Custom lol.
In my 56" pack I start with a one ton pack. Then I cut down several of the leafs, I spend time cutting them tapering them etc. Most stock packs where we pull leafs from are fairly thick
CK5
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Ord custom vs 52/56 swap
- Thread starter 84bigblue
- Start date
Custom lol.
In my 56" pack I start with a one ton pack. Then I cut down several of the leafs, I spend time cutting them tapering them etc. Most stock packs where we pull leafs from are fairly thick
Vombrown
Mountain Man
Definitely do the ORD packs, especially if like you said the price is close. Anytime you can run a high quality new part for the same money as a used part.....well, that's an easy decision. Plus the 52/56 combo will need work to get right. You'll likely take the packs apart a couple time to get the ride like you want it. The ORD packs will be ready to install and as long as you have communicated what you are looking for with those guys, you'll get it done in one shot.
I have 52” ord’s at all four corners. They are VERY flexible, ride amazing, and are quiet. Love them.
Have you ever watched a trophy truck go around a corner on the pavement? I know my blazer doesn’t lean that much, but that’s how it feels. Lol. Not running sway bars obviously.
Have you ever watched a trophy truck go around a corner on the pavement? I know my blazer doesn’t lean that much, but that’s how it feels. Lol. Not running sway bars obviously.
Most of what needs to be said here has been covered so I'll just throw out a couple things:
One saying I use a lot is "an 8 foot long dump truck spring is still built to hold up a dumptruck". Some would think that because it's 8 feet (96 inches!) long it would be really flexible but spring rate is the biggest factor in ride and flexibility and stiff springs from heavier trucks are, you guessed it, stiff. This is my big problem with swapping 56's in the rear of a K5. I'm not sure where the idea came from that a 3/4T truck spring is going to get flexy when you put it in a K5 but stiff is stiff. No matter what, to get it to work you're going to have to do some custom work on the pack unless you want your K5 to ride and flex like a heavier rated 3/4T truck. There are some very limited examples of some lighter rated 56's that would be more appropriate (but still stiffer than a stock K5 spring) but strangely when you see mention of a "52/56" swap you don't see any details to go with it...
One problem that comes to mind because it was mentioned here is "turn the flip around and bolt the 56's in". Shackle angle gets to be a big deal when they're laid way down. Basically when the angle is extreme you give up bump travel past where the spring is flat. This is because the spring is trying to get shorter but in order to do so it has to stand the shackle up which is picking the truck up at the same time. Essentially what you do is lock out the suspension at the point the leaves are flat and that holds the compression side of the truck higher than it needs to be and stops compression travel. It can even affect ride comfort since it feels like you're hitting a bumpstop when the leaf goes flat. Keep the shackle angle more gentle and it'll work better overall.
And keep in mind we build springs for 52 and 56" lengths. So there's always that option when you're tired of doing your own custom work.
Here's an idea to make me feel like I'm saying "yes" to something relatively cheap:
Put 64's from a lighter rated (probably NOT a 2wd shortbed, those are stupid soft) 88-98 1/2T in the back. Move the front mounting bracket forward 4-5", move the shackle flip back 7-8" and you're set. This will move the axle back 1-2" which works great in most cases and you're using a cheap spring that is in the right rate range and will flex nicely. Leave the overload in it. At the most you can turn it over since sometimes they have a very slight positive arch and you can pick up a little bit of engagement room by flipping them over. Then put our springs in the front suspension stock mounting points and go drive the truck a lot.
One saying I use a lot is "an 8 foot long dump truck spring is still built to hold up a dumptruck". Some would think that because it's 8 feet (96 inches!) long it would be really flexible but spring rate is the biggest factor in ride and flexibility and stiff springs from heavier trucks are, you guessed it, stiff. This is my big problem with swapping 56's in the rear of a K5. I'm not sure where the idea came from that a 3/4T truck spring is going to get flexy when you put it in a K5 but stiff is stiff. No matter what, to get it to work you're going to have to do some custom work on the pack unless you want your K5 to ride and flex like a heavier rated 3/4T truck. There are some very limited examples of some lighter rated 56's that would be more appropriate (but still stiffer than a stock K5 spring) but strangely when you see mention of a "52/56" swap you don't see any details to go with it...
One problem that comes to mind because it was mentioned here is "turn the flip around and bolt the 56's in". Shackle angle gets to be a big deal when they're laid way down. Basically when the angle is extreme you give up bump travel past where the spring is flat. This is because the spring is trying to get shorter but in order to do so it has to stand the shackle up which is picking the truck up at the same time. Essentially what you do is lock out the suspension at the point the leaves are flat and that holds the compression side of the truck higher than it needs to be and stops compression travel. It can even affect ride comfort since it feels like you're hitting a bumpstop when the leaf goes flat. Keep the shackle angle more gentle and it'll work better overall.
And keep in mind we build springs for 52 and 56" lengths. So there's always that option when you're tired of doing your own custom work.
Here's an idea to make me feel like I'm saying "yes" to something relatively cheap:
Put 64's from a lighter rated (probably NOT a 2wd shortbed, those are stupid soft) 88-98 1/2T in the back. Move the front mounting bracket forward 4-5", move the shackle flip back 7-8" and you're set. This will move the axle back 1-2" which works great in most cases and you're using a cheap spring that is in the right rate range and will flex nicely. Leave the overload in it. At the most you can turn it over since sometimes they have a very slight positive arch and you can pick up a little bit of engagement room by flipping them over. Then put our springs in the front suspension stock mounting points and go drive the truck a lot.
Hey Stephen, that's a really good point about "dump truck springs are still made to hold up a dump truck" as i never thought about it like that, always just heard about the 56 spring swap in the rear and from what i read gave good results but as you mentioned couldnt find much to anything more about it. Just out of curriosity any one know why switching the shackle flips is the popular way to install 56s if they limit the springs? Also would 64s give any initial lift to the rear as 52s do to the front?
Arch on the 64's seems to be in line with the earlier rear springs so we pretty much treat them the same as far as lift. Basically a 4" flip with 64's should give you 4" of lift, give or take a little depending on the million factors that are always part of it.
Big shackle angles became sexy at some point and it stuck around. In the hardcore rock crawling world the big angles worked out OK since a lot of the vehicles couldn't use much up-travel anyway. In our case (with GM trucks) where the springs start pretty flat (or inverted), letting the spring go negative is important.
And it's easy to just put the flip on the "wrong" side in the same bolt holes.
Big shackle angles became sexy at some point and it stuck around. In the hardcore rock crawling world the big angles worked out OK since a lot of the vehicles couldn't use much up-travel anyway. In our case (with GM trucks) where the springs start pretty flat (or inverted), letting the spring go negative is important.
And it's easy to just put the flip on the "wrong" side in the same bolt holes.
Something that gets overlooked and seldom mentioned is the term 52's doesnt really describe a spring very well. There are several flavors of 52's in chevy and dodge springs. Spring rate must be considered.
The right 52's will last as well as any spring.
Chevy 52's on my SAS'd 98 now. Drive it everyday. Predictable handling. Love it. Springs were new and cost $220 for the pair. Pair.
If i took the time to put on quality shocks itd be even better.
The right 52's will last as well as any spring.
Chevy 52's on my SAS'd 98 now. Drive it everyday. Predictable handling. Love it. Springs were new and cost $220 for the pair. Pair.
If i took the time to put on quality shocks itd be even better.
454Sub
5/8 ton status
What's your particular spring cybrfire? I'm going the 52in route because I can't swing the the ORD springs and eventually I'm leaving the square platform for an Envoy with front links.
I want to hear this too.
I know it will be a stock 1/2 ton but from what?
Stock rears out of a 1985 blazer. Have a lot of good experience with that spring.
Just a touch stiff right now which leaves me room for a bumper which is currently non existant.
5.7l vortec. Short box extended cab model.
Hauled home a good size welder with two gas bottles and a snow blower the other day. The rear springs are the ones that i question the spring rate. But, i dont often haul that much weight.
Just a touch stiff right now which leaves me room for a bumper which is currently non existant.
5.7l vortec. Short box extended cab model.
Hauled home a good size welder with two gas bottles and a snow blower the other day. The rear springs are the ones that i question the spring rate. But, i dont often haul that much weight.
454Sub
5/8 ton status
I wonder how that will work with a 454 and no bumper.
I need to check if the data exists to compare the blazer to the suburban.
The difference in weight should make the suburban read slightly higher but not a dump truck spring, unless they use the same spring, which they shouldn't
454Sub
5/8 ton status
I meant the Blazer 52s in a Suburban with a 454 vs a pickup with a 350 and a bumper. I'm not above adding a spring or subtracting a spring. I would just love to be lazy and get it right the first time. Lol.
My BDS +8 pack rides great (even with no shocks at all) so 52s should be able to attain that no prob.
My BDS +8 pack rides great (even with no shocks at all) so 52s should be able to attain that no prob.
I know what you mean.
I was talking about the stock spring on the back of the suburban should be just right for your heavier 454.
454Sub
5/8 ton status
Ok.
That would be ideal, there are 50x the number of square burbs vs pickups/blazers around us.
That would be ideal, there are 50x the number of square burbs vs pickups/blazers around us.
I am goung to Napa and if I can find out.
454Sub
5/8 ton status
That would be spectacular to find out the weight rating of them. I need to do the heavy duty front shackles anyways due to sloppiness so it's as good a time as any to swap to a better spring.
K5chevyLQ4
Registered Member
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I swapped in 52s in the front and F*rd 57s in the rear of my short wheelbase K30. I love it so far, although I have not done much street driving yet. Its all about spring capacity. There are multiple 52" spring configurations you can choose from. You can get 3/4 ton 52s and 1/2 ton 52s in 4 leaf packs, 5 leaf packs and even 6 leaf packs.
Check out generalspringkc.com. They have multiple options for rear 52s. Thats where I picked up my F*rd 57s in the weight capacity that I needed. I already had 52s from the rear of a K5 so it was a simple swap. Kept the overload in place to help with spring life.
I am curious tho if the people that are experiencing spring failure with the 52s up front, if they are running the overload or not???
Check out generalspringkc.com. They have multiple options for rear 52s. Thats where I picked up my F*rd 57s in the weight capacity that I needed. I already had 52s from the rear of a K5 so it was a simple swap. Kept the overload in place to help with spring life.
I am curious tho if the people that are experiencing spring failure with the 52s up front, if they are running the overload or not???
