I had 33's on my worn out stock 87 K5 with no rubbing
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
new leaf springs
- Thread starter Sgyates27253
- Start date
read up on Larry he has used them in couple builds and has built super nice rigs for long hauls/expo etc.
Go to search and then to members name and type Larry. He has a blue truck and a white burb that are Super Nice!
Go to search and then to members name and type Larry. He has a blue truck and a white burb that are Super Nice!
super lift = not much feedback here over the years .
any lift kit shock included in the base price kit = crap ride .
do the ord call up and spec what you want and be done .
any lift kit shock included in the base price kit = crap ride .
do the ord call up and spec what you want and be done .
I just looked and ORD has a 2.5" flip for the rear, like I thought I remembered...
I have 33's on my stocker 86 'burb (1/2 ton)...no issues at all.
I do have a 4.5" shackle flip on the shelf for it. I'm thinking that with a set of stock 3/4 ton springs out back with a set of 6" t.c. hd's up front will get me where I want it to be. With some Bilsteins of course!
I do have a 4.5" shackle flip on the shelf for it. I'm thinking that with a set of stock 3/4 ton springs out back with a set of 6" t.c. hd's up front will get me where I want it to be. With some Bilsteins of course!
chulisohombre
1/2 ton status
It doesn't seem like you are going crazy rock crawling or anything. So you don't nessesssarily need expensive custom sorings. Ord has the best reviews for our trucks suspension needs and that's from guys like us that use their trucks on ck5. If you want a decent off the shelf tough country will probably be fine for what you do. Just be sure you never want to go any bigger with your truck in the future. 2.5 lift and 33s will be perfect look wise and ride rise. You can get away with a add a leaf and a zero rate in the rear probably to get you where you want on a budget. Unless your rear springs are already beat up and saggy. I have rough country fronts on my blazer, but also have a heavy front bumper and the hd springs in front ride decent with the extra weight. I went with pro comp rear and ride ok but are stiffer than I'd like them to be.
@chulisohombre
You are saying that custom springs aren't necessary unless it's for serious off road stuff, but then go on to state that yours rides decent in front (that reads not nice) and stiff in the rear, with off the shelf stuff. That seems to me that you would enjoy custom stuff much more. Especially if you felt the difference from yourself..
My '70 rides so much better on pavement since I ditched the Tuff-country springs, that I don't have any regrets at all!
I just need to get rid of the stiff rear lift springs.
My point is, why settle for something that is just a little cheaper, and not enjoy the end result as much as possible!! ??
When it has to do with something that is experienced EVERY time time the truck moves, don't skimp..
You are saying that custom springs aren't necessary unless it's for serious off road stuff, but then go on to state that yours rides decent in front (that reads not nice) and stiff in the rear, with off the shelf stuff. That seems to me that you would enjoy custom stuff much more. Especially if you felt the difference from yourself..
My '70 rides so much better on pavement since I ditched the Tuff-country springs, that I don't have any regrets at all!
I just need to get rid of the stiff rear lift springs.
My point is, why settle for something that is just a little cheaper, and not enjoy the end result as much as possible!! ??
When it has to do with something that is experienced EVERY time time the truck moves, don't skimp..
Last edited:
chulisohombre
1/2 ton status
Your right about that. I only put a few hundred miles on mine a year so It doesn't matter as much to Me. I don't have a ton of money to throw at my truck either so That is also a big factor. The front was already there when I bought mine but had blocks in the rear that broke on me. I ended up getting what I could in the rear I could afford at the time. If I had the money I would totally get the ord spring setup. But I always have many other things I have to spend money on. So as long as mine work for now I'll keep Them on. Some of the off the shelf stuff does offer different spring rates as well. Just have to call them up and ask.
In the beginning (about 1990), we lifted my K5 with some beefed up springs and the finest 1-ton shocks we could get from Napa since that was what worked out length wise. A few years later I took a spring break trip into the Dollhouse area of Canyonlands with about 80 miles of rough dirt road each way and it was terrible. I knew it rode rough from having used it every day but that was an eye opening trip for sure. That was the beginning of figuring out better suspension for me. Notice I didn't go to Johnson Valley or Moab or the Rubicon to go rockcrawling. I wanted to drive a reasonable speed down a long dirt road comfortably in addition to running the 8-ish hours on the highway it took me to get into Utah from school and not cringe every time I saw a speed bump or a few washboards. We haven't lost sight of that basic use of a truck. Our custom springs are NOT FOR ROCKCRAWLING. Not exclusively anyway. Putting them on a truck without lockers would actually make sense just to make it ride nice.
Another thing to think about: I'd consider better springs before better shocks. You can't damp something that doesn't move and I think most people would be happier with a softer spring and less shock. The other side of that is that shocks are really easy to replace and if you only get to use them a year or two, that's fine. Bolt better shocks on it.\
There are several recipes here that do work well, notably the 2-3" TCI springs with a flip in the back. That's a great system for the price and the next step would be all the same parts and sub our custom front springs if you want to take it a little farther.
I could throw out most of the same ideas about the coilover systems too. I know that subject is beyond the OPs question but the misconceptions are the same. The link and coil/coilover systems ride and drive so nice that once again, running one on a truck without lockers at all would make sense if you were after that level of ride and drive feel.
Another thing to think about: I'd consider better springs before better shocks. You can't damp something that doesn't move and I think most people would be happier with a softer spring and less shock. The other side of that is that shocks are really easy to replace and if you only get to use them a year or two, that's fine. Bolt better shocks on it.\
There are several recipes here that do work well, notably the 2-3" TCI springs with a flip in the back. That's a great system for the price and the next step would be all the same parts and sub our custom front springs if you want to take it a little farther.
I could throw out most of the same ideas about the coilover systems too. I know that subject is beyond the OPs question but the misconceptions are the same. The link and coil/coilover systems ride and drive so nice that once again, running one on a truck without lockers at all would make sense if you were after that level of ride and drive feel.
chulisohombre
1/2 ton status
I wasn't explicitly saying your springs were for just rockcrawling Steven. But they are from what I've heard from others the best all around spring offered for our trucks if you have the cash. Some day I would love to Have a set of them also. If mine was a dd or a long drive to Where I'm wheeling it Would be different as well. All factors to Take Into Account.
