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K5 blazer leaf spring ideas

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86gmcjimmy32

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Hey guys would like some ideas on new leaf springs for my 86 k5. I’m finishing off an ls swap in it now and am planning on grabbing myself some cucv 1 ton axles. The blazer now I believe has a 6” lift and rides like hell. Probably rough country springs. I’ve done some research and am thinking of going with tuff country EZ ride. Would like some opinions from those of you with this lift. Was also wondering if I should go with the longer 52” springs in the rear? And if so how would I do that. I hear a shackle flip is what I’m after to make that work, but was also told that nets an additional 4” of lift. Is that so with 52” springs? or is that only with the original 48” springs? I want something to ride well on the road and be able to handle some good wheeling here and there. Would like to run tires in the 37”-40” range but have not yet decided. Will the 6” get me there to clear these? It seems like I could at least fit 38s with the lift I have on it now but I hate the ride it has. I’m also open to other spring ideas? It already has a tcase drop kit and needs new driveshafts so that’s not a worry. Let me know what you guys think, and be willing to share what you’ve got on your setup.
 
Go all spring lift, stock length. Maybe an ORD set for better ride quality if funds allow.
 
I've got the Tuff Country EZ rides in the front. They ride pretty well. I've heard that the custom ORD springs can ride even better, but they'll cost a bit more.

Your K5 is going to have 52 inch springs in the rear. The factory front springs are about 47 inches long. Some have put 52 inch rear springs in the front for more travel and flex, but issues have been raised about handling and poor road manners. It also involves a good bit of work relocating spring hangers/brackets. There's a good write-up on it below. Some have put 56 inch spring in the rear for extra flex and a softer ride

52" Front Spring Swap

52" Front Spring Swap I'm not a certified mechanic, engineer, safety or materials expert. All advice in this write-up should be taken with that in mind. If you know of a better, easier or safer way to do something, by all means do it! Even...
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A shackle flip does add 4 inches of lift-I think you can also get a kit that will add 2.5 inches. I've got the 4 inch kit and it works pretty well, adding lift without degrading the ride.

I'd ditch the tcase drop. It makes your rear driveshaft angle better but your front driveshaft angle worse. As you noted, figure out how high you want to go and get a driveshaft to fit. I only have 4 inches of lift in the back but I put in a CV driveshaft from Denny's Driveshaft and I'm happy with it. The front is already a CV shaft, so depending on how much lift you may be fine with it as is or by putting in a driveshaft spacer. On a short wheelbase vehicle like the Blazer, I'm of the opinion that any lift over 4 inches you should just go CV all around, as it becomes a lot more difficult to get u-joint angles to line up satisfactorily than it would be on a pickup or Suburban. Your mileage may vary.

The question of will it rub or not is going to be dependent on a variety of factors, including how much your suspension flexes, tire width, axle choice, how you drive it, etc. Generally, if you're trying to run 38s on a 6 inch lift you should be prepared for some minor fender trimming to avoid rubbing. An 8-10 inch suspension lift, or adding in a body lift to a 6 inch lift will probably get you the clearance you want.

Good luck!
 
Your tire size calls for 6"-8" of lift if done traditionally. Consider repositioning the axles in the wheel well and minor fender trimming to reduce required lift. This requires crossover steering.

DIY4x makes a kit to put longer rear springs on for around $200. There is not necessarily any additional lift gained in this kit.

In general, a higher arch in your spring pack will ride rougher than flatter springs. Consider Ford springs because they are 3" wide. This 20% increase in width translate to more support, everything else being equal, allowing for less arch.
 
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