54's, 56's, 63's...School Me Please

[NewUser]

sorry if this has been asked a blue million times before guys but could someone school me on the pro's and con's of using different springs?

54's...56's....63's what do they come in and what are the advantages of using them on my 77 K5?

also zero rates...what when where why how?

i seem to understand the whole rear shackle flip thing and plan on doing it maybe sometime later this summer along with a 14B/D44 swap but the whole spring thing has me confused

i did a search on here but became even more confused

 

[George_Pimpdaddy]

well its 52", 56", and 63" to start with for most gm springs, the 52" should be stock on a blazer and 56" would be the 3/4T springs found under burbans and the trucks. 63" is under the 88-00? new IFS trucks.
The longer the springs the more they can flex and that can help you get over things, but at the possible downfall of being to soft and flexy leading to axle hop. but that can be fixed with a traction bar or alike.
Zero rates are basically good blocks that will bolt to your leaf pack and give you the option of moving the axle forward either an inch or 1.5" or leave the axle in the stock position. they also give you a full inch of lift.

 

[muddermilitia]

well its 52", 56", and 63" to start with for most gm springs, the 52" should be stock on a blazer and 56" would be the 3/4T springs found under burbans and the trucks. 63" is under the 88-00? new IFS trucks.
The longer the springs the more they can flex and that can help you get over things, but at the possible downfall of being to soft and flexy leading to axle hop. but that can be fixed with a traction bar or alike.
Zero rates are basically good blocks that will bolt to your leaf pack and give you the option of moving the axle forward either an inch or 1.5" or leave the axle in the stock position. they also give you a full inch of lift.

Your mostly correct, some 3/4 ton trucks & burbs could also have 52" springs in the rear. 63s or 64s (as they are sometimes called) are found in the rear of IFS chevys pickups 88-to current(im 90% sure on that) Also FYI the 56" springs have an offset center pin. 26"s on one side and 30"s on the other side

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

The two posts above are correct.

In general, the longer the spring the better it will flex and the more easily it will wrap (i.e wheel hop, axle wrap, etc.).


Zero rates are basically an add-a-leaf (that adds 1" suspension height) that also allows you to move the axle forward or backwards 1" or 1.5".

 

[muddybuddy]

ull likely need a trac-bar if your gona run stock 64's in back with a deep gearings or a healthy motor cuz axle wrap will be bad

can you fabricate? in order to run 56's you need to get a shackle flip (you already have 52's). if you wana run 64's you need to move the rear bracket way back and move the from bracket or the axle will be 6" back.

ill see if i have pics of mine 64's in the back of my k5

http://www.putfile.com/pic/3796216 you can see i how much i moved the bracket back there, and that was to move the axle back 2", that is the stock brace for reference.

http://www.putfile.com/pic/3796211 you can see that the front mount was moved as well, and kind of an outline of where it used to be stock

http://www.putfile.com/pic/3796212 my pinion angle afterwards, perfect for a cv driveshaft

http://www.putfile.com/pic/3796209 my shackle angle

hope that helps some

 

[BGKYK5]

Did you have to modify the front hanger or just move it? Is that a custom shackle flip? How were you able to move the rear shackle hanger back that far and keep the reciever hitch?

 

[muddybuddy]

Did you have to modify the front hanger or just move it? Is that a custom shackle flip? How were you able to move the rear shackle hanger back that far and keep the reciever hitch?

i didnt have to modify the front hanger, we cut it but then realized it wasnt gona be necessary. thats a homemade shackle flip using the stock hanger and re-welding it for extra strength. with the bracing i was i was able to keep the hitch, but i know that if you use the flip from DIY4X or ORD you wont be able to keep the hitch.

 

[BGKYK5]