Mixing 47" & 52" spring packs

[88K5Jimmy]

Has anybody ever thought of using the factory top leaf off of factory front springs, the 47" leaf and then add all the springs from the 52" spring pack except the top 52" spring? In a sense have 47"/52" spring pack without having to move the axle?

I know this doesn't accomplish all the benefits of a 52" spring swap but wouldn't it give you a budget 4" lift if you had these spring packs laying around and a nice factory spring rated ride?

The only concern I would have is since the 47" top leaf is de-arched, if after putting the rest of the 52" spring pack under it, if it would net you 4" or any lift at all?

What do you guys think?

 

[YZEATER]

the 47" spring wouldn't be long enough to give you much lift. when the spring has arch to it it is longer also. it would also pull the shackle forward and have a bad angle.

 

[big dan]

this is how i cheaply lifted my truck and i am currently saving for some new springs. you do get lift but the wheel travel and the ride suck. after taking off the swaybar it got better but i think even the worst lift springs would be better than what ive got.

 

[LAYNFRM]

i actually took some of the leafs from a set of 52's from a 2wd and cut them to length and added them into my front spring pack. i ended up with roughly 5 inches of lift from what mine sat at stock. it doesn't flex a whole lot in the front because of how many leafs are in it now, and after putting the tsl's on, it actually rides pretty close to stock. i did it that way because i didn't have the money at the time to do it any other way, and this was all before i knew you could put 52" springs on the front with as little modifications as you can. i'm gonna eventually do the 52" spring swap + the ord 0 rates i have now. haven't had any problems at all how it is now. here's a couple pics of what you an expect to get out of it if you do it.

 

[beater_k20]

we actually did this years ago with my uncle's '79 K20. i had an extra pair of leaf srpings from the rear of a C10, and his front springs were shot from carrying a plow for 25 years. we added them, and the ride actually improved, along with about 2" of lift in the front. enough that he had to put blocks in the rear to level it out.

 

[sweetk30]

it does work as listed. but the stock springs are tapered leafs. this meant thay are thicker in the middle. stock rears are same all the way threw. any spring shop will tell you it is not good to mix them. as the non tapered will break first before any tapered leaf. the 2 leafs work in diffrent ways.


good luck on the build tho.

 

[88K5Jimmy]

Well I already have lifted the front with aftermarket springs. I was just wandering around the shop and the idea hit me.

 

[sweetk30]

if you have used lifted springs then thay can be swaped with rears. but you need to have them arched to mach the lift ones. but this will not give you much lift and will make it ride harder.