620 4 inch blocks with overload spring issue

[FatDatSun]

So my rig is on 4inch blocks now.

The overload spring is about 1.5 inches from the ground, the shock mount is even closer to earth. Im about to cut too inches off the front of overload and reweld the shock mount to be higher. The shock mount does gang lower than the bracket and thats where that issue stands. Anyone tried flipping the mount? Or left to right?

Anyone with a better idea, please let me know. When I say ideas I mean people that have owned one OR and had this issue and resolved it. 

The drive shaft does scrape over speed bumps at 20+ mph and the front torsion support in front scrape at sidewalks, but over all its a nice ride.

[datzenmike]

2 hours ago, FatDatSun said:

 

The drive shaft does scrape over speed bumps at 20+ mph and the front torsion support in front scrape at sidewalks, but over all its a nice ride.

 

Bit by bit I see this truck becoming more and more un-drivable and perhaps you don't. The shock mount and torsion bar support probably save the drive shaft. Keep going, you'll know you're low enough when you can't drive it. 👍

 

Maybe a skid plate for raised manhole covers?

[FatDatSun]

True that! 

Funny shit tho, few days ago I forgot n ran over a speed bump, the split ones... and got stuck pretty good. The shock threads got caught up in street meat..lol shit was hilarious. Im having fun with it. But yes, going 4inch blocks get harder for you guys if you guys are wondering if its a good idea. 

4inch blocks are only good if u drive 10mph everywhere.

4inch blocks are ony good if you dont drive it.lol

4inch blocks are only good if you can actually fix it when parts get broken.

Importantly 4inch blocks are good if you have 195/50/15 at the least.

 

As I always say, these are my experiences. I hope its informative to u all. My errors shall be ur accomplishments. Or however that should be said to sound smart.

[Lockleaf]

Look up datsun roadster spring plates/ shock mounts.  They (i think) are a slightly different design that should offer a little more rear lower clearance.

 

Wayno uses these on his daily driver truck which is decently lowered.

[wayno]

How low you want to go?

If I had it to do over again the first thing I would do is a 2 or 3 inch body drop, that said I did a 7" drop in the rear and a 6" drop in the front, I avoid parking lots with speed bumps and are on watch for anything laying on the roads or shit sticking up like in gas station lots where they fill the tanks.

Do you have a "C" notch in the frame?

 

In the rear I used early 1968 thru 73 Datsun 510 wagon leaf spring mount plates/shock mounts, I could do that because my upper shock mounts are on the frame rails and not on a cross member, this fixed the lower shock mount issue.

 

 

You can see the C notch I did in the first photo, next I removed the rear shackle mounts and put early Datsun Roadster shackle mounts on my truck.

 

 

This is just the start, I used 2.5 inch drop blocks with angles wedges, I used Datsun 720 4wd rear leafs, I removed the carrier cross member that hangs down and put one in that did not hang down and I bolted the carrier straight to that cross member without issues, I modified/raised the floor board next to the tunnel to put the exhaust above the cross members, and the front is highly modified, at one point the cross member below the oil pan was less than 2.5" off the ground, I used drop arms so I could run stock 14" 620 disc brake rims, the tension rods were moved to the rear and the mount brackets on the front were removed as they were hitting on everything, it took years to get it that low and still be safe to drive, I did way more but it would take an hour to write about it and find all the photos, a body drop would have made it look scary low.

 

[5t341tH]

Hmm I’m running 4” blocks in the rear. I’m not having issues like you are. Although I run 16” wheels

[datzenmike]

It's more the tires than the rims.

 

A 215/75R16 tire is 28.7" tall

A 250/75R14 tire is also 28.76" tall.  So the rim doesn't really determine the ride height.

[FatDatSun]

1 hour ago, wayno said:

How low you want to go?

If I had it to do over again the first thing I would do is a 2 or 3 inch body drop, that said I did a 7" drop in the rear and a 6" drop in the front, I avoid parking lots with speed bumps and are on watch for anything laying on the roads or shit sticking up like in gas station lots where they fill the tanks.

Do you have a "C" notch in the frame?

 

In the rear I used early 1968 thru 73 Datsun 510 wagon leaf spring mount plates/shock mounts, I could do that because my upper shock mounts are on the frame rails and not on a cross member, this fixed the lower shock mount issue.

 

 

You can see the C notch I did in the first photo, next I removed the rear shackle mounts and put early Datsun Roadster shackle mounts on my truck.

 

 

This is just the start, I used 2.5 inch drop blocks with angles wedges, I used Datsun 720 4wd rear leafs, I removed the carrier cross member that hangs down and put one in that did not hang down and I bolted the carrier straight to that cross member without issues, I modified/raised the floor board next to the tunnel to put the exhaust above the cross members, and the front is highly modified, at one point the cross member below the oil pan was less than 2.5" off the ground, I used drop arms so I could run stock 14" 620 disc brake rims, the tension rods were moved to the rear and the mount brackets on the front were removed as they were hitting on everything, it took years to get it that low and still be safe to drive, I did way more but it would take an hour to write about it and find all the photos, a body drop would have made it look scary low.

 

Very useful, especially the 510 wagon mount with shock to match, sounds to fix one issue. Thanks ill look into it, if not then welding it is. Or who knows, drive it till it breaks then find new problems. Thanks.

[wayno]

I do not know what shocks the early 510 wagon uses, I just put it together and took some measurements and they went thru their books and found something that worked.

[FatDatSun]

Ok, so I bought leaf spring clamps. Up to 2.5 inch leafs. Installed and yeah, it fixed the overload spring hanging and axle wrap. But the car runs stiff. 

 

Now on the the rear shock mount. 

 

Oh and it was not the drive shaft scraping..lol it was the exhaust. It is lowest point on the car being ran lower than the cross. Ill come update after I relocate the mount. If no reply then I probably just left it because it didn't bother me no more. Since it only scrapes on sidewalks going up a bit.

[datzenmike]

48 minutes ago, FatDatSun said:

 

 

Oh and it was not the drive shaft scraping..lol it was the exhaust. 

 

Fuck the exhaust, go lower.

[FatDatSun]

No, that taps into 4x4 build money. 4x4 > lownslow

[FatDatSun]

So them clamps lowered it by a inch, one pair in front leaf and one pair in rear of leaf. Doing that I installed the 3inch blocks back on and used the extra set of nuts from the 4inch blocks as locks. Rides stiff but nicely imo, fronts just turned down. I gotta say I like it, being on a budget a hitting well below the budget. 

 

Next is, let's attempt to 4x4 it till it breaks.