I would like to make my suspension softer. Would this work?

[78 GMC Jimmy]

So now that I know what drive-train parts I have, how do I improve them? Is cutting the springs safe in order to improve the ride quality on the road?

I thought about different shocks or adding weight. A google search landed me at this video. Is this video reasonably safe to follow?

Seems like it could be risky? Maybe?

 

[rampage]

I absolutely would not do that. You’re creating stress risers where you cut the spring. Notice how the end of each of your current leaves has a slight curve to gently glide against. You also risk cutting into the leaf above it.
Tell us about your current setup, like who made springs and shocks and how much lift you have.

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

I absolutely would not do that. You’re creating stress risers where you cut the spring. Notice how the end of each of your current leaves has a slight curve to gently glide against. You also risk cutting into the leaf above it.
Tell us about your current setup, like who made springs and shocks and how much lift you have.

I think its a rough country 4 or 6 inch lift. 78 Jimmy.

Harsh ride over any kind of bump on the road.

 

[Blue85]

How much are willing/wanting to lower the vehicle? To eliminate some of the pack, you'll need to take it apart. You could pull a leaf or two and replace it with a "zero rate" leaf/block. Technically you can make that zero rate out of the old leafs, but you want to cut them even shorter, like the length of the spring pad on the axle. That way everything outside of the U-bolts is normal. As said above, you would round off the top edge of the top cut leaf, so it doesn't put extra stress in your new bottom leaf. The only reason to even leave the cut leafs in is to gain that small amount of height from their thickness.

The problem with leaf swapping is you don't really know what you're going to get for height or spring rate until you try it. Getting the stance right may take multiple iterations. The life of the springs is also unknown. But if you have time to kill playing with it, it doesn't cost much more than a set of U-bolts. You may decide to go an entirely different direction with the truck before your franken-springs sag.

Keep your eyes open for some used springs popping up so you know what you're getting. It looks like brand new EZ-rides are about $225/each. Do you have lift springs at all 4 corners?

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

How much are willing/wanting to lower the vehicle? To eliminate some of the pack, you'll need to take it apart. You could pull a leaf or two and replace it with a "zero rate" leaf/block. Technically you can make that zero rate out of the old leafs, but you want to cut them even shorter, like the length of the spring pad on the axle. That way everything outside of the U-bolts is normal. As said above, you would round off the top edge of the top cut leaf, so it doesn't put extra stress in your new bottom leaf. The only reason to even leave the cut leafs in is to gain that small amount of height from their thickness.

The problem with leaf swapping is you don't really know what you're going to get for height or spring rate until you try it. Getting the stance right may take multiple iterations. The life of the springs is also unknown. But if you have time to kill playing with it, it doesn't cost much more than a set of U-bolts. You may decide to go an entirely different direction with the truck before your franken-springs sag.

Keep your eyes open for some used springs popping up so you know what you're getting. It looks like brand new EZ-rides are about $225/each. Do you have lift springs at all 4 corners?

I have 37" tires, and it did require moderate cutting / sledge hammering to avoid rub. So I have a 6" lift?
I have 4" blocks in the rear, and lift springs in the front.
I lowered the tire pressure from 36 to 29, which helped the ride a little and the chalk test was OK.
What about flipping some of the lower springs upside down?

 

[6872xtc]

My suggestion is not for anyone who is concerned about budget. But I found out by spending money on a cheap set of springs, THEN buying custom ones after years of hating how my truck rode.
I called Offroad Design.
I don't avoid driving my truck because of the ride now.

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

My suggestion is not for anyone who is concerned about budget. But I found out by spending money on a cheap set of springs, THEN buying custom ones after years of hating how my truck rode.
I called Offroad Design.
I don't avoid driving my truck because of the ride now.

Its not so much "budget" as it is "fabrication vs off the shelf". Or repurposing items rather than just bolting something on.
I like making things, modifying things, and using ingenuity and persistence to solve a problem rather than my pocketbook.
If I can save $1,000 and get the same or similar results using my tools and my brain, then I'm getting paid $1,000 to have fun.

 

[Blue85]

I have 37" tires, and it did require moderate cutting / sledge hammering to avoid rub. So I have a 6" lift?
I have 4" blocks in the rear, and lift springs in the front.
I lowered the tire pressure from 36 to 29, which helped the ride a little and the chalk test was OK.
What about flipping some of the lower springs upside down?

As for the rear blocks - that may be good news. If they are stock rear springs, those are pretty soft, so you could keep the springs you have and do a shackle flip. There's no reason to explain the flip here, because all the details have been posted many times. If you ended up with some stiff 2" lift springs in the back, you should still target to get rid of the blocks. Perhaps from driving you can figure out if only the front is too stiff or if it is indeed all 4. Does the front end try to jump up as you hit bumps?

Can you fit 37s with a 4" lift? Again, there is no reason to discuss it here, as this has been discussed so many times. In short - "maybe". Obviously if you hammered and cut, lowering the suspension will only make things worse.

The only leaf that you should consider flipping is the rear overload, which is the extra fat one with almost no arch. Any regular leaf upside down is just stupid.

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

Here is another one talking about removing springs, which seems safer than cutting springs. I still think that turning some of the lower spring upside down might be the way to go. No sharp edges (like cutting them), and it seems like it would reduce the loss of lift better than removing them all together.

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

The truck feels like its going to bounce off the ground if I hit humps or bumps in the road at 50 mph. At lower speed, I think the tires come off the ground if I hit a speed bump in a parking lot going faster than 0.5 MPH. Every little bump in the road is a loud bang in the cab that can be felt and heard. When driving on an uneven road at 35 MPH, you get tossed around pretty good in the cab.

 

[Blue85]

You could pull a leaf or two and replace it with a "zero rate" leaf/block. Technically you can make that zero rate out of the old leafs, but...

The only reason to even leave the cut leafs in is to gain that small amount of height from their thickness.

The only leaf that you should consider flipping is the rear overload, which is the extra fat one with almost no arch. Any regular leaf upside down is just stupid.

I don't think that last statement needs any explanation.

 

[Wes Harden]

I forget what your truck is? K5? Pick up? 37s may be a D or E rated load, very stiff sidewall. 29psi is still to much for a dirt road, maybe even street. try 20 and see if the chalk pattern even changes.

 

[JoshHefnerX]

I'd venture to say if you're just wanting to experiment, go ahead and cut them - but not like that jackwagon did in the first vid. The other leaves are tapered and smoothed and usually have pad in there for a reason and I would replicate that. cut, taper, file smooth - a lot of work.

Possibly easier/safer way would be to get some spare leaf packs off c-list or wherever people sell shit nowadays and try swapping some leaves around, build your own. But do some reading on how they work so you're not going in blind. And if you think maybe you shouldn't do it.. Don't. That's your 6th sense that Darwin gave you kicking in.

 

[6872xtc]

The truck feels like its going to bounce off the ground if I hit humps or bumps in the road at 50 mph. At lower speed, I think the tires come off the ground if I hit a speed bump in a parking lot going faster than 0.5 MPH. Every little bump in the road is a loud bang in the cab that can be felt and heard. When driving on an uneven road at 35 MPH, you get tossed around pretty good in the cab.

This is why I suggest to just buy custom springs from ORD.
I understand completely the angle of making it yourself, I have done it a bunch too. But making a thin pack of leaf springs yourself is very difficult. Then getting the spring rate right is next to impossible, in my mind.
There are so many other areas on these trucks to build it yourself, I now look more to those areas, ESPECIALLY if there isn't a reasonable option elsewhere. My last set of ORD springs for my '90 Jimmy were about $900, IIRC. I bolted them in and went on to the many other facets of the build. (Since there were many)
I still don't have a switch panel that I like personally..

 

[fourwheelerjeff]

So now that I know what drive-train parts I have, how do I improve them? Is cutting the springs safe in order to improve the ride quality on the road?

one thing to look at; did whoever put the lift on tighten the bolts so tight that the suspension can't cycle? quality shocks is another thing you should be looking at

 

[AZ79K5Project]

I’d get rid of the blocks if it were me. I’ve never ran blocks, but some say that they impact ride quality. I have no idea though.

Someone mentioned EZ Ride springs. I’m running a 2” EZ Ride in the rear with a shackle flip and 4” EZ Ride in the front with 37’s. I also have zero rates to adjust the axle placemat. I picked a better quality shock as well.

The truck is surprisingly smooth on the road and does well off-road. It’s still a heavy @SS truck. I get a little too much body roll when I’m off camber that I’m trying to address now. (No sway bars).

I cut the front fender and still had to use extended bump stops to stop the up travel in the front.

If you want off the shelf, I’ve been happy with the EZ-Ride.

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

one thing to look at; did whoever put the lift on tighten the bolts so tight that the suspension can't cycle? quality shocks is another thing you should be looking at

Which bolts?

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

I forget what your truck is? K5? Pick up? 37s may be a D or E rated load, very stiff sidewall. 29psi is still to much for a dirt road, maybe even street. try 20 and see if the chalk pattern even changes.

I will try 20, thanks for the info.

 

[83ChevyK5Blazer]

The spring eye and shackle bolts, if they are to tight they will bind before pivoting

 

[Blue85]

The spring eye and shackle bolts, if they are to tight they will bind before pivoting

IMO, this is a myth. The bolts are supposed to be tight, otherwise the shackle or spring mount wears the bolt and the bolt ovals out the hole. This is why there's a sleeve inside the bushing. Here's one example of where it's been explained: https://ck5.com/forums/threads/rear-shackle-flip-questions.22638/#post-178973