RE: -------->lowering opinions

From: Sam Parthemer (srp@home.com)
Date: Tue Dec 07 1999 - 01:10:06 EST


Hey Gary, I got my $$$, but this week is bad for me to come up.

Can we do something next week??? and if so, what's the earliest
I can get it up there??? I also want it aligned before I
head for home.

Sam '00 RT

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net]On Behalf Of Gary Pinkley
Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 8:20 PM
To: dakota mail
Subject: Re: -------->DML: lowering opinions

>But I've never seen a PROPERLY TORQUED block move, crack, fall apart,
>or have any adverse effect.

I have personal experience using 3" blocks, particularly the cast aluminum
variety.
I installed a set just to check the visual height of a project. I took the
vehicle home
went for a ride in the local canyon. The next day we threw the truck on the
rack and
there were small cracks through the blocks. We torqued the H*** out of the
ubolts so
that wasn't the problem. What the real culprit is is the strength of the
connection when
using tall blocks. Think about going in a real tight circle......lets
say...1 g cornering.
This cornering force produces a lot of torque on the connection between the
leaf spring
and the axle. When you move the axle farther away from leaf, you INCREASE
the torque
this connection sees. We use 1" blocks made of steel as our standard design
criteria
to minimize this force.

>I'm running slicks and
>launching with juice and have done it with 3" blocks.

axle torque loads the block along its axis, thus works for drag strip
applications okay.
Cornering loads the block in the weak direction

>Just remember 240 ft/lbs is the magic number for the U bolts

Sounds about right, USE and impact gun if at all possible.

>the only problem with a de-arched is that you can't haul as much (from what
I've heard).

The problem is lack of suspension travel with a de-arched stock leaf. We
always add a
secondary type leaf spring to help with this problem, but the best cure is
an air-bag assist
for the leaf spring.



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