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56" spring mounting in the front.
- Thread starter cybrfire
- Start date
85mudblazin
1/2 ton status
You cant run the long side forward since it would push your axle back.
This is assuming you are doing 56's by moving the front mount forward like with 52's and leaving the shackle mount in the stock spot.
This is assuming you are doing 56's by moving the front mount forward like with 52's and leaving the shackle mount in the stock spot.
With bracketry like the B52's I see it this way,
Long side forward is possible, however, mounting a bumper will be terrible. Approach angle will be lessened since the brackets will stick out quite a bit. Axle would move forward slightly.
Long side back is possible, however, Your going to be locked into full hydro steering as a result. The axle will be pushed far enough forward that I just don't think the steering box will work for you. The approach would be saved this way and probably better due to being able to move the axle forward that much. I still don't see having much frame left to mount a bumper to though.
This is all considering leaving the shackle in the stock location and making bracketry that works on the other end.
I'd go long side back if it were me. I won't be doing this to my trucks other than for setup.
This is just looking at things and doing some figuring. I haven't actually unbolted my 52's.
Long side forward is possible, however, mounting a bumper will be terrible. Approach angle will be lessened since the brackets will stick out quite a bit. Axle would move forward slightly.
Long side back is possible, however, Your going to be locked into full hydro steering as a result. The axle will be pushed far enough forward that I just don't think the steering box will work for you. The approach would be saved this way and probably better due to being able to move the axle forward that much. I still don't see having much frame left to mount a bumper to though.
This is all considering leaving the shackle in the stock location and making bracketry that works on the other end.
I'd go long side back if it were me. I won't be doing this to my trucks other than for setup.
This is just looking at things and doing some figuring. I haven't actually unbolted my 52's.
85mudblazin
1/2 ton status
With the long side back it is still only going to move the axle forward 2" just like the 52's.
cybrfire said:
certainly possible, you just need WFO reverse high steer arms. Wait.. doesn't everyone have reverse high steer?
another vote for long side to the rear. Approach angle is the key factor. I can find a place to mount my bumper... heck, the top of my frame isn't being used hardly at all!
j
85mudblazin said:
Am I thinking something wrong then?
48" spring to a 52" spring moves the axle 2" forward give or take depending on shackle angle. Throw another 4" of spring behind the axle and the axle moves again unless your moving the shackle eye in the frame which I believe is what most want to avoid.
Again alot of this depends on shackle angle.
k5 krawler 50
1/2 ton status
The 52's center pin is split evenly in the spring at 26 inches.. where as the 56's are offset 26" and 30"... so if put the 26 end forward then you move the axle 2 inches just like the 52's because they both have 26" from the center pin to the front.. i hope that doesnt sound to confusing..
85mudblazin
1/2 ton status
The short side length of the spring is the same as a 52" spring. The long side is 4" longer.cybrfire said:
Now if you move the front mount just like with the 52's and have the short side forward (same length as eye-center pin on 52") it will move the axle 2" forward from stock.
Now if you put the long side forward its going to push the axle back since the length from the eye to the center pin is longer then the 52's length.
Understand? Its hard to explain
yeah, leaving the front hanger in the standard 52" spring location is pretty much gonna require the rear hanger to be moved back at least a little bit + long shackles. What DIY needs to make is a rear shackle hanger with a couple of different mounting holes/positions. Sorta like the B52 kit, but for the other end of the spring. 
j
j
85mudblazin
1/2 ton status
cybrfire said:
I run 56s with the short side forward. I moved my front spring hanger 7.5" forward. I use the stock shackle location.cybrfire said:
It steers just fine, you just can't run highsteer. The draglink and tierod cross.
With your axle that far forward (4.5" from stock) you have plenty of room to run behind-the-axle steering. The axle tube is directly below the harmonic balancer on a smallblock, you don't have to worry about hitting the oil pan or anything.
The only thing you have to worry about with this whole setup is the pinion yoke. Since the long side is rearward it tends to arch more than the front part of the spring... causing the pinion to point towards the ground.
sandawgk5
3/4 ton status
cybrfire said:
OK front of the rig is on the left. Shackle hanger in the same place on the frame. Top is 52's and bottom is 56's long side rearward. Both shackles are set at 6" and 24 degree angle.
One thing not illustrated in your drawing is. If you use the normal 52 location with 56s the shackle angle will lay back more to around a 45 deg angle provided you do not change the upper shackle mount in the frame. With 56s you move the axle 2" forward and improve your shackle angle at the same time and you can still run the 7.25" shackle and not hit the frame but you will need to clearance the front portion of the body mount or the shackle good hit it. I intend to run 56s front and rear on mine to push my wheelbase out a little on both ends
.Ira
SCOOBYDANNN
1/2 ton status
I just finished mine up and posted in the "garage" i put the long side foreward and moved the front hanger 6" foreward. with 5.5" shackles in the factory location my axle stayed at 107. There was no possible way for "me" to do the long side rearward as i would have to go full hydro or move the steering box foreward.
What is so difficult about long side rearward?
sandawgk5
3/4 ton status
From my research there is nothing wrong with long side in the rear. I found it moves the axle the same as a 52 swap and also gives better shackle angle with the stock rear mount. The reason the other guy had issues is his ram and mount would have made contact with his Drag link.
If there is some error in my thinking please let me know.
Ira
. The reason the other guy had issues is his ram and mount would have made contact with his Drag link. If there is some error in my thinking please let me know.
Ira
long side to the rear is the only way to go. I can't think of anything more useless than moving the front axle forward 2" but extending the frame 6" to do so. To me, thats sounds a lot like losing 4" of approach angle. Yes, the springs will be more flexy, but thats only half the benefit of swapping to 52s/56s. Clearly there are steering issues to be resolved with long-side-to-the-rear spring swaps, but thats why God gave us full hydro and/or reverse-highsteer steering arms.
j
j
jekbrown said:
Once I switched to D44 knuckles (tie rod on top of the stock tie rod location) and straight TREs with a straight tie rod I never hit my tie rod on anything ever again. You end up needing a 1" block/zero rate in order to clear it but it's so much higher than stock 10 bolt (tie rod under the knuckle) or stock D44 (offset TREs) that it is well above the axle tube centerline.
I'm going behind-the-axle steering on the LP60 and HP60 so it won't matter to me anymore anyway.
The whole idea of putting the long side forward on 56s baffle me. It's not like it's very streetable with 56s in the front so why wouldn't you want to hack your fenders to move the axle 4.5" forward? It's not like those front corners of your vehicle are going to help you get down the trail anyway.
SCOOBYDANNN
1/2 ton status
and very little money
.even though i moved my hanger foreward i have the same approach angle as I would with a stock bumper.
I knew approach was going to be a slight bump in the road so I built everything with 3/8' steel
