Thread: rear suspension change

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Please forgive me if I am reading your response to the suggestions provided by the members incorrectly, but it seems to me that you are sort of going to let things as they are so you can "just get it rollin' by August." And it appears you are more concerned about the cosmetics of the bed wood than the engineering (or lack of it) in the suspension of this truck.

If that is the case, you are making a huge mistake. Let me put this in a way I would advise my best friend: This truck should never move one foot down the road until you remove all of the garbage the previous owner badly fabricated onto it. Period.

You see it all the time........"..I just want to get it on the road," but building a hot rod or custom is more than paint and stance. The important things are the parts you never see, like good suspension, steering, and brakes. If the rear suspension is this cobbled, what is the front like? He must have done some modifications there too.

I don't know you or your qualifications to rebuild a car like this, so once again, forgive me if I say something wrong. I suggest you get in impartial opinion on what the truck needs from some knowledgeable builder about what changes need done, and that you follow their advice. The truck looks pretty decent and solid, so it may just be a simple matter of getting that extemely weak single leaf out of there, having a spring shop fab up a new 5 -7 leaf spring set (very cheap to have done at a truck spring shop) putting some lowering blocks to get it down a couple of inches, and then adding some simple shock brackets to the axle and frame.

As for the front end, I would bet good money it is similarly modified. If they have done ANYTHING to it, that is even worse than the rear being screwed up, as the entire control of the truck depends on this being soundly built.

You came to this forum for advise, and sometimes people tell you what you don't want to hear. But there is a pool of very knowledgeable people who have tried to give you the best advise they can, all of them who have responded have pretty much laid it on the line. Your truck is in need of some major changes if it is to be a safe and dependable driver.

Not only will your life be in danger, but those of your loved ones riding with you and other drivers on the road. Hot August Nights will be there again next year, the question is..................will you?

I apologize for the frankness of my reply, but this truck needs to be corrected properly before you use it. If I offended you, sorry, but we are only trying to keep a tragedy from happening.

Don