? about front leaves

[root beer 88]

Probably a common noob question but i cant find anything else about this on here...

I have an 88 k5 350 tbi 700r4 np208 10 bolts on 33's

I know the front leaves are negative arch to a certain degree from the factory but mine are sagging significantly...

Rather than buying new leaves or lift leaves id like to know...

Are there any front leaf springs that i could find at the junkyard on any other gm or ford or dodge vehicle that would be the same length eye to eye and bring me back to stock ride height or even like an inch taller than stock ride height?

thanks in advance for any help or light you guys can shed on this question for me

 

[munepit]

Im sure there has to be a few GMs at the yard with stock springs. Have you looked yet? Truck, blazer or suburban stock springs should work.

 

[root beer 88]

I knew the other gm trucks and suvs would have the same length of spring since its essentially the same frame but i wasnt sure if they were negative arched the same way the k5 is because i didnt want it sittin prerunner style lol just stock ride height or maybe and inch higher

 

[sweetk30]

73-87-91 solid axle front gm had flat/ neg arch spring packs.

and all the work to swap in a used set just buy a decent lift kit and get new ubolts/bushings/leafs /shocks in the end it will be 10x better for the vehicle .

call these guys up and tell them your needs and budget . thay will work with you.

 

[root beer 88]

I understand that a lift kit with all the fresh stuff is great and all but im not ready to go with bigger tires or gear ratio changes for bigger tires for about a year so i was just looking for something to bump me back up to stock ride height until i can dump proper money into it...

Do the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have the same length front leaf springs?
That way there would be less sag even though it would ride a good bit stiffer

 

[sweetk30]

1/2 - 1ton same springs 2 or 3 leaf is all. 47" eye to eye length and centered center pin location with 2.5" wide leafs and 3" wide eye bushings.

and my point is ALL that work for nothing in the end. and used springs from another thats over 20 years old = same neg arch as you have now. and u-bolts are a non reuse item like a strech bolt. so even if you found some springs and paid for them you need ubolts also.

its up to you but trying to save you cash upfront that would be rewasted down the line in your plan.

and 2-4" lift be simple and easy to do and run 31-33 " tires and not look to goofy . as for gear swap dont need it persay now with small tire change. would it be best ? yes it would .

search craigslist and find a good deal on used lift springs mabye and go from there.

 

[shady]

I got 33" on 3" of lift and it works perfect. I would do at least a 2".

 

[root beer 88]

Ive got 33's on it now and the wheel gap in the back is perfect. But the front sits probably an inch and a half lower than what it was new so im worried a 2 inch lift would leave the back looking funky and the front just right...
Maybe just 2" lift springs up front with new shocks and hardware and go from there?

 

[sweetk30]

post up a good direct level side shot pic of vehicle .

then we get you pointed in correct direction.

 

[Blue85]

You can buy stock replacement springs brand new to restore it to factory ride height. Any "lift kit" spring is going to be stiffer than stock, but hitting the bumpstops is pretty rough, too.

If you want cheap, you can buy add-a-leafs. You can also make your own packs up by adding leaves from junkyard packs, but it may take a few iterations to find something you like. Again, as you add leaves it will get stiffer.

 

[shady]

alcans are NOT stiffer than stock.

 

[sweetk30]

watch add a leafs or mixing leafs.

the front leafs are a tapered leaf design and should be only mixed with tapered leaf.

rear springs and aftermarket lift springs are reg leafs.

 

[Blue85]

alcans are NOT stiffer than stock.

Alcan can build a spring in any stiffness, so what you're saying is not always true. I understand what you're saying - just because a pack has more leaves doesn't mean it's stiffer than another pack with fewer. Of course. My 10-leaf Alcan packs are way softer than my 3 leaf "lift springs" were. They could also have been built dump-truck stiff.

What I was saying above is that if you take any given leaf pack and add more leaves, it will get stiffer. Take some away and it will get softer. But how high and how stiff is a game of trial and error.


Oh, and good point about the tapered leaves sweetK30

 

[80' 427]

I would just use 0 rates.