1 ton springs on my K5?

[Blue 73]

Will 1 ton rear springs fit on the rear of my 1980 K5? I would like to be able to tow with my blazer in the future. I have a 6 inch lift with blocks in the rear. On 35's with a 454, th350 w/lock up kit, np205. I still have the stock axles for now. 10 bolt open front and 12 bolt posi rear with 308 gear's.... Great for going down the highway. But that's not what I'm building it for, I'm looking for a dana 60 front and a 14 rear with 456 gears. ( if anybody has any for a good price with in 200 miles of Alamogordo NM let me know) I'm over sea's right now, but I will be back in late June. And I want to start building as soon as I get home.

 

[Blue85]

You can't plan to tow anything with 3.08s and 35s. So gears are the first concern. Then you really should be rid of the lift blocks. At that point a small trailer should be OK. Once you go to 1-ton axles (+4.56) there are no worries about the drivetrain, but adding 1-ton springs won't make it a tow monster. As long as you are lifted with a short wheelbase, you want to keep the towed weight << vehicle weight and will never get up to the loads 1-ton springs are designed for. So upgraded springs are a great idea (for towing capacity + eliminating the blocks), but 1-ton springs are just going to give a harsher ride than you can benefit from. That's one opinion, anyway.

 

[Blue 73]

Your right, I don't plan on towing anything until I get the right axles under it. But I am going to build it right one time. I'm not going to throw money into half ton axles ever again. I've been down that road before... It's a dead end! When I get the axles, I was wanting to put in 1 ton springs and do a reverse shackle flip. The flip worked great on my last build. But I don't know if 1 ton springs are longer than half ton springs? I plan on pulling a short military trailer with my quad in it, when I go hunting or pull my travel trailer off the beach. I have an 04 Silverado 2500hd 4 door 4x4 long bed with the 8.1 to pull any real load for any long distance.

 

[nvrenuf]

Your k5 has 52" rear springs and the 1 ton springs are 56". You can move the rear most hanger back 4" to fit.

 

[Blue85]

OK, that sounds like a good plan. If you buy the shackle flip kit, you can reverse the sides (L-R) to accomodate the longer springs.

 

[Blue 73]

Thank's for the great information!

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

As mentioned, the 1 ton springs are 4" longer than the Blazer springs and many install the shackle flip on the opposite side to make up for that.

In my opinion, installing 1 ton springs on a Blazer doesn't make a lot of sense because, well, a Blazer isn't meant for and shouldn't be moving loads meant for a 1 ton. If you're moving loads that a Blazer should, the Blazer springs are fine. If you need more, you probably need more truck and not more spring.

 

[backwoodsblazerk5]

Well the longer springs don't benefit trailer towing(on a swb lifted truck) but if u take out that huge overload spring and depending on how heavy your blazers butt its, you can take a leaf or two and you will have better articulation in the rear. That's the main reason why guys get the 56 inch springs or the longer 63 inch springs out of the newer chevy trucks so they will have better flex. They have thicker leaf packs but thinner leafs