Leaves or coils?

[TerryD]

I've been doing some thinking lately. I have not started building my truck yet as classes are eating up most of my time till graduation.

I have two options right now. I've got a 10bolt under the front of my truck. The plan now is to put the stock 52's up front, install the 30spline carrier, flat tops, lock-rite with alloy shafts and 35's. Then hanging a GM 205 behind my 203 and going that route. This opens up the availability of (cheaper LP stuff) D60's in the future.

I also have a friend who'll give me a Ford HP D44 housing. I could take it and the radius arms with it, extend the arms and put coil buckets on my frame. Add trac-bar and use the Ford 205 he'll also give me behind my 203. I'll still have to get locker, carrier, gears, shafts for it. But, this limits me to either a HPD60 from a ford or some aftermarket axle.

Now, these are my options, both have up and down sides I can see, but what do you guys think?

 

[twoslo4five0]

well your gonna have to do some serious fab when you put a 60 in seeing as how no 60s (that are worth anything) came with coils...you will also need to make sure you order the right 203/205 adapter seeing as how for and chevys are diffrent...if you go leaves and secide to go hi pin with a ford 60 you will need a 78-79 axle....weak points on the ford axle are knuckles..strong points are that they have dual pistion calipers....ford d60 stubs are shorter than chevys....here is my old rig

yes i had a ford 60 and a doubler..i swaped knuckles from a chevy and ran d70 stubs...hi pins are sweet just expensive

 

[TerryD]

I don't really feel that there is enough strength difference between HP and LP 60's to use only that to influence my decision. Also, a 60 is WAY down the road from where I am now.

What I'm looking at is prices/performance aspect of each suspension. In my experience (limited), coils seem to be cheaper and live longer than leaves. However, leaves provide more stability.

I'd like to hear what you guys have to say about it.

 

[Stomis]

Pff with 35's get a nice pass side d44 under there and put a lockrite in it since the spiders are a huge weekpoint. Do hi steer and alloy shafts as you go. Dedenber knuckles arent a bad idea but also arent necessary.

 

[TerryD]

Pff with 35's get a nice pass side d44 under there and put a lockrite in it since the spiders are a huge weekpoint. Do hi steer and alloy shafts as you go. Dedenber knuckles arent a bad idea but also arent necessary.

I can do the 30spl conversion on the 10 bolt and be as strong as a D44 with the added pinion strength and not waste money/time finding a D44. I've already got flat tops for it.


I'm not asking about axles, the axle is not important, 10bolt = D44. I'm curious about what you guys think about the difference between coil and leaf spring suspensions under a GM Fullsize truck.

 

[twoslo4five0]

i personally dont like radius arm id say if your gonna go that route some links would be involved and that gets expensive ask me how i know

 

[Stomis]

I can do the 30spl conversion on the 10 bolt and be as strong as a D44 with the added pinion strength and not waste money/time finding a D44. I've already got flat tops for it.


I'm not asking about axles, the axle is not important, 10bolt = D44. I'm curious about what you guys think about the difference between coil and leaf spring suspensions under a GM Fullsize truck.

Ah alright I thought it was part of the question. Personally I would never switch a 10b to 30spline shafts, its no increase in size really and they are harder to find.

I dont see whats wrong with a radius arm setup, lots of ford guys swear by them and use them to sas broncos, rangers, explorers, etc.

Preferably I'd stick with leaves.

 

[rdn2blazer]

Those who voted Jeep should be banned

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Ah alright I thought it was part of the question. Personally I would never switch a 10b to 30spline shafts, its no increase in size really and they are harder to find.

28 spline is 1.21", 30 spline is 1.29", the 30 spline shafts will be 29% stronger (assuming they both have the same taper). The 30 spline carrier are supposedly thinner (to fit the larger shafts) which creates a failure point in the stock carrier.

As for leaves vs. Ford radius arms, no question stick with the leaves. Nothing about that radius arm setup is worth swapping into any other vehicle.

 

[TerryD]

The 30 spline carrier are supposedly thinner (to fit the larger shafts) which creates a failure point in the stock carrier.

Has anyone ever seen this happen or is this just internet hearsay? I would think that the bearing pressed on it would more than make up for the lack of material in the carrier its self.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Has anyone ever seen this happen or is this just internet hearsay? I would think that the bearing pressed on it would more than make up for the lack of material in the carrier its self.

Not internet hearsay, there have been tons of open 10 bolt carriers that have broken, both 28 and 30 spline. Its just another weak point, the 30 spline carrier is likely weaker than the 28 spline version.

 

[Stomis]

28 spline is 1.21", 30 spline is 1.29", the 30 spline shafts will be 29% stronger (assuming they both have the same taper). The 30 spline carrier are supposedly thinner (to fit the larger shafts) which creates a failure point in the stock carrier.

As for leaves vs. Ford radius arms, no question stick with the leaves. Nothing about that radius arm setup is worth swapping into any other vehicle.

Whats the Diameter on a d44 shaft?

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Whats the Diameter on a d44 shaft?

30 spline D44 shafts are the same size as 30 spline 10 bolt shafts, so 1.29" (though you often see 1.31" claimed as the size of 30 spline shafts for some reason).

 

[TerryD]

Not internet hearsay, there have been tons of open 10 bolt carriers that have broken, both 28 and 30 spline. Its just another weak point, the 30 spline carrier is likely weaker than the 28 spline version.

I've seen a few broken carriers, I meant is there any proof that the 30's break more often than the 28's? I've seen a D30 shattered into bite sized pieces and my Ford drivin friend cracked a rear 31 spline 9" carrier due to a sheared cross shaft.

 

[m-4x4-chevy]

The Ford coil springs and radius arms are something to get rid of. Don't waste time and money swaping it into your truck. The geometry of a radius arm limits articulation of the front axle regardless of what vehicle it is in.

Sounds like you plan to get a Dana 60 in the future. Don't waste too much time and money on the 10 bolt. Get into the D60 as soon as you can.

 

[chulisohombre]

that sux on anything but a ford.id let them keep their own technology.it would be fun to do the swap but not worth the bad articulation that comes from it.coils are nice but it would be a lot cheaper to stick with a flexy leaf spring lift.also you would have to be able to find parts for it if it breaks.from what ive seen it is difficult to find those kind of parts in quantity as chevy stuff.