87 k5 springs on a 72 frame?

[Stumpuller]

hey kids!
i was sitting in the garage marveling at all i had gotten accomplished that day when i remeberd i had an 87 k5 in the bone yard that has a 4" spring lift.
can i use those springs and housings on a bare 72 LWB frame? or am i moving pearches?

ive got a 69 c10 that is lowerd 6" all around and needs a new attitude!

any ideas?

 

[Greg72]

The back is a direct bolt in.

Front springs on the '72 are slightly shorter (eye to eye) than the later stuff. For some reason 45" is the number than comes to mind.

 

[blazin_blazer]

i think 1 of kerts b52 kits for a 1st gen may allow the 2nd gen springs to bolt in, don't hold me to it, talk to kert at diy4x, he probally would be able to tell you if that would work or not. if not, he can probally make some that would work,..personally i'd go w/ a bumper center w/the spring & rad support mounts built onto it.

 

[Stumpuller]

so the rear springs will work and the perches will line up?

are the front perches narrower? could i use the front axle from the 87 on stock 72 front springs on the 72 frame?

 

[blazin_blazer]

the 72 springs are shorter..i do believe a 2nd gen axle will bolt up to the 1st gen springs, someone will chime in if i'm incorrect or verify if it will fit.

 

[Greg72]

so the rear springs will work and the perches will line up?

are the front perches narrower? could i use the front axle from the 87 on stock 72 front springs on the 72 frame?

It wasn't clear to me that you were asking about the axles too initially.....when I heard springs and perches it seemed like you were asking about frame bracketry, not axle perches.

You'll have to do a search and read up on the specifics of the rear axle perch widths (it's been answered eleventy-billion times already), but on a 1st Gen unless you get VERY lucky with the axle you've found.....you're moving the perches.

 

[bigbadchev84]

1 ton rear is a direct bolt in, 3/4 or 1/2 ton you are moving rear perches, Rear springs are the same length so you are good there. Front axle will bolt in with no issues other than front calipers will probaly be metric banjo bolts.

I stuck the front 8" lift springs from my 84 into my 72 blazer, I had to put longer shackles on the rear of the front spring and a zerorate to move your axle back to the center of the wheel well, I had no other mods to do this.

I have since then built a custom front cross member and moved the front shackles forward to get a better rear shackle angle. It rides alot nicer now