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Build Help; shackle flip, zero rate, monstaliner

yakmastermax

yakmastermax

1/2 ton status
Joined
Feb 4, 2012
Posts
165
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Location
Albuquerqu NM/ Austin TX
Hey everyone! I've come to a pretty big stump with my build. I'm shooting for a flexy 4" lift for colorado, eventually made up of a shackle flip and 4" spring in the front. So

Right now I've got a DIY4X flip kit with their 4.5" shackles and some 1" zero rates. I've got not budget left for the springs with shocks and brakelines.

I have to install and use the shackle flip at this point because I've grinded off the factory perches.
I also must now buy at least two 4" lift shocks and the extended brake lines.

I've got no shims available to me other than the 2deg aluminium ones from work.

My rear springs are saggy:
Tires are 35".

And I've got an overload helper spring in the front:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...636&categoryRedirect=N0146&pt=N0146&ppt=C0361

How should I set up what I've got? zero rate in the rear? to offset the flip moving the rear forward? Will that affect my chance of getting pinion angle vibes? zero rate in the front? I have trimmed both front and rear fenders:



I am also considering not using the zero rate at all and just running helpers front, saggy flip rear? Would I get the most flex from saggy flip rear and no helpers but zero rate front? Is that even safe?

TLDR; how to set up a 4" shackle flip and a zero rate coming from saggy rear springs and a helper in front.



Thanks everyone for the help!
 
So in this situation ( and this will not be that flexy) setup the rear with your shackle flip.

Cut off the perches reweld them on for the proper CV angle. I hope you have or know someone with a welder.

With your saggy rear leaves if you put the zero rate up front I think that might work.

If it doesn't get an add a leaf. Get one that is only rated for like 1" of lift try and make it full length.

This will probably put your rear a bit higher than the front. I actually like them that way.

So just start by putting on the flip and then install the zero rate up front. If the back axle is to far forward redrill the perches ( does the same thing as a zero rate with no lift)

Another option is to find another spring pack with the same width of springs as the front so 3" and take that whole leaf pack apart and use your main leaf with the other springs put as the rest of the pack. A super duty comes to mind. You can cut the springs to length with grinder if needed

Ask local shops for stock super duty packs. I am pretty sure they are a mostly flat vs our negative arch springs.
 
I think I'm gonna put the zero rate in the front. Hopefully that combined with the helper spring will net some "lift" and the saggy rear plus shackle flip will result in 3" or so all around.

are pinion angle vibes caused by the lift or by the flip moving the axle forward?
 
I'm going with the saggy shackle flip in the rear and the zero-rate plus the overleaf in the front. I'm guessing this will net about 3".

do i need steering correction? a drop pitman arm?

on the topic of the build can anyone suggest a way to fix this:


more pics, out of order:
 
yakmastermax said:
I'm going with the saggy shackle flip in the rear and the zero-rate plus the overleaf in the front. I'm guessing this will net about 3".

do i need steering correction? a drop pitman arm?

on the topic of the build can anyone suggest a way to fix this:


more pics, out of order:
Click to expand...

"v" out the crack with a grinder and weld it up. Grind it smooth and plate the area a bit thicker.

Do a stitch weld around the area patch. should be good to go. Bigger the area patch the better. 4 x 6" would be great. There are some contours there to deal with so its not the easiest job but doable.
 
Thanks Kert!

Anyone have a link to all the underbody torque specs?
I'm trying to start putting everything back together and i want to do it right.

the flipped perch bolts, the stud holding the spring-pack together, the spring eyelet bolts, the u bolts, etc.

 
It turns out my "saggy" springs were actually just cracked.

in a frenzy i went to the junkyard today to grab some K5 52" replacements. the only sets i could find were too old and rusty or cracked.

there were too 1990 suburbans though, a gmc and a chevy. i successfully pulled the passenger side from the chevy but then was stumped by the eyelet bolts on the driver side.

3 and a half hours later i left the yard with a pair of 56"s, drivers side from the gmc and passenger from the chevy. They look identical, 4 leaves and a single fat flat guy on the bottom. both trucks had 6lug fronts so i'm assuming they were both half tons however the chevy suburban had already had its rear pulled when i got there.

I'm planning on running these with the DIY4X flip mounted backwards and the 4.5" shackles.

this lift should be still around 4" right? it should ride pretty well and still flex?
i got some rancho SX8000 and ghetto brake extensions. the front is getting factory springs with an add a leaf some zero rates.

and thanks kert for all the help!
 
center pin is offset on 56" springs, make sure you mount them so the shorter side is forward, that will keep your rear axle where is was before (unless you want to move it back...)
 
turns out the new shoulder bolts for the leaf pack are too large in diameter to fit my stock front springs. tomorrow i'm going to drill them larger with a couple masonry bits and some engine oil as cutting oil.

the shackle flip went on smoothly with a little widening of the holes, easy drilling.

i also was wondering, when the new leaf springs from the suburbans are just lying on the ground under no tension, one is eye to eye 55.25" and the other is 54.5"

are these just non compressed 56"springs?
 
ended up taking 3 drill bits to drill the springs. hopefully they did not weaken any. the front lift is now made up of the 1" zero rates, the overleaf spring assists, and the factory springs. the rear is the DIY4X shackle flip reversed for 56" burb springs.

build as reached a good place to take a break.

special thanks to kert a couple of times i called him while i was in the junkyard freaking out about what to do. his flip kit is beef and his help and customer service is top notch.

the monstaliner has proved durable against all but the most abusive uses (corner of my toolbox took some decent chips)

i think i have some slight vibes but it is hard to be sure. the pinion angle seems negative a little??:dunno: it points at the bed of the truck further back than the tcase output.

the vibes seem so slight, passengers cannot tell unless i point it out. What tools and parts do i need to bring with me on the road to be safe? just ujoints and 5/16th?

pictures::thumb:



 
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