AMT 53 FORD PICKUP HOW TO?

[Tom Kren]

WORKING ON THE KIT NOW FOR NNL EAST WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO TO LOWER TH EFRONT END SITS TO HIGH IS THERE SOMEOTHER WAY TO LOWER IT OR A AXEL FROM ANOTHER KIT NEED HELP!

[chadrob30]

All I did was gently heat the front leaf springs and push until the bottomed out on the frame. Not realistic I know, but hey it worked lol.

[Fabrux]

There is a dropped front axle in the Revell 56 F-100 kits.

[Chuck Most]

What Chris said. If I recall it fits the AMT springs pretty well, too.

Alternatively, you could mount the stock axle on top of the leaf springs, instead of beneath. You'll need to eliminate the wire front axle if you go that route.

[Intmd8r]

I've seen generic drop beams made of resin on eBay and other aftermarket vendors.

Modifying the kit stock pieces or scratch building is the most cost effective way.

[Ace-Garageguy]

You do it much like you'd do it on a real vehicle, by adjusting the relationships between parts. Because the axle normally mounts under the front springs, you can lower the truck the height of the spring (where it attaches to the axle) by mounting the axle on top of the springs, as suggested.

You can also cut down the length of the round projections that the rear of the front springs mount to on the chassis. I have the model in front of me, and that will give you as much lowering (or a bit more) as putting the axle on top of the springs. You can lower the truck just a little this way, or as much as 1/8 inch. This would be the same as relocating the spring hangers on a real truck.

If you find the axle hits the frame after lowering, it's perfectly acceptable to file small notches in the frame for clearance. This is called "C-notching" on real vehicles, and is / was often done to facilitate lowering. It's acceptable on a real vehicle if the frame is correctly reinforced in the notched area.

You see axle 48 is supposed to be glued to the bottom of the springs 46 and 47. To lower the vehicle, simply glue the axle to the top of the springs in exactly the same location. Do NOT turn the axle over, but DO file off the mounting pins from the axle. That will give about 3/32" of drop. For more, file material off of the round pins that the rear of the springs attach to (on the chassis).

Edited February 13, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Intmd8r]

Well-you don't get much more detailed than that!?

[bpletcher55]

i would have removed some of the springs by sanding them down to get a single spring .and a drop axle depending on how low you want to go .

[espo]

Try using some Plastruct and create your own drop axle.

[62rebel]

i've lowered a couple by removing the rear spring frame mounts. the latest one i did i put a shortened '49 Merc chassis under. had to add lift to the frame to mount the cab, and raise the bed floor a bit.

[Ace-Garageguy]

i would have removed some of the springs by sanding them down to get a single spring .and a drop axle depending on how low you want to go .

I tend to think of things as they would work in the real world, and be cost-effective. Stance is everything, and getting it right takes a little effort.

Removing spring leaves on the real truck would reduce the spring rate and tend to let the vehicle sag and dive into potholes. Sanding them off the model could leave you with weak and sagging springs too.

Buying and bolting in (or gluing in) a dropped axle is the most expedient course of action...if you've got the money and if exactly what you want is available.

Relocating the rear spring hangers (or just filing some material off of them on the model) makes the most sense for someone with the skills and no money, as you don't have to buy anything and you keep the stock spring rate the same (and you still have springs on the model that are plenty strong).

If that doesn't get you low enough, relocating the springs to the bottom of the axle will give you major drop. It's common practice in the real world, costs almost nothing if you have the skills, and again, keeps the spring rate the same. It also avoids having the extreme twisting loads that a dropped axle puts on springs under braking. On a model, it's quick, easy, avoids fiddly measuring of the rear spring hangers...but you need to know exactly how much drop that will give you, and how much room you have to work with between the frame and axle.

This is one of those instances where understanding how the parts interrelate, and measuring and mocking-up carefully BEFORE you start cutting and modifying...on a real one OR a model...is necessary to get the results you want.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[62rebel]

of course, there's the option of simply gluing the wheels to the fender.