks on the back, and I was pretty pleased with them.  I had the air lines plumbed to a Schraeder valve in the trunk.  When I wanted it to sit up higher, I just aired 'em up.

The blocks or de-arching definitely have some appeal, particularly on the basis of simplicity.


Steve.

[Captthundarr]

Steve, just a thought.....
My thought for the lowering of the rear is to install a spacer in between the rear axle and spring with longer u-bolts.
This way, there is no need to do anything with the springs. Am I off base on this thinking?   



Gregg

Steve, with your axle set up blocks would be the the sure fire way to keep both sades even and easy to make changes to. Just say'n

[Peter Jack]

It's amazing what a few years have done. What's being proposed is the classic lowering blocks which used to be available at every auto supply store to get that neat tail dragger look. Next thing you know the hot items will be cruiser skirts and continental kits!  

I never liked lowering blocks because of the leverage they applied to the springs but in this case it probably isn't all that bad. There are still the braking forces and using rear brakes only there might be a tendency to wheel hop.

Pete

[Captthundarr]

Next thing you know the hot items will be cruiser skirts and continental kits!  

Pete

Pete, you laugh, I' looking to see if I can get away with putting skirts on our camaro for areo improvements.....

[SteveM]

I have a set of Moroso high rise front springs tucked away in a box, just waiting for the right application.

[tauruck]

 Gregg nailed it The blocks will save you lots of grief.

[Tman]

I had an ElCamino with air shocks, rode like a Caddy even hauling engines in back. I vote for the air shocks regardless of you using blocks or de-arched springs. Might make it easier to get on the trailer.

[Milwaukee Midget]

A caution about blocks in this application -

Your axle is already dropped, which puts a forward twisting leverage on the leaf springs when you apply the brakes.  By lowering it further with blocks, you increase the mechanical advantage the spindle centerline has over the point where the assembly attaches to the springs.

One of the reasons lowering blocks work okay - and just okay - on a rear wheel drive car with leafs is that this mechanical advantage isn't a big issue - you've moved the pivot point only a short distance - typically 1 to 2 inches - and the axle centerline remains relatively close to the spring.

You're already at what looks like a 4 inch drop from your spindles to the axle beam (which if I recall correctly, is made of stamped steel), so I'd be concerned about the additional leverage extending that drop would have on the spring perch, the beam and the spring mounting perch, and the additional torsion that this arrangement would apply to the springs.  

Yup, I HAVE owned two of them!  

Edited for clarity - I hope . . .