BDS Leaf Spring Concerns

[Blaziken]

To CK5 Members who have purchased BDS lift Kits:

I have read litterally hundreds of threads on BDS suspension lifts and its clear that many of you swear by BDS. After doing alot of research on my own, speaking directly with BDS and a local reputable 4x4 shop, I decided to purchase a brand new 4" BDS leaf pack (part# 001402) for the front and a brand new 6" BDS leaf pack (part# 001609FRT) for the rear of my 1972 Blazer. I picked up the leaf springs other day from my local 4x4 shop and became concerned.

Heres the concern:

Question #1. The eye to eye distance on the brand new BDS rear leaf pack (unsprung) is 48". The eye to eye between the rear shackles on my 1972 Blazer is 52" and the rear shackle itself is 4" long. Will this BDS rear spring flex enough to fit and will the rear shackle return to its normal position under the full vehicles weight?

Question #2. I ordered the BDS Glide Ride leaf springs but I noticed that there are no silver round teflon discs on any of the leaf spring packs that i picked up. Shouldn't these silver teflon discs be there?

Question #3. The overall paint and finish quality of the leaf spring packs is really really bad and rusty (see photos below). Is this the normal quality of BDS leaf springs or did i just get a bad set of springs?


Thanks for your comments.....i am trying to decide if i need to go speak with the local BDS dealer about an exchange.

Blaziken
1972 Blazer (Bone Stock today)

 

[Col_Sanders]

Those look used

 

[Blue85]

I don't see the rust, but the paint does look bad. That isn't so unusual, but they are marketed as "premium" brand. As for the teflon, I think I see the pads, they are just black. They may be painted, but the color is irrelevant, as plastics can be molded in many colors. Don't expect it to look like your frying pan.When you measure the springs are you running the tape along the whole leaf or just making a straight shot between the eyes?

 

[Blaziken]

48" straight shot from eye to eye

 

[rdn2blazer]

My Skyjacker Springs I bought for my crew cab looked no better, but the pic in their catalog looked like they were powder coated and perfect. My Tough Country springs I have for my K5 also look no better. Even the bushings are painted over and have runs all over. I got them from ORD by the way.

 

[slyguy_22]

They should be fine. Main thing to check that the bushings in the eyes are not worn, if there good dont worry bout it too much. Depending on what area you live in your gona have to paint your leaf springs every year to keep them looking nice anyhow. There isnt a single lift spring mfg out there that can keep a finish in the ruct bucket of the east coast. I love my Bds springs and wouldnt buy anything else, no one can touch the prices i get them for. And they ride nice too. Ive never gotten any new springs with that bad of a finish on them though, it wouldnt hurt to take them back and ask whats up. ive done a half dozen lifts for various trucks and they were all a nice even black finish.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Its pretty typical for lift springs to measure shorter than expected, especially when they have a lot of arch (like the 6" lift BDS springs do). Once you bolt them up they should be fine (those are the same springs I had on mine).

As for the paint, I would't worry about it. If you care, call BDS and talk to them.

As stated before those probably are teflon pads, they're just black.

 

[blazinzuk]

I have gotten several springs where the paint looked just like that, I have gotten the same springs from the same manufacturer where one spring the paint looked fine and good and the other looked like what you have. If you are worried about it I say talk to the BDS poeple they seem to be pretty good to work with.

Remember the springs are going to get longer when you put them under your truck and then they are going to settle making them longer. When you take your springs out measure them with no weight on them I have a set of 52s (stock 73 and up rears) and with no weight they measure 49.5" Do the part numbers match up to the part numbers for the rear springs?? They may have sent you the wrong spring, if the part numbers match I say throw em on. BDS has a really good reputation

 

[thatK30guy]

The reason the paint looks so good in the pics from advertising is just that.....advertising. Companies make their products look beautiful so you and I can buy them.
But when we get our stuff in the mail, the chipped paint, etc., is nothing but chipped from shipping as they don't come covered or protected anyhow.

The teflon pads, I haven't seen the round ones for years now. I don't know if BDS phased them out or just changed to a different type of pad.
I wouldn't worry about them. At least you have some pads under there.

 

[muddybuddy]

my bds springs had a little better paint than that, but not much. on a side note, my TC the paint quality was surprisingly good.

 

[k20]

My BDS springs looked alot better than that. And the teflon pads on mine (bought em in....03) are black and are rectangular shaped