dhdescender
1/2 ton status
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2002
- Posts
- 628
- Reaction score
- 0
Finished Installing the 56\" Springs up front & the D60 Today...
A couple weeks back I tore out my whole front suspension and axle to take the axle in to get regeared to 5.13 and a detroit installed. While it was out, I took the opporunity to swap my front 5"-ish lift springs for a set of Factory 56" Rears out of my 86 K30 parts truck.
A few changes I made:
Ground off the rivets holding the front hanger on, and relocated the spring hanger to the forward set of holes, thus reloacting the axle 2" forward.
I already had a set of oversized shackles (in both direction...super thick, and probably too long), so I had them drilled out to accept the 56" springs 9/16" bolts.
I also pulled 2 leaves out of the 56" pack, leaving me with 6 remaining. I pulled the 3rd and 5th out IIRC.
I also bought new bushings all around, and drilled out the sleeve in the upper shackle bushing to 1/2". No more broken bolts!!
With everything all bolted up and the 42's back on, I can defanitly see the front axle much further from the firewall, and that I'll defnaitly have to hack the front of the fenders some more! With a 7.5" eye to eye shackle, I ended up with a 40* shackle angle. It's a little flatter than I wanted, but beats the sh!t outta the 90* angle I had before! I'm going to get an angle finder and check my caster, I may be in need of a tapered shim to correct the steering.
Gah! I know...This thread is worthless without pics! I'll try to get my friends cameraphone or somthing in there to take a couple shots of the new suspension. Basically I wanted to let everyone know there is an alternative to 52" front's, and these springs are DAMN flexy!!
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
A couple weeks back I tore out my whole front suspension and axle to take the axle in to get regeared to 5.13 and a detroit installed. While it was out, I took the opporunity to swap my front 5"-ish lift springs for a set of Factory 56" Rears out of my 86 K30 parts truck.
A few changes I made:
Ground off the rivets holding the front hanger on, and relocated the spring hanger to the forward set of holes, thus reloacting the axle 2" forward.
I already had a set of oversized shackles (in both direction...super thick, and probably too long), so I had them drilled out to accept the 56" springs 9/16" bolts.
I also pulled 2 leaves out of the 56" pack, leaving me with 6 remaining. I pulled the 3rd and 5th out IIRC.
I also bought new bushings all around, and drilled out the sleeve in the upper shackle bushing to 1/2". No more broken bolts!!
With everything all bolted up and the 42's back on, I can defanitly see the front axle much further from the firewall, and that I'll defnaitly have to hack the front of the fenders some more! With a 7.5" eye to eye shackle, I ended up with a 40* shackle angle. It's a little flatter than I wanted, but beats the sh!t outta the 90* angle I had before! I'm going to get an angle finder and check my caster, I may be in need of a tapered shim to correct the steering.
Gah! I know...This thread is worthless without pics! I'll try to get my friends cameraphone or somthing in there to take a couple shots of the new suspension. Basically I wanted to let everyone know there is an alternative to 52" front's, and these springs are DAMN flexy!!
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
