removing a leaf on a pro comp 6" front leaf spring

[xpndbl3]

Opening this up for discussion on removing a leaf out of my pro comp 6" front leaf springs or just buying the Tuff Country EZ ride ones. I'm swapping in a 5.3L engine with aluminum heads which will be 120 pounds lighter than the stock 350 tbi. As of right now with pushing down on the bumper with my 300 pound self, I can't get the front of the truck to move more than 1/2". It is far too stiff and this motor swap will only make it worse. I've seen guys pull leaves out before, just wondering which leaf you remove. If it lowers the truck a bit as well that would be great too.

I took some pics and wanted your opinions before I just remove one or buy aftermarket springs again.

 

[dremu]

Coming from a non-rust belt state, all I can say is Good luck getting those spring packs apart!

Mind you, part of the flex comes from their ability to slip, which I don't think those packs can as they look frozen together. If you are going to go to all the hassle of tearing them down, I'd just wirebrush the living snot out of them, paint them 'em good, replace the plastic tips of so equipped, and put 'em back and call it good.

At five leaves, removing one would seriously affect the total spring rate and I would worry about the pack's longevity.

-- A

 

[79rustyk10]

If nothing else, give it a shot and see what happens.

I really dont see the leaves rusting together, unless they sit at the bottom of the ocean for a while.

 

[Amtek]

I am in the exact same boat as XPNDBL3, my front springs are way too stiff even with a winch bumper and 12K winch. I'm not sure what brand they are, most likely super-lift but my leafpack looks exactly the same minus the rust.

I was thinking about removing the second and third shortest leaves so I only have to cut the two inner clamps while leaving the shortest leaf in there to help prevent too much wrap under braking.

You gotta get rid of the quad shock set up too and remove the two outer ones. Actually by the look of the sway bar bracket spacers, we have the same exact kit. Does it have a 4 or 5 inch lift block under the rear springs too?

 

[xpndbl3]

This kit did have a 4" rear block but I did a DIY4x shackle flip in the rear actually when I swapped to a 1 ton setup and just welded on new spring perches. I wasn't sure if I broke this spring pack down and made it a 4 leaf pack if that would be ok. I have to assume so because the tuff country HD kit is 4 leafs, and as of right now I have no suspension travel at all and it's like a bucking bronco. Just wasn't sure if this was "taboo" or not, or which leaf anyone would recommend removing.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

There is MUCH more to spring design than simply how many leaves there are.

If you remove leaves it will be softer but you will lose some ride height and you will likely shorten their life.

If you're going to remove leaves, I'd try one at a time and remove the shortest leaf first.

 

[munepit]

I have a burb with 8" Superlift ezrides. I took one out and didnt like it. I dont have the swaybar and it swayed a lot more, So I put it back in. It does make a difference without it. And I didnt loose any lift without it.
Don't know if this helps or not.

 

[xpndbl3]

There is MUCH more to spring design than simply how many leaves there are.

If you remove leaves it will be softer but you will lose some ride height and you will likely shorten their life.

If you're going to remove leaves, I'd try one at a time and remove the shortest leaf first.

The shortest meaning the bottom one? Thought that was the "overload" type spring in there? Figured it couldn't hurt trying to remove one first, since no one is interested in buying them used, might as well try the free option, otherwise I have no problem paying for some tuff country ones from ORD.

 

[Amtek]

I know there is more to a leaf spring pack than just the number of leaves in it. But there is litterally NO suspension with these front springs. I can park on a boulder with my rear axle completely articulated and stuffed into the bed while my frame is also severely twisted, but the front axle stays almost parallel with the bumper even with no sway bar and only 1 shock per side. When offroad, most of the shock absorbing comes from the tires. Plus I would like to drop it down 1.5 maybe 2 inches, cut the fenders and use a smaller block in the rear instead.

 

[dremu]

Overloads are generally thicker, flatter (i.e. mostly horizontal), and separated from the main pack; I don't see one on your packs.

They exist so that when the pack is, well, overloaded, and goes flat, they don't get bent the wrong way (i.e. reverse arched) and get bent all to hell.

And Chris is (of course) right, number of leaves is only a small part of the equation -- four stiff leaves could have the same spring rate as ten really floppy ones, so there's no apples-to-apples comparison.

Anyway, sure, other than a new center pin and a TON of labor, playing with the pack is free and giant tinkertoy stuff.

I'm just leery of it, having spent waaay too much time dinking with my front packs after going to 52"s. The whole truck is wiggly, the front end particularly so, and while I've gained articulation I've lost the ability to drive on the highway so I'm trying to bring it BACK to being all stiff and low-travel

-- A

 

[Yobtaf]

I pulled one out of my fronts and never looked back. What a difference. Yes they will wear out quicker, but its a 4x4 and Im sure there is a lot of things that will wear out quicker with what we have done to our trucks. I say pull one out, clean them up and put it back and see if you like.
oh and I dont have a front sway bar on mine, its not a race car so I dont care about the extra roll, just slow down a bit more in turns

 

[xpndbl3]

which spring in the pack did you remove Yobtaf and was it a pro comp setup as well that was overly stiff?

 

[Yobtaf]

which spring in the pack did you remove Yobtaf and was it a pro comp setup as well that was overly stiff?

yep it was procrap 4". I will have to look and see what one it was, it was a year or more ago.

now it does this

 

[xpndbl3]

I'd appreciate it

 

[Yobtaf]

second from bottom, here is my old thread http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258025&highlight=removing+leaf

 

[Bowtie85]

Put a set of rancho 4 inch springs on the front of the blazer, removed the bottom leaf before I put em in. Dunno if it did anything, seems to ride decent.

 

[oakknight]

I too Have the pro comp 6 in front springs . The Po had the rear blocks , but have swapped them out for pro comp 6 in arche din the rear. The rear flexs ok , but the front does not flex for nothing . Have a buckstop.biz bumper and warn powerplant HD winch. Shipping weight was around 500 for the pallet when it arrived. after bumper/winch install we were expecting some droop. Maybe 1/2 an inch .lol Myself and another 300 lb friend , both jumped on the bumper at the same time and if barely responded, maybe an inch deflection. We have concidered removing some springs form the front , but I may just sell those and the rear blocks on cl and order me some Tuff country 6 in chers.

I have the sway bar removed , Ord crossover and High steer dedenbear racing knuckles.

 

[Amtek]

Im gonna try removing the second and third shortest springs, I want it lower and alot more flexy. Even my dad's Porsche Turbo has more body roll around corners than this truck right now.

 

[xpndbl3]

amtek, did you remove anything yet? Also oakknight, I can't see the pics as I'm not a member here.

 

[Amtek]

Not yet but i will either this weekend or the next. Gotta go buy some new center pins to be safe.