Alan:
I put an Art Morrison 4-link suspension under my '56 complete with coil-over
shocks and a panhard bar. I bought the suspension at a swap meet and
downloaded the installation instructions from Morrison's web site. It took
a ton of measuring and figuring to make sure I had the frame and axle
brackets just right before I welded them in. Nice thing about 4-links is
they are very solid if you want to lay-on the gas and they are adjustable
for pinion angle and side-to-side spacing (for 4-wheel alignment and
tracking).
First ride was very stiff and after a phone call to Morrison's I found I had
the wrong springs for the coil-overs (variable-rate versus fixed-rate).
Ordered a set of the correct fixed-rate springs and installed them. Ride
was better, but shock travel is very low (2-3 inches). This spring I'm
taking the truck to a rear suspension specialist and have him remount the
coil-overs for better shock travel.
Bottomline, I paid $250 for the swap meet 4-link, plus another $80 for thre
second set of springs. List price on the kit From Morrison is about $875.
I looked at Pat Hollister's TCI 4-link rear suspension last year before he
sold his '59 truck and was very impressed with it. #1 it is designed for
trucks (my Art Morrison was designed for 55-57 Cars). #2 it is basically a
bolt-on installation (some minor welding on the axle, but not as much
welding as I did on mine). I think TCI's price for a 4-link is in the same
neighborhood ($800-900). Price goes up if you want polished coil-overs and
bars.
Overall I'm pretty happy with my 4-link and I think it will ride even better
this year after I get the shocks remounted and finish installing the
21-gallon gas tank under the bed behind the rear axle (more weight in the
back should make it ride better I'm told).
Hope all this helps Alan, good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Carl Ham
'56 Chevy Stepside Pickup
Hopewell, IL
>From: Alan Horvath <alan@alanhorvath.com>
>Reply-To: Alan Horvath <alan@alanhorvath.com>
>To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: [oletrucks] RE: 56 Chevy Pickup spring leaf removal
>Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 09:40:25 -0500
>
>I've got a FatMan Mustang II IFS up front, which I'm very happy with.
>
>In the rear, I've got a mid-70s Chevy 12-bolt with leaf springs and I'm
>wondering about updating the suspension there. Any suggestions about what
>would be best ... and any comments on the difference it would make ...
>would be appreciated!
>
>Alan
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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