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Shackle flip questions? And moving front axle forward

ryanf413

ryanf413

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So I have a 91 K5 blazer I bought already lifted with a 6" skyjacker lift. I currently have 33x12.5" gladiators on it, doesnt look bad but id obviously love some 35s or 37s in my future. I want to move my front axle forward and ive seen people taking the rear springs and flippin them on the front, so I'm considering doing that and shackle flipping the rear and getting different springs for the back. Any thoughts? It's going to be dedicated weekend warrior, camping, recovery, wheeling machine, crossover steering is more than likely in the works in the future or with this project
 
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Has anybody fabbed any sway bar with quick disconnects that's running with crossover steering?
 
oh, sorry, didn't notice the noobness..... :doah: bear with me, I have my moments.....

but in reality, what's the actual truck use gonna be? more of a big flexing trailrig that doesn't see a ton of street, 56's are definitely a viable option... lot's of street time and mild wheeling, I'd be looking at a set of custom front 47's from Alcan or ORD.... bit pricier route, but it'll serve you for years.. 52's and 56's up front while great for flex, are not known for their durability with lot's of street time... let alone their "manners"...
 
ORD has a set of sway bar disco's.

However you cannot run the stock sway bar with crossover steering, they will hit each other.

My Burb does fine with 56's on the front and 63's in the back. Never had an issue with sway that was all that bad.
 
ryoken said:
oh, sorry, didn't notice the noobness..... :doah: bear with me, I have my moments.....

but in reality, what's the actual truck use gonna be? more of a big flexing trailrig that doesn't see a ton of street, 56's are definitely a viable option... lot's of street time and mild wheeling, I'd be looking at a set of custom front 47's from Alcan or ORD.... bit pricier route, but it'll serve you for years.. 52's and 56's up front while great for flex, are not known for their durability with lot's of street time... let alone their "manners"...
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Perfectly fine. And I want to be able to tackle any situation off road but I also want it to be adequate for hours of on road driving in between trails or if I want to take it to Vermont or Canada.
 
kgblazerfive said:
ORD has a set of sway bar disco's.

However you cannot run the stock sway bar with crossover steering, they will hit each other.

My Burb does fine with 56's on the front and 63's in the back. Never had an issue with sway that was all that bad.
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thanks for the feedback. You do a decent amount of regular street driving?
 
kgblazerfive said:
for awhile I did, long trips and all.
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Awesome, good to hear. how far forward do you think doin the rear spring flip in the front would bring my front axle? I'd also love for both my front and rear tires to be spaced out wider but hear mixed things on wheel spacers. Any experience there?
 
kgblazerfive said:
4 inches for the front.

Spacers are a no-no. A van rear axle is 3 inches wider
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some fender trimming and a longer front driveshaft and i should be alright? And ill try the scrapyard or craigslist and see what I find eventually for wider axles.
 
So I run 56s up front. I daily drove my truck for a while.

I don't mind the body roll.

My truck is trail only ( mostly) and I still don't mind it.

But if you have the cash I would do custom springs. A quality wheeling season kills a set of front springs for me.

In addition 52s or 56s you have to "tune" until you like em. By that I mean add and subtract leaf springs.

Unless you fab it all 52s or 56s can rapidly approach the price of custom springs .

I grabbed all my mounts and did 56s up from for cheap. They will stay until links and coilovers go there
 
I drove my '90 from California to Nebraska on 52" springs.

By the California state line, the body roll didn't bother me much anymore.

Martin
 
blazinzuk said:
So I run 56s up front. I daily drove my truck for a while.

I don't mind the body roll.

My truck is trail only ( mostly) and I still don't mind it.

But if you have the cash I would do custom springs. A quality wheeling season kills a set of front springs for me.

In addition 52s or 56s you have to "tune" until you like em. By that I mean add and subtract leaf springs.

Unless you fab it all 52s or 56s can rapidly approach the price of custom springs .

I grabbed all my mounts and did 56s up from for cheap. They will stay until links and coilovers go there
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For now I'll have to see what I can work with, I'll have to purchase something for the rear eventually if I do the flip in the front, so it'll be custom springs or some "tuned" leafs for the right feel. I also have to see what's legal in MA as far as sway bars and moving my axle and what not, not too too worried but I don't know exactly what I'll be able to get away with. I'd also really like to try and fab some sort of quick disconnect sway bar link setup if possible
 
Just measured and my rears are 56" so I'll probably find some rear 52s or 56s and do the flip to move the axle forward on the front then do a shackle flip on the rear and remove some leaves for softer ride and more flex
 
Remember your gonna need a long slip driveshaft. Mine has 11" of slip. Probable exhaust mods, custom shock mounts, new shackles. If your gonna wheel alot I would strongly consider beefing up the frame around the shackles.

But you need those things anyway with any type of long travel leaf
 
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