1st gen springs,time is essential,so,please give up the knowledge,

[blazin_blazer]

since people are putting 52'' springs upfront on their 2nd gens...how much trouble would it be to use 2nd gen front leaves under a 1st gen k5? the rears are the same arent they? would a b52 kit & 6'' shackle, allow the use of 2nd gen springs under a 1st gen? also whats different in 1st gen and 2nd gen shackle flip?

i ask b/c i already have a 2nd gen lift and shackle flip for an '80 model i was going to build and i found a solid 70 k5 today and wanted to know if i could use the parts i already have?

 

[blazin_blazer]

please, please someone lend advice and knowledge

little help paalease! i know anything is possible, but how much hassle would it be to use 2nd gen springs under a 1st gen k5?

i know my 2nd gen k5 rear leaves are 52'' and i believe the 1st gen's are the same in the rear, isn't this correct?

would my 2nd gen 14bsf, bolt up under the 70 k5 w/o any modifications, after, i pull it out of my 80 k5? will the 2nd gen(80k5) rear leaves be a bolt in swap to the 70 k5 also?

now the front springs, i know for a fact are different, but how much different, could the 2nd gen front springs be used up front on the 1st gen, if i move the front spring mounts in front of the radiator support mounts(like puttin 52''s in the front of a 2nd gen)? or would the front shackle mount also need to be moved?(i don't want to move the front shaclke mounts) this(70k5) will hardly ever get off pavement(mostly restored w/ a little lift, 3/4t axles, and 33-35'' a/t tires), but the 80k5 will be a dedicated to the mud machine, but mildly streetable!

what exactly are the measurements on 1st gen and 2nd gen front leaves and rears for that matter(just want to be sure)?

i really need this info b/c i have found a fairly solid and straight 70k5 w/ a/c and a standard and np205(this is my dream truck & i don't expect it to be for sale very long and i plan on selling the k10, i have, and using the money, on buying the 70k5,.. and i just bought a new set of superlift's 12'' swamprunner lift springs and diy4x shackle flip(to ditch the blocks)and 1-ton d60f/14bff for my 80 k5, and i am very curious if the 6'' lift springs and 3/4 ton 10b/14sf, can be made to fit the 70 k5 w/o moving the front shackle mount, i can live w/ moving the front spring mounts, but dont want the big hole where the shackle mount once was for the original front shackles.

i had planned on using my old lift and stuff on the perfect k10 i have, but i would rather put it on the 70 model if at all possible w/o having the 70 down for a long time...should i just put my 3/4 ton axles under it(70k5) and sell my old springs w/the k10 and the 6 lugs out of the 70k5(more money toward the 70k5), and then just buy the correct springs for the 70k5, or can the 2nd gen springs be made to fit the 1st gen, like the 52'' swap in the 2nd gens?

i already have someone ready to buy the k10 and i want to know if i should sell my old lift and the 70k5 6 lugs w/it(i'm keeping the 3/4t axles for the 70 k5, regardless) so can it be done w/ about the same amount of work as puttin 52's under a 2nd gen? or just put my 3/4t under the 70 and let the old 2nd gen springs and 70k5 axles go w/the truck, but keep my steering correction and eventually just buy the right springs for the 70?

 

[RGV72BLAZER]

little help paalease! i know anything is possible, but how much hassle would it be to use 2nd gen springs under a 1st gen k5?

Not much more modification than swapping in 52s


i know my 2nd gen k5 rear leaves are 52'' and i believe the 1st gen's are the same in the rear, isn't this correct?

rear springs are the same


would my 2nd gen 14bsf, bolt up under the 70 k5 w/o any modifications, after, i pull it out of my 80 k5? will the 2nd gen(80k5) rear leaves be a bolt in swap to the 70 k5 also?

I think the spring perch width is the same...


now the front springs, i know for a fact are different, but how much different, could the 2nd gen front springs be used up front on the 1st gen, if i move the front spring mounts in front of the radiator support mounts(like puttin 52''s in the front of a 2nd gen)? or would the front shackle mount also need to be moved?(i don't want to move the front shaclke mounts) this(70k5) will hardly ever get off pavement(mostly restored w/ a little lift, 3/4t axles, and 33-35'' a/t tires), but the 80k5 will be a dedicated to the mud machine, but mildly streetable!

I think the first gen springs are ~42" & the second gen springs ~47"...I may be off by a bit tho.


what exactly are the measurements on 1st gen and 2nd gen front leaves and rears for that matter(just want to be sure)?

see above

i really need this info b/c i have found a fairly solid and straight 70k5 w/ a/c and a standard and np205(this is my dream truck & i don't expect it to be for sale very long and i plan on selling the k10, i have, and using the money, on buying the 70k5,.. and i just bought a new set of superlift's 12'' swamprunner lift springs and diy4x shackle flip(to ditch the blocks)and 1-ton d60f/14bff for my 80 k5, and i am very curious if the 6'' lift springs and 3/4 ton 10b/14sf, can be made to fit the 70 k5 w/o moving the front shackle mount, i can live w/ moving the front spring mounts, but dont want the big hole where the shackle mount once was for the original front shackles.


i had planned on using my old lift and stuff on the perfect k10 i have, but i would rather put it on the 70 model if at all possible w/o having the 70 down for a long time...should i just put my 3/4 ton axles under it(70k5) and sell my old springs w/the k10 and the 6 lugs out of the 70k5(more money toward the 70k5), and then just buy the correct springs for the 70k5, or can the 2nd gen springs be made to fit the 1st gen, like the 52'' swap in the 2nd gens?


i already have someone ready to buy the k10 and i want to know if i should sell my old lift and the 70k5 6 lugs w/it(i'm keeping the 3/4t axles for the 70 k5, regardless) so can it be done w/ about the same amount of work as puttin 52's under a 2nd gen? or just put my 3/4t under the 70 and let the old 2nd gen springs and 70k5 axles go w/the truck, but keep my steering correction and eventually just buy the right springs for the 70?

So what I had planned on my '72 was to run the 12" springs off a 73+ (back when I wanted to make it a mud machine). I was planning on leaving the spring mounts in the stock location to see what kinda shackle angle I'd get, but never got that far. If it helps, I didn't even move my shackle mount for my 52" swap on mine...neither did MNorby. I woulda already bought the '70 without even thinking about the suspension I've been dying to get a '70. But I hope this helps...if not you'd have better luck in th 69-72 section.

 

[blazin_blazer]

thanks...so 2nd gen fronts are 47'' so 52'' are 5'' longer
1st gen is 42'' and 2nd gen is 47'' which is also 5'' longer, so basically the same swap, pretty much, but on a 2nd gen going to 52's the shackle has to be moved forward doesn't it? so i would assume shackles would have to be moved to put the 47''s where the 42's where....does that make sense and is that correct?

 

[RaisedK5]

One of the guys in the club has a first gen he did the swap on, as i recall he moved the front hanger forward just like a 52" swap using the stock parts, then bolted in the longer 2nd gen front springs with the shackles in the stock location and that was it. But i coudl be wrong.

as for the shackle flip, the perch spacing on the rear of a first gen is the same as later one tons. its too narrow to use the 2nd gen flip brackets.

 

[RGV72BLAZER]

I left the shackles in the stock location & moved the front x-member forward using 52s.

 

[bigbadchev84]

I got 2nd gen 8" springs in the front of my 72 k5 with a zerorate to move the axle forward with longer shackles in the rear of the front springs, its my daily driver and goes nice down the road. The rear axle will need the perches moved inward unless you go with a 1ton rear end. its an easy mod to move perches. the rear springs will fit.

 

[RGV72BLAZER]

^ nice blazer ...& one of the funniest sigs I've seen in a very long time

 

[blazin_blazer]

hmmmm....

I got 2nd gen 8" springs in the front of my 72 k5 with a zerorate to move the axle forward with longer shackles in the rear of the front springs, its my daily driver and goes nice down the road. The rear axle will need the perches moved inward unless you go with a 1ton rear end. its an easy mod to move perches. the rear springs will fit.

so you have 2nd gen front springs in your 1st gen by just using longer rear shackles? or did you have to move the front mount? and you need a zero rate to put axle back in the factory position or is your axle forward from stock?

 

[bigbadchev84]

I tore apart my 84' shortbox and used the front springs from it, I used the k5s stock front hanger and a longer rear shackle for it, no problems, I already had the zerorate installed straight up on my shortbox and didnt have access to centering pins the day i did the swap.

So the axle is actually 1-1.5" back from the k5s stock springs in both pics, If you want the axle centered in the wheel opening you have to move the axle forward, since the 2nd gen springs are longer the centering pins are back just a little further

 

[bigbadchev84]

here is a pic of the shackle, this is the only mod i did to run 2nd gen springs, I have done no wheeling with this setup, but it does nice for daily driver duties