56"s on front of k5

[Black Betty's Daddy]

So I know alot of you guys have 56" leafs on the front of your chevys and what I am wondering is how many leafs are in your pack? I have a 85 k5 with 10bolt front(eventually d60) that has 4" lift springs on it now. I have a set of late 70's 2wd 3/4 ton rear 56" leafs that I am going to put up front on my k5 with some DIY4X b52's and hd 7" shackles and custom shock hoop with ext. brake lines plan on using rs5036 or rs999036 longest shocks I can find for reasonable price. My rig is not some high dollar rock crawler but the club I run with MIOBI.org there wheeling grounds have alot of different terrain off camber crevices cracks hill climbs creeks lots of rutted trails through the woods and hilly terrain! I've noticed that the rigs with alot of flex do pretty good on the more technical stuff down there. My goal is to get as much flex out of my leafs as possible the 56" leafs I have now are stock 7leafs in the pack with overload with the retaining clamps around the middle of the spring. Looking for your opinions on leaving them the way they are , just removing overloads, taking out every other leaf? What have you done, hows your flex, ride quality,axle wrap problems, would you change things now that you've had them on and wheeled them a while? Thanks guys and hope to hear your thoughts and opinions!
By the way I will be running 63"s on the rear with a shackle flip and inboarded shock mounts

 

[boz42]

I removed the overload, and the bottom leaf. Left the rest. I am happy with it. If anything it is a little too soft.

Best thing is not to get too caught up in thinking you will get it right the first time. You can always add or remove a leaf after you get it together.

 

[Black Betty's Daddy]

I saw your pic in another thread discussing 52" swap in the pic your flexed really good and you stated that you can fully stroke your shock! What kinda shock do you have and how much travel do they have? Also when you built your shock mounts where is your shock at ride height as in how much rod is exposed wjth it parked on level ground? Basically im trying to figure out how much shock to use for stuff verses droop for a 15" travel shock have 4" uptravel stuff and 11" downtravel droop? Thanks

 

[kgblazerfive]

Use the whole 7 pack including the overload.

 

[boz42]

I saw your pic in another thread discussing 52" swap in the pic your flexed really good and you stated that you can fully stroke your shock! What kinda shock do you have and how much travel do they have? Also when you built your shock mounts where is your shock at ride height as in how much rod is exposed wjth it parked on level ground? Basically im trying to figure out how much shock to use for stuff verses droop for a 15" travel shock have 4" uptravel stuff and 11" downtravel droop? Thanks

I am using 15" travel P.O.R.C. offroad shocks. They are not vavled stiff enough but that is another story. I really don't know how much shock I am using at rest. I could measure it tommorrow, I am work tonite.

When I mounted my shocks, I flexed my rig on a ramp to see where my bumpstops needed to be. Measured those out, & went back in the shop & built them. Went back to the ramp & flexed it till it bottomed out on the bumpstop. I took careful measurements at full stuff & built my shock mounts to mount the shock were the shock would be 1/2" from complete compression when thetruck was on the bump stop. This worked out well.

In the rear I bought a DIY4X inboard kit. I cut 3/8" plate in a triangular shape. I mounted it to two holes in Kerts upper shock mount. Drilled a holle in the top to mount the shock. This moved the upper shock mount up to the floor of the K5. About 3" higher than it would have mounted on Kert's set-up. I built the lower mounts the same as I did the front. I flexed it out & built them according to that.

I do have a lot more droop than compression. My rifg sits low, & I have high steer so I had to limit up-travel more than I wanted to.

 

[BoondocK5]

Use the whole 7 pack including the overload.

I'm with Keith on this one. I'm in the middle of this swap right now. After watching what others went through at BB10, I'm leaving all 7 leaves in, with the overloads, just to slow things down a bit.

 

[Black Betty's Daddy]

I'm with Keith on this one. I'm in the middle of this swap right now. After watching what others went through at BB10, I'm leaving all 7 leaves in, with the overloads, just to slow things down a bit.

could you elaborate more on what the others went through and why you want to slow things down? I like it fast and ruff lol

 

[kgblazerfive]

They just flex alot more then what you would think they do even with a 7 pack