Detroit AND Spring swap questions....

[aandpman]

Hey everyone...Hope all are having a good holiday season.

Gooody...Gooody /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
I'm getting a Detroit for the 14BFF I'm building for the TanK10 /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif right now...207 bucks used off e-bay plus shipping.

Here's what I'm wondering...
Right now I'm running 33's on stock rear 52" springs on the TanK10 with no suspension lift whatsoever (just a couple inches of body lift). I have a set of 1-Ton 7 leaf 56" spring packs that I have taken down to 5 leaves plus the overload inverted. After reading all the positives about running the longer leaves for flex and ride I've decided to use the 56's when I install the axle.

Would you Guru's recommend:

A. Move the stock spring hangers back to the rear set of holes (K-10's already have the extra holes drilled for the longer springs 4" aft) and use Echobit's bolt on shackle flip.

B. Leave the hangars where they are and use Echobit's 57" F0*D spring conversion shackles with MY 56" springs (what kind of angle and/or ride quality with the shackles at a more vertical angle than with 57"? would it even be safe?)

C. Use a stock FRONT hanger from an old junker and make my own shackle flip (means drilling new holes)

D. Use the ORD shackle flip brackets and reverse the sides for the longer springs

E. Use the ORD brackets on their intended sides and use the rear set of holes, 4" aft in the frame.

What IS the optimum shackle angle for flex vs. stability?

I'm also planning on ordering the Tuff Country EZ-Ride front 4" springs to get the nose up when I install the 8-lug D-44 I have in the garage. It has a Dana Trac-Lock.

When the transformation takes place I'll be going from 10blt 3.08's /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif to 4.10's with 305 /forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif and 700R4

I plan on using 33's until I can afford 35's

Thanks everyone for running a top notch site without all the flaming! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Sandman]

I've been wondersing the same questions as I've almost got the front done but do not know what to do about the rear. I am torn between Echcobits stuff or just different hangers. I will have the gas tank off anyway to raise it up so the hangers would not be that big of a deal. I do plan on going with the Ford springs but have not decided on how to mount the shocks yet. I plan on going up about 7" so I have to find that 3" somewhere also. So do I buy lifted rear springs for a Ford application? Who knows. I would only like to do this once as well.

 

[aandpman]

Thanks Sandman....I've been planning this out for a couple of years now, slowly, methodically gathering all the stuff to do the conversion (wherever I can find it cheap). I, too, only want to do this once. I kind of plan on trying to have EVERYTHING I can think of together and ready before I tear into the project. If possible I want to do it all at one time for the least possible downtime. I fell like I'm in the home stretch now, as I have done the following to my pile in the garage:
Entirely rebuilt a front D-44
Added 4.10 gears
Added a trac-lock
(just lack one set of wheel bearings and seals and two rotors - and would REALLY like a set of Chrome-moly shafts)
cleaned and painted both axles with POR 15
Mostly rebuilt a 1-ton 14bff
Added derbinators's disc brake brackets
added rotors and caddy calipers using newer E-brake levers (had to modify the calipers by cutting off one of the lever stops)
torn down a set of rear 1ton springs to clean/paint and reassemble

In the mean time I've had to:
replace rear main seal, oil pan, valve covers and gaskets to stop a leak.
replace the distributor with a new one without the ESC (which died).
Patch rust holes in the floor pan with POR15 patch material
Replacing drivers side window regulator and vent window (oops I broke it).

All kinds of other fix-it's

Ironically I haven't decided whether to put the axles in the TanK10 /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif or wait and find a newer model blazer K-5 to swap into. Right now I'm leaning toward keeping the TanK10 /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif.

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

The Echobit shackle flip is more like 6" with stock springs just so you guys know. I am not sure what he advertises it as, but I got 6" or more of lift with it.