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63" rear spring swap

highrlr

highrlr

1/2 ton status
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Nov 29, 2004
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Location
Bismarck, ND
So i think I am going to be installing a set of 63" springs in the rear of my '89 GMC jimmy. Right now I am runnning the stock 52"ers with an ORD flip and stock shackles. I bought a set of 57's from a budy and was going to install these, but after dissasembly I found out they are not salvageable with as many broken leaves as they have. Anyway, I am not sure what is all involved in a 63" swap and was wondering if anyone can offer some insight or links to writeups. Will I need longer shackles? Can I still keep my ORD flip? Do I have to move the front spring hangers? And will the 63" springs offer any better performance over a set of 57"ers? thanks for any and all info, it is much appreciated!
 
IMO, I've seen the 56s & 57s flex awesome. On my '72 we used 64s & we moved the rear hanger rearward & kept the front hanger in the stock location. Very easy to do since we had it down to the bare frame. That's with a ORD flip & 6" shackles & it sits pretty close to the front 52s, 7" shackles, & zero rate.

Now...on my buddies '91 it took us about 3 weekends to do working on it when we could. We kept running into little problems with bumpers, rivets, etc. IMO, it's a PITA when there's a body on...:haha: But did the samething with the hangers on his but he used 63s, DIY4X flip and 6" shackles.

So to answer your questions, you'd get the full benefit with longer shackles. I don't see why you can't keep your ORD flip. Depending on what wheelbase & how much you'd want to sawzall out of the fenders, that'll determine if you need to move the front spring hangers. Hope this helps.
 
Try to do a search. I posted pics of my swap like 3 times in different threads. There is a TON of threads on this swap.
 
I moved my front hanger and the rear with a shakle flip to keep it at stock wheelbase. Moving it too far back diff hits gas tank.
 
chevysmithz71 said:
I moved my front hanger and the rear with a shakle flip to keep it at stock wheelbase. Moving it too far back diff hits gas tank.
Click to expand...

Bingo! I had this issue with 56"s, as the center pin is offset. If I put the long side forward, to push the axle back, my (admittedly ginormous aftermarket) diff cover wanted to become one with the tank skid plate on compression. I had to settle for the long edge back.

You absolutely can still use your shackle flip. You will, however, prolly want different length (i.e. aftermarket) shackles, as your geometry WILL change, and my experience with longer springs is they tend to be flatter, i.e. less lift.

Anyway, depending on tank fitment as above, and how you want to center the axle on the wheelwell (i.e. what wheelbase you end up with) you'll likely have to drill new holes for at least one, if not both ends (i.e. the shackle flip in the back and/or the front hanger.) Which means dropping the tank, prolly, plus driveshaft mods (unless you keep the axle right where it is), and maybe some shimming depending on where your hangers end up and where you want your pinion angle.

OTOH, I swapped in 56"s in the back and they were basically a bolt-in; turned my shackle flip around (swapped them left-for-right), welded up longer shackles ('cuz ORD and DIY4X didn't make them yet, or maybe I just didn't want to pay the $$ ORD got for theirs) and off I went.

One thing you can do, too, is tweak the number and size of the leafs in the pack to change lift / ride height. I think I played with mine for a coupla days and tried a half-dozen combinations front and rear until I found one I liked. (It helps that my 56"s were like a ten leaf pack from a 1-ton, and I had two sets of 52"s to mix-n-match.)

-- A
 
IMO, I would go with a set of chevy 56s in the back. I only did 64s because I got two pairs for free.
 
Thanks for the replys everyone!

Right now I have the stock 52"ers, ORD flip, and an ORD zero rate, set back as far as itll go, think thats about an 1.5". That is where I would like the axle to stay, as my, also very large, diff cover gets pretty close to the tank.

I dont have a problem with moving both spring hangers, just not sure about the front one. I took a look at it, and there is a body mount, pretty much butted up to the front spring hanger. And it looks like putting the hanger in front of the body mount would be too much?

I would rather go with a set a set of 57"ers, but the set I bought is junk, and now im having troubles finding a set for a reasonable price. The one set I found, the guy wants $75 for. Found a set of 63" for $40 out of a '93 1/2 ton 4x4. That is why I thought I would try out the 63's, but seeing as how well the 57-52 combo seems to flex, im not sure the extra work of 63's is worth it?

Any one have any pics of a completed 63" swap, including what you did with your front and rear hangers, as well as what length shackles you went with?

Thanks gain!
 
In this pic you can see where the stock hanger was for the rear.
puppies021.jpg

For the front on my 75 it had no body mount in the way. so there is the year frame differnce to really stop you to put it in stock wheelbase. My frnt worked great. I moved the bracket so the frnt holes in the frame went to the rear of the bracket.Then drilled new holes in the frame for the front. Used a 7in shackle.
blazerpic044.jpg
 
I am curious about this too. What are people doing about brake line extensions, shock relocation and driveshafts?
 
i put mine in today...i moved my flip 4 inches back and fliped them so the gussets are backwards and it ended up like this...im gonna have to figure something out...my angle is horrible...
070.jpg
 
Im curious about the shock locations also, as i am doing a 64" swap. Brake lines are easy, just need extentions, I have superlift 29" lines in the front with 52's, and the same line in the rear that came with my old 6" lift seems like there is a lot of slack left.
 
I wanna swap in 56 in the rear. What's the deal with switching the shackle flips? I don't get this at all.
 
Ben B. said:
I wanna swap in 56 in the rear. What's the deal with switching the shackle flips? I don't get this at all.
Click to expand...

The shackle flips -- at least my ORD ones, and I presume the other brands as well -- are offset, that is, the spring eye isn't centered under the bolts.

In the original use, the spring eye is forward of the frame bolts' center line, by a coupla inches IIRC.

By switching the flips left-to-right, you put the spring eye backward a couple of inches, essentially moving the spring hanger, without having to redrill the frame.

That make sense?

-- A
 
Here's where I got my hanger, basically i flipped the brackets side-to-side and then moved them back so that the front holes are bolted to the original rear holes
2186902_148_full.jpg
 
mudder: what is your mount eye to shackle mount eye? also i notice my 78 short bed front hanger looks to hang down a few inches more than on a k5
 
I moved mine back far enough so that the front holes on the ORD brackets line up with the rear 2 holes of the stock location on the frame. I didnt modify the lump in the frame but i don't think it will cause any problems.

BuildUp014.jpg
 
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