73-91 subruban front springs and ride quality

[black dawg]

91 v1500 4x4 gas.

I 8 lug swapped this thing many years ago, and used the springs that came with the 8 lug axles. Front is 3 leaf that looks pretty much flat, and this thing rides stiff. I have had several setup this way but don't remember them riding this rough. It sits a little rear high right now and I was thinking of putting a set of 2 inch ez rides in the front. Any idea what I can expect for lift height from the 3 leaf oem? to the 2 inch ez rides? Small block truck with no winch bumper or winch on the front.

 

[obijuank5]

If they are perfectly flat now, your 2.5" ez rides will potentially be the same or slightly lower in ride height. On a pickup they were almost exactly flat. I'd expect a burb to just be a little heavier.
Also pair them with a good shock for your best chance at riding nice.

 

[Blue85]

If it has quad shocks, remove 1 from each side. If it has lift springs, use a swaybar disconnect (or disconnect swaybar temporarily to check ride), as lift springs are longer than stock and bind. Also verify the shackles are moving freely without hitting the frame. The upper bushing loves to fail. A good shock will help, but if turns out the issue is stiff springs, the only fix for the ride quality is a softer spring.

Picture of the Sub-Ruban from the thread title:

 

[black dawg]

Removed that third leaf, ride quality improvement was huge. But lost an inch or maybe a little more (didn't measure).

I did notice the 1 leaf spring clamp on one side was somehow too tight, basically not letting the springs slide.....sure that didn't help.

 

[1-ton]

If the front springs you have right now are 3" wide then you have a set of 1 ton front springs on it. Most aftermarket springs are 2 1/2" wide, and ride a lot softer.

 

[black dawg]

If the front springs you have right now are 3" wide then you have a set of 1 ton front springs on it. Most aftermarket springs are 2 1/2" wide, and ride a lot softer.

The springs I had were 3 leaf...….now 2 leaf .

None of these trucks came with 3 inch wide front springs

 

[obijuank5]

All of these trucks came with 3" wide springs. They just narrow to 2.5" at the pad.
"Progressive" lol
All aftermarket lift springs are 2.5 the whole way, and just have fat bushings to make up the difference.

 

[imiceman44]

The springs I had were 3 leaf...….now 2 leaf .

None of these trucks came with 3 inch wide front springs

All of these trucks came with 3" wide springs. They just narrow to 2.5" at the pad.
"Progressive" lol
All aftermarket lift springs are 2.5 the whole way, and just have fat bushings to make up the difference.

Exactly.

 

[black dawg]

Just as a follow up...started with 3 leaf pack oem springs, cut out bottom leaf in an attempt to improve ride quality. Ride was much improved, and lost about an inch in height. Yesterday put in tuff country 2 inch ez rides, and gained almost exactly 4 inches ?? Hopefully they settle quite a bit.

Do people generally need steering correction with the 2 inch springs? From what I read, I gathered no, but looking at this drag link (push pull) bump steer is going to be pretty obnoxious.

Also as a side note, the spring bushings and upper shackle bushings (all poly) were siezed to the sleeve...….probably a huge contributor to why it seemed like it started to ride like crap over the years.

 

[diesel4me]

My '82 K2500 came stock with 2 leaf front springs,despite having a 6.2 diesel factory..its rear springs are only 4 or 5 leaf ones too..

It has enough years of use on it and plowed enough to sag the front springs enough that they almost touch the bump stops without the plow on it,and it bottoms out easily,rides like a dump truck..like a dead axle up front almost..
I have had to replace the bump stops twice,they get torn off after awhile..I've had other trucks with the "heavy duty" 3 leaf fromt springs that rode better than this one..if I come across any 2" lift springs I may get them..but replacing leaf springs SUCKS..hate dealing with seized bolts in the bushings and its a hassle to get new U-bolts around here..most places make them up and have to use your old ones as a guide..

 

[obijuank5]

You probably had wore out springs and that gave you the percieved 4" lift. Generally with new 2.5 springs you do not really need any steering correction, just a drag link adjustment.

 

[black dawg]

Weird thing is, drag link angle looks pretty bad...….I have had much less angle than this on other trucks (with stiffer springs) and had bump steer.

 

[obijuank5]

Well did you tighten all the bolts when it was in the air or on the ground?
And a pic will say alot.

 

[shady]

My '82 K2500 came stock with 2 leaf front springs,despite having a 6.2 diesel factory..its rear springs are only 4 or 5 leaf ones too..

It has enough years of use on it and plowed enough to sag the front springs enough that they almost touch the bump stops without the plow on it,and it bottoms out easily,rides like a dump truck..like a dead axle up front almost..
I have had to replace the bump stops twice,they get torn off after awhile..I've had other trucks with the "heavy duty" 3 leaf fromt springs that rode better than this one..if I come across any 2" lift springs I may get them..but replacing leaf springs SUCKS..hate dealing with seized bolts in the bushings and its a hassle to get new U-bolts around here..most places make them up and have to use your old ones as a guide..

Order new Ubolts and eye bolts before your swap (ORD, DIY4X, etc.) Then just gas axe or sawzall the old stuff off

 

[black dawg]

Well did you tighten all the bolts when it was in the air or on the ground?
And a pic will say alot.

Everything including sway bar tightened on ground.

So, finally got to drive it this afternoon, and ride is so much better. Pretty minimal bump steer.
Used the 2 inch ez rides along with the ord 5150s, and ord greasable shackles. Will be putting some mountain road miles on it this weekend and see what I think then, but at this point it is a totally different truck. Much better

 

[black dawg]

Got to put some miles on it this weekend, with about 50 of them being dirt road, some of it pretty rough. Ride is hugely improved. For the las few years this thing has had weird little noises and popping in the front under certain conditions. Must have been those seized up shackle bushings.

As far as rear springs, does anybody make a lift spring that will hold up the back of a suburban loaded, and maybe with a trailer. The rear seems to ride ok, maybe just try a better shock back there first. It has some replacement 3/4 ton springs in the back that are about 10 years old.

 

[Wes Harden]

Shakle flip rear for @ 4" lift

 

[black dawg]

Has anybody removed the 3rd leaf of the 3 leaf ez rides?

 

[black dawg]

Still complaining about how this thing rides. It really was an improvement going to the 2 inch ez ride and bilsteins, but it seemed like as the springs settled ride quality got rougher, was always loaded with camping gear and full of people so it didnt seem to bad. I have driven it alot over the last year, lots of the time mostly unloaded, and ride quality in the front is very stiff, much more than the rear (factory 7 leaf with overload and bilsteins). I pulled the front shocks to make sure they felt normal and I really dont think anything is wrong with them.

One thing I did notice is the shackle angle is forward some, and looking at others with lift springs, the shackle is always angled back. Measured from front spring mount on two suburbans, and both measure the same. Measured the springs on the one (3 inch ez rides) and they measure 48 inches.....measured these 2 inch ez rides, and they measure 46.5 center to center.??

 

[nvrenuf]

How are you measuring the springs - straight across or along the arch.

Typical 48" lift springs will put the shackle either straight vertical or angled forward towards the axle (the severity is relative to the amount of spring arch). Moving that upper "FUSH" bracket forward in the frame is a popular mod for better articulation (especially with longer springs) so be careful that you aren't comparing to modified set ups. That said, moving the FUSH bracket forward improves the shackle angle and may improve ride quality but that's a pretty strong mod to do hoping it would improve the ride.