[digicon]

Guys I need help.

I am to the point of my frame build that I need to make a decision about stance. I know that I want a level car, or as close as I can get. What I don't know is what to do on the front end. I have been looking a tri5s for the last three nights, but many of them don't tell how their suspension is set up.

I can't decide whether to drop the front end 2", cut a coil and drop it 1" or leave it stock height. I would love some pics of all combinations. tell me how far your front is lowered and how you did it.

I would really be interested in some pics of cars with just one coil cut out.

I plan on running 15 or 16 inch wheels and minitubbing the rear.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

[belairdave]

I have 2 inch dropped spindles on my 56... Later, Dave

 

[belairrudy]

This is my '57 with 2" drop spindles. Stock rear height. 205/65R15 frt and rear. But I recently put 235/60R15 on the rear... so the rear now is abt 1.5" higher. :happy0030:

 

[Chevynut]

Guys I need help.

I am to the point of my frame build that I need to make a decision about stance. I know that I want a level car, or as close as I can get. What I don't know is what to do on the front end. I have been looking a tri5s for the last three nights, but many of them don't tell how their suspension is set up.

I can't decide whether to drop the front end 2", cut a coil and drop it 1" or leave it stock height. I would love some pics of all combinations. tell me how far your front is lowered and how you did it.

I would really be interested in some pics of cars with just one coil cut out.

I plan on running 15 or 16 inch wheels and minitubbing the rear.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

IMO a 1" drop isn't hardly noticable. A 2" drop is getting there, and a 3" drop is fairly significant. We are talking about suspension drop only, not the additional drop you might get from a shorter tire.

The front suspension motion ratio ("wheel to spring ratio" spec per GM) on these cars is 1.9, so every 1" you take out of a spring should drop the front suspension 1.9".

The stock height of the front crossmember is 8.1" off the ground at design load. If you drop the suspension 3" you're down to 5.1" with stock tires that have a 13.4" rolling radius ('56). If you go with a shorter tire with a diameter of something like 26", you will be down to around 4.5" at the crossmember. I wouldn't go much lower than that.

 

[digicon]

This is some great info guys. Belairdave,Belairrudy, sweet rides.:smile:

Chevynut, that is some info I did not know. My car is a 57. I was thinking about taking one coil out of each spring. The end coils on the springs are made a little more compressed than the middle coils. Taking a coil out of one of the ends is about .75".

Using your formula, would that amount to about a (.75 * 1.9) 1.42" drop?

Rounded to and inch and a half?

Curious if anyone out there has a pic of their car with just a coil taken out?

Also what was the stock tire height of a 57?

Keep the pics coming ...........


Thanks, Mike

 

[digicon]

Belairdave, what tires are you running on your 56?

Thanks, Mike

 

[57 Bel Air LS7]

Hi Mike.:wavey: Welcome to TriFive.

My 57 convert has stock front springs, 5 leaf station wagon rear springs and 15" wheels. Measured at the rockers, it sits just about 1" lower in front than the rear. Hope this helps.

 

[Hafrod]

This is original V8 coils with one full coil cut off. It dropped it one inch.

 

[Hafrod]

Here is stock height and then added 2 in spindles. I may have also removed one coil but can't remember.

 

[Hafrod]

And here is two inch blocks on the rear and 16 inch wheels. I don't remember the tire sizes cause I turned around and sold the 16s to buy 17 and 18 inch Coddingtons.

 

[Frisco 57]

I've got 15" wheels, 2" dropped spindles and 2" lowering blocks in the back.

 

[Hafrod]

Here's the same car and THIS is the EASIEST way to lower one! :sign0020:

 

[Pops @ Tri-5.com]

Had a good laugh over that one Hafrod

 

[digicon]

You guys are awesome. Nice rides. :happy0065:



57 Bel Air LS7, that's a beautiful convert. If I had a convertable, I would leave it just as you did.

Hafrod, I love the 2 inch drop spindles and the 2 inch rear block look, that stance is what I'm after I think.:happy0001:

Friscoe 57, I hope mine looks that good when done. What size of tires are you running on your 15" wheels?




I'm getting some good ideas...........keep the pics coming

Mike

 

[Frisco 57]

Thanks for the kind words Mike. The tires I'm running are 235-60-15's in the back and 215-65-15's up front.

 

[GKK]

Here's the same car and THIS is the EASIEST way to lower one! :sign0020:

Good one Hafrod....LOL