basic question help!

[mattman4x4]

Hi
I have a 1973 3/4 ton Chevy pickup. Needless to say every time I hit a bump or pothole it will rattle my fillings. I am under no illusion about ride quality of an old 4x4 but is there anything I can do to improve the harshness of the suspension?

My thoughts were 1. new shocks (mine look shot)
2. new leaf springs


any thoughts would be great!
My intended use for this truck is to do some beach driving and light weeling...
Current set up is:
1973 3/4 ton with 12 bolt front and 14 bolt rear, NP203 (I think) TH350, and SB350 with a Rochester 4 BBL engine. Tires I think stock

 

[hunterguy86]

Welcome to Ck5! I noticed it was ur 1st post. Do You have any lift at all? I think the general opinion here would be to do a shackle flip for the rear and run tuff country 4in lift springs up front. This will make the suspension nice and flexy and make for a little better ride. With this lift you could run 33" to 35" tires. Some trimming might be nessicary to fit 35s though. Anyways, thats my 2 cents.

Oh and you may want to check out this link: http://www.coloradok5.com/specs.shtml#1973

it's a link to factory specs here on the site.

 

[monster man]

with a shackle flip rear on my 3/4 ton (with a huge add a leaf on the rear no less), 4" heavy duty tough country springs up front, it rides better than my stock '73 half ton. That has a lot to do with spring design, and how worn they are. The older a spring gets the harsher it rides.

My 3/4 ton rides better than it did before the lift

 

[mattman4x4]

O.k. what is a shackle flip?

 

[readymix]

Current set up is:
1973 3/4 ton with 12 bolt front and 14 bolt rear, NP203 (I think) TH350, and SB350 with a Rochester 4 BBL engine. Tires I think stock

You have a D44 is the front. No such thing as a 12 Bolt front.

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/shacklekit.htm

 

[mattman4x4]

Well I checked my truck tonight, I have 5 leaf springs on the front and 7 on the back. how do I tell if it is a 1 ton or 3/4 ton. I have had been told by two people that its a 3/4 ton, but the guy who sold it to me said its a 1 ton...how do you tell the diffrence?