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rear springs

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k5_beater

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i got an 85 and i dont know wether i have 52 or 56 inch rear springs. i guess i could measure them but i dont know where to do that from. /forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif
 
56" springs were avaiable on 3/4 ton and up trucks/'Burbs.Also the 52's were offered too!Measure the springs if you want 56's!!!No K/5's were equipped with 56's(at least not from the factory!!).it's an incredible easy way of obtaining flex with the 56's!!
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
it's an incredible easy way of obtaining flex with the 56's!!

[/ QUOTE ] What springs would you use then and how hard is it to move the (I'm guessing) the rear hanger and do you get the rear axle moved back in the conversion? I'm wanting 4-6" of lift. This is interesting! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
first off, 56" rear springs were equipped on some, very few, mostly the "Big 10" half tons. Some 3/4 tons do (I have a 3/4 ton parts truck that didn't) and all one ton's had the 56ers. The length difference is in the back, the rear spring hanger is farther back on the frame. Its pretty noticable when you see them side by side. I don't know if you can just move the spring hanger on a K5 (not sure if there is room with the stock shackle/bracket assembly). If you can don't just slap a 56" pack in there, because all the 56" spring packs are a lot stiffer than the 52's. You can actually hurt flex! I've heard you can get some good flex from 56's when you take out some of the leaves...not sure on how many exactly, depends on what spring pack you start with (1 ton, 3/4, etc.).
 
True the 56's were available in the "heavy 1/2 tons".That's the ones I actually used for my conversion.I did the simple cheap shackle flip using the front spring mount on a rear spring set-up.I moved my mounts rearward about 2" and have the rear shackle at about an 60 degree angle.It gives me alot of flex but at the expense of real soft(read no heavy loads!) springs.But then again I removed one of the original 7 leafs and flipped the overload leaf.I got about 3" of lift.If I would move the shackle mount back another 2"(4" from the stock location),then I would of ended up with 4-5".I'm still experimenting with the rear suspesion...might go with Marv Springers set-up!The rear axle stays in the stock location,but the springs can be redrilled to move the axle rearward.That's one of my projects.Of course this is all for rock crawling.don't know how it will handle in mud/sand.Do a search,there's alot of posts on this subject!!Mike
 
I saw a setup with the chevy 56" springs on a toyota and the guy just put 2 shackles, kinda like the revolver shackles and that way he has the first going backwards and from that the second goes down to the spring.
It's working great and I plan on doing a similar setup on my blazer.
 
I had that same idea about using double shackles,Have'nt tried it yet,concerned about the street manners of it.But what the heck,all I need is a pair of urethane bushings for the additional shackles.SOON!!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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