Thread: Can I flip leaf springs?

Tweet

I have a 56 Dodge pickup and nobody makes parts for em. I cant think of a way to drop the frontend since I cant just go swapping parts or getting bolt in kits, plus I dont have a lot of money. I was thinking, can I just flip the leaf springs, so they arch up instead of down. The way my I-beam straight axle is designed, it has a cast in mounting flange for the leafs to ride on top of the axle. But nothing under the axle so I cant just mount them under to drop the suspension like that. How would the leaf spring operate flipped over like that?

If you flip them, you'll change them from springs to "multi-leaf axle-locating devices" and you won't much like the way the truck rides.

Even with flipping them u wont lower it very much. I did my 50 F1 and gained 1 whole inch. With the engine in it might be another inch lower, Im not that far yet. You could put the axle on top by drilling center bolt holes in the bottom of the axle, but you might not have enuff clearance between axle and frame then. My fix is going to be some kind of buggy spring wishbone setup.

An axle from a '63 or so Dodge pickup might have more drop, or an aftermarket axle will be the way to go. The whole spring can't be inverted, but the main leaf, re-arched so the eyes are under the leaf, will lower the truck a few inches.

So your saying just flip the main spring so the eyes are facing the other way