52's installed

[hillbilly deluxe]

Heres the problem

These 1/2 ton 52's with no overload did not survive very long.

Springs can, and have, hit draglink.

Shocks compressed nearly all the way sitting on flat ground.

Front at 41.75, rear measured 43.25. So, 1.5" lower in front.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

So she comes apart.

Here is one of the donor springs from rear of a '75 3/4 ton. These springs are 1.5" thicker than the old ones.

Driver's side going on with zero rate and shim. Longer u-bolts needed.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

Passenger side spring with zero rate and shims.


From the ORD website:
"On front applications with crossover steering be aware that you will be losing clearance between the draglink and your RH spring. The full 1" from the offset Zero Rates™ could cause you problems there - make sure to check it out."

I had to turn the drag link around and adjust the angle so it would clear the springs. And it barely does with the wheel all the way to the left, probably only 1/8". I also will not clear the springs in any way if it's in the front hole. Too bad I didn't re-read the zero rate page before doing this

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

So after having to buy longer u-bolts and mess with the drag link here's the results!!!


45 3/4" after just setting it down. I went out and flexed the springs and it settled down to 45 1/2".


Now I am 2" higher in the front. Tomorrow I am going to take it apart and remove the zero rates. I could have re-used the u-bolts and not worried about the steering withou the zero's and the height difference would have been tolerable.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

Good news is I like the way they flex! The ride is not noticeably stiffer but the nose doesn't dive every time I brake or turn the wheel. There doesn't seem to be much drawback at all going from 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton springs.

 

[greywolf]

any new reports???

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

Tore it back apart

and removed the zero rates from the front.

Going back together.


Back together.


Decided new bumpstops were in order.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

Went out and flexed them. Also repainted the rims and put on new tires.







Here's the clearance between the 4.5" bumpstops and springs.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

Sitting flat in garage.


Front 44.75.


Rear 43.125. Seem to have lost an eighth of an inch sice last time!


So still about 1.5" higher in the front. Gonna leave it alone for now and see what some wheeling does to it. Now I'm kinda tempted to raise the rear a bit... Delete the zero rates and install 2" blocks?

 

[COCHEV]

Pretty sure the rear wheel well openings are shorter/smaller. Maybe measure to the rockers front and rear...

Looks like your bump stop could be even lower...

 

[imiceman44]

Pretty sure the rear wheel well openings are shorter/smaller. Maybe measure to the rockers front and rear...

Looks like your bump stop could be even lower...

^^^^^
I usually measure at the body line, crease, but you can also do the rocker edge.
The fender opening is higher in the front.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

Okay thanks, I wondered about that, but didn't do any serious looking. I will try the body crease. If you stand next to it it still looks higher in the front but maybe it's the wheel openings playing tricks on my eyes.

I agree about the bumpstop. I never paid much attention to how close the spring gets to the bumpstops before. I honestly thought it would be even closer flexed like that. If I do it I'll just space them down some. they look long enough to stop the leaf from contacting the draglink but just barely.

 

[K5Danno]

Did you end up going with the Dodge rear 52's? Thanks.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

No I used chevy springs. I think the axle is moved slightly forward with the B-52's. There's enough sheetmetal gone now that it just doesn't matter that much.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

I measured my height at the body crease and the rear is 1/8" higher.

 

[imiceman44]

I measured my height at the body crease and the rear is 1/8" higher.

I was gonna say it looked pretty level to me from the pic.

 

[MJB774X]

glad I read this, I have the same pack you had your first go around, I better save myself the headache and just replace them now, what kind of shocks are you running? I noticed my pack is soft even with no motor, I figured I'd just get myself some good shocks, also why did you take out the zero rate? I noticed you said your axle was 3/8" forward was that with the zero rate, on mine I have the zero rate set at 1" forward and the spring in the furthest hole forward like in your first pic there, my axle sits a lot further forward than an 1", I was curious as to how things worked out with the steering, I read that the spring would hit the pitman arm but what about the angle of the drag link (forward/backward)?

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

If I made you a "Hillbilly Deluxe" badge for your truck... would you use it?

This size:
_____________________________________________________________
I ...............................................................................................I
I ...............................................................................................I
I ...............................................................................................I
I ...............................................................................................I

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

If I made you a "Hillbilly Deluxe" badge for your truck... would you use it?

This size:
_____________________________________________________________
I ...............................................................................................I
I ...............................................................................................I
I ...............................................................................................I
I ...............................................................................................I

Hell yea I would! I love that kind of stuff.

 

[hillbilly deluxe]

glad I read this, I have the same pack you had your first go around, I better save myself the headache and just replace them now, what kind of shocks are you running? I noticed my pack is soft even with no motor, I figured I'd just get myself some good shocks, also why did you take out the zero rate? I noticed you said your axle was 3/8" forward was that with the zero rate, on mine I have the zero rate set at 1" forward and the spring in the furthest hole forward like in your first pic there, my axle sits a lot further forward than an 1", I was curious as to how things worked out with the steering, I read that the spring would hit the pitman arm but what about the angle of the drag link (forward/backward)?

They're just pro-comp shocks that came with the old 6" lift I had on here. Yeah that 4 leaf pack was done after a few trips. I'm not sure that heavy shocks would help, but I'm no expert.
The zero rate made the pack so thick that the draglink hit the spring. I couldn't even get the axle back in place I guess the pic didn't whoe it very close.
Do you have crossover steering? I moved my axle forward the first time without crossover and it moved the draglink forward and the truck could only turn right! I cut it down some and got it right but moving it much farther forward would have been hard without x-over.