52"'s and 56"'s ... how flat is too flat?

[dremu]

I'm doing the spring swap thing, and I'm worried that the springs may be a bit, well, flat. Seems like they should have more arch ... though I s'pose a less-arched spring will flex more ... but still. I mean, are they SUPPOSED to be that flat?

Attached are pix with both ends of the spring mounted and the axles on stands, so it should be the same weight/loading as when on the tires.

The fronts are the old 52"s off the back; the rears are 56"'s from a 1-ton with some of the leaves removed. Five leaves on both, fwiw. It would be relatively easy to put a coupla leaves back in (and I have extras from another set of 52"'s I could add one to the front) if that would be A Good Thing.

The rear also is using stock shackles, 4" eye to eye. I'm gonna build a custom set, prolly about the size of the ORD ubershackles (i.e. 6"ish eye to eye.) -- unless someone pops up and tells me I've done it all wrong anyway.

-- A

 

[85mudblazin]

I have been having this problem also. My rear springs are the 8 leafs out of a 1 ton. I pulled 1 of them and left the overload. They flex like mad and have plenty of arch.
My fronts are the same ones you used. Even with the monster arched overload in them they are still pretty flat. Without the overload they look like yours, to flat. So I got some 4 leafs 52's out of the rear of a 1/2" PU. These or the rears out of a newer K5 that has the 4 leafs are the ones you need.

 

[perp]

I don't mean to hijack,but i got a related question you guys may be able to answer. I already did my 56 rears (4" super lifts with a ORD 4" shackle flip) and i am working on the front 52's today and tommorow. when i started to mount the first 52 i found the bushing is way too skinny for the front frame mount. I am thinking of red necking it with several washers on each side to center the sping in the mount. what did you guys do?

also your springs do look flat (the 56). i had a set i didn't use out of a 1981 1 ton and they were arched like a 4-6" front spring is.

 

[dremu]

I don't mean to hijack,but i got a related question you guys may be able to answer. I already did my 56 rears (4" super lifts with a ORD 4" shackle flip) and i am working on the front 52's today and tommorow. when i started to mount the first 52 i found the bushing is way too skinny for the front frame mount. I am thinking of red necking it with several washers on each side to center the sping in the mount. what did you guys do?

also your springs do look flat (the 56). i had a set i didn't use out of a 1981 1 ton and they were arched like a 4-6" front spring is.

Well, I made custom upper (body) mounts to use the thicker bushings, and 9/16" bolts top and bottom.

In your case, I'd weld a piece of 1/4" plate inside your shackles up top ... bit less redneck than washers, and adds to the loading surface up top.

Grr. Looks like I'm taking my spring packs apart ... again =)) At least this time I can do it ON the truck... I guess...

-- A

 

[dremu]

I have been having this problem also. My rear springs are the 8 leafs out of a 1 ton. I pulled 1 of them and left the overload. They flex like mad and have plenty of arch.
My fronts are the same ones you used. Even with the monster arched overload in them they are still pretty flat. Without the overload they look like yours, to flat. So I got some 4 leafs 52's out of the rear of a 1/2" PU. These or the rears out of a newer K5 that has the 4 leafs are the ones you need.

A four-leaf from a newer truck ... as opposed to my five? I take it the fours are thicker per leaf or something?

I'm thinking I'll just stick an extra leaf into each pack, see how that works. It's free, you see, and that's a good thing ... the spring idea seemed cheap until I figured in crossover and new shocks =))

-- A

 

[MTMike]

Mine are that flat, and I don't have any trouble with them.

Front 52's

Rear 56's

 

[85mudblazin]

The 4's are not a thicker leaf but they are arched more giving them more capacity.
With my leafs flat I ran into problems with my draglink and my u-bolts. It also didnt give me any lift, almost like a stock K5.

 

[basing110]

from what i understand if your springs are to flat you wont get that much compression cause you will de-arc the springs and thats not good to do to much,from what i understand a little is ok... but you will get some killer droop.. my front 2" 52's are arced and i get great compression and decent droop .. the rear stock 56's are pretty flat and i get killer droop but decent compression its a give or take .. but you should always bump stop before your springs are de-arced to where they start pulling the shackle back in

 

[Paxx]

The springs being so long and flat are what make them desirable in the first place. That is what makes them flex so well. The more arch they have the less they will flex. Just bumpstop them to where your tire isn't contacting your body/frame etc. and enjoy your improved ride and flex qualities.

 

[dremu]

The 4's are not a thicker leaf but they are arched more giving them more capacity.
With my leafs flat I ran into problems with my draglink and my u-bolts. It also didnt give me any lift, almost like a stock K5.

Grumble grumble

You mean like my top-down tierod that wants to be RIGHT where the springs are? Maybe I should be doing high-steer ... aaaaaaaaargh. I hate to think about changing to bottom-up ... aaaaaargh. I enjoy this experimentation, really I do.

-- A

 

[dremu]

The springs being so long and flat are what make them desirable in the first place. That is what makes them flex so well. The more arch they have the less they will flex. Just bumpstop them to where your tire isn't contacting your body/frame etc. and enjoy your improved ride and flex qualities.

Yeah, they don't seem to compress so well, but I can't wait to try droop out.

OTOH, I gotta figure out what to do with my tie rod. I'm thinking it's prolly important to have

-- A

 

[Paxx]

lol yeah they usually help.

 

[dremu]

regarding my ramblings on tierods...

lol yeah they usually help.

I think I'm gonna try and bump the front up one leaf, and the rear maybe two.

Is an overload gonna add arch, or just static height, i.e. I should be looking at curved leaves, right, to add arch AND height?

-- A