To lower or not to lower???

[mikec4193]

Hi Ratsun folks

 

I have not owned a Datsun truck since the late 1980's...I recently put an offer in on one from the South Eastern part of the country (I am in upstate New York)and we are currently getting shipping arranged so as to get it up to my place.

 

It has been lowered like 3-4 " with lowering blocks and re-indexed torsion bars....I was wondering what is the advantages of lowering these old trucks?

 

My avatar shows the last 521 I owned (from 1988-89)...it was used as a truck and was my daily driver too...my end result that I want is as a spare vehicle that I can drive to the job I work and that is 11 miles each way...not a daily driver but a spare driver (on nice days) and a home depot 2x4 hauling truck too...

 

Thanks for any insight....

 

MikeC

[datzenmike]

Mostly kids do this to look cool. Usually excessively, to the point where the truck is no longer any use as a truck and it becomes a skate board. Basically the lower you go, the less truck you have. Best is stock height but there are some handling improvements if lowering the center of gravity slightly. Lower reduces side roll on corners. There are an infinite number of ways to fuck up a lowering job and only a few ways to do right. A couple of inches you can just make adjustments and add blocks. More than this and you should increase the spring stiffness as you should reduce suspension travel and bounce as you are now closer to the road. Can't stress enough how retarded it is to remove leaf springs to lower a vehicle. 

[Scgreen620]

What mike said ...

 

My truck is so damn low it sticks on the bump stop?

 

I'm not liking it that much any more specially when my seat is busted kinda hurts your back after a while ...

[wayno]

Hi Mike, so you bought the 510 truck. :lol:

The best way to lower it a couple inches is to use 1980-86 Datsun/Nissan 720 4X4 leafs in the rear, and adjust the front torsion bars to suit, it can still be used as a truck this way, any more and you have to start cutting rubber parts.

That truck likely has already had the mentioned rubber overloads snipped if not removed in the rear, that's what young people do, the lower you go, the cooler you are.

I have already lowered one myself, it's a lot of work to lower it and have it be safe, I lowered my 1966 Datsun 520 ute 6 1/2 to 7 inches, even though I have full suspension travel front and rear, it's not good for much more than a passenger and maybe 500lbs, it will hold more, but I would not consider it safe.

[Farmer]

Check out the thread "Do work son". You'll see what people are using their trucks for and many are lowered

[racerx]

Is that your truck Wayno, either way that's nice and nice stance!

[wayno]

Is that your truck Wayno, either way that's nice and nice stance!

 

Yes, that is my truck, thank you for the compliment, it's been a long build.

[mikec4193]

Hi Ratsun

 

I am hoping to end up with stock height in the end....I love the "Sweet Pea" Datsun truck I saw on youtube....

 

I also am hoping the lowered truck I bought was lowered correctly so I can "un-Lower" it back to the way it was when it left the factory....

 

Does anybody have a source for replacement rear leaf springs for these trucks???...(if was not done correctly)

 

MikeC

[wayno]

It has likely been done with blocks in the back, and by adjusting the torsion bars in the front, that is how everyone does it normally except when they go really low.

So you will likely be able to put it back to normal height without any problems, but you need to wait till you have it before making any decisions, as no one knows what has been done to it right now except the former owner.

If it has only been dropped a couple inches then it is still a functional truck, maybe not good for a ton, but it will likely easily haul an engine, a quarter yard of bark-dust, stuff like that should not be an issue.

I have stock 521 springs in my back yard, but they are very heavy, not something you would want to ship across the country, normally guys don't mess with them unless they are trying to go really low, you just need to wait till you get it, normally the 521 has 5 leafs including the bottom flat one.

Hi Ratsun

 

I am hoping to end up with stock height in the end....I love the "Sweet Pea" Datsun truck I saw on youtube....

 

I also am hoping the lowered truck I bought was lowered correctly so I can "un-Lower" it back to the way it was when it left the factory....

 

Does anybody have a source for replacement rear leaf springs for these trucks???...(if was not done correctly)

 

MikeC