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stock front # of spring leaves

kgillyk5

kgillyk5

1/2 ton status
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May 29, 2003
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Fultonville, NY USA
Anyone still have access to OR remember how many leaves a stock 1/2 ton blazer front spring pack contains. My stock 90K5 has the R/V package which has 3 leaves in front...so is the non-R/V 1/2 ton front only two leaves?

I ask because I have an 8' plow that was designed for a 3/4 ton truck that I would like to put on the blazer this winter...just wondered if these stock R/V fronts were somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 ton already? Maybe bring it to the local spring shop and have 'em add a leaf or two.

OR just trade out the 8' blade for a 7.5'...anyone have any experience/recommendations? :confused:
 
I have a 90 k5 and I dont think Id put a 8' plow on it unless it had reinforced springs, and even then how do you know how many will compensate for the weight and if it will ever sit right? thats why my thought is put a 7 1/2' on cause that you know we can carry fine.
 
My 79 K25 was setup with the snow plow option from the factory ... it had 3 springs. My 83' K5 with 6.2 and 86' 1Ton also came with 3 springs. Looks like the same spring in all of them
 
my 1985 GMC Jimmy had 2 leafs stock. I still have them too, they hold my shop door open when its windy outside. lol!

j
 
My dads K20 has an 8000lb winch on the front and a BBC in place of the SBC originally equipped, with the stock 3 leaves. The front springs are way too weak for that setup, I would imagine a plow has to be around that sort of weight. You can always put it on and check, but his is probably 300lbs (WAG) over the original front end weight.

I'm kind of curious to know what kind of rating the front springs have, because it's entirely possible that different GVWR's had different spring ratings, even when looking at 2 leaf vs 2 leaf, and 3 vs 3. I don't know as the actual spring rating (as opposed to just number of springs for 7200lbs, 8000lbs, etc) is covered anywhere, but it may be in the service manuals.

Every GM *car* I can think of used different spring ratings for the fronts, based on things as miniscule as AC/no AC, or as major as V8 gas vs. diesel.
 
Thanks all for the feedback...I think I'm gonna try it and see how it works. I would like to find a source that would tell factory specs on something as obscure as 1/2-ton v.s. 1/2-ton R/V v.s. 3/4-ton spring rate/load ratings.

Can a spring shop check a leaf spring pack the same way you can check a coil spring for rate/load? Hhmmm...

I'll let ya' know what I find. :D
 
My experience..

I had an 8' Fisher plow on my 74 K20--extremely heavy!-(I'd guess 500-600 lbs!)-its the "old style" that used heavy angle iron for the "A" frame,not 3" channel iron like the 7.5' or the newer blades..my truck had the "normal" 2 leaf front springs when I first got it--I scored a set of 3 leaf heavy duty springs off a suburban for ten bucks at a swap meet ,a guy took off to install a lift kit..

I only noticed minimal difference with the 3 leaf springs VS the 2 leaf--mostly a much stiffer ride empty!--the truck still would bottom out with the plow on when I hit bumps,not as hard or as often,but it didn't sit any higher than it did with the 2 leaf springs..I felt better having 3 leaves though..They might have been sagged to start with,but most stock GM front springs have a negative arch anyway,so its hard to say...the springs came within 1.5" of hitting the rubber bump stops with both the 2 and 3 leaf springs just sitting without the blade on--didn't get much closer with it on..maybe 3/4 to 1" with the plow on..

My 82 K20 has the 6.2 diesel,and it came stock with 2 leaf front springs..it has a 7'5' Fisher plow on it--it rides better that my 74 K20 ever did,and despite the heavy diesel motor and plow,it doesn't bottom out hardly at all..I don't plan on swapping any heavier springs in it unless one breaks,and I doubt they will..

I also had a 1971 GMC K1500 with a 7'5 foot Fisher plow--it only had the stock 2 leaft front springs in it (someone had beefed the rear leafs up to 10 leafs on each side to haul a slide in camper before I got it)..I plowed with that truck for 7 years,I'd fill the bed to the top with sand too!--never had any springs fail..

(adding weight to the bed is a good idea--increases traction,and it takes some weight off the front springs too..I could not take off in traffic without spinning the tires with no weight in the bed with the plow on,in any of my trucks----its so "nose heavy" the rear wheels feel like they barely touch the ground! :eek1: )

You can add more leafs to the front if it makes you feel better,but I dont think its really needed,after seeing what I put my stock 2 leafers thru!..it will only make it ride harsher,and lift it a few inches,which might cause front driveshaft angle problems,or make the yoke ride further out on the splines,and make it wear out faster.... :crazy:
 
stock front leafs are tapered leafs. need to use tapered leafs to add to the pack. if the plow is that big and you think there might be a problem go to the spring shop and tell them what you want and do with it. thay will have options for aftermarket springs. i use to work spring stuff. we installed 1 time a 5 leaf pack setup in one. boy would it hold that plow up good.


also are you going to use the 1/2 ton axles and drive terain? 8 foot kind of hard on 1/2 ton if you ask me. good luck.
 
My 83 K10 deisel has 2 leaves but four shocks, I believe all deisels and plow package equipped trucks had 4 shocks up front. I dont know if that helps ya or anything, but for somereason that is sticking out in my mind as a plow package
 
Yes, even with 3 leafs on the front of my truck (can't recall the donor, prolly another K5) it bottoms out quite easily, and I'm not any over stock weight on the front. Probably age, that shouldn't happen factory.

I agree with 2/3 leaves, no difference in ride height. Makes sense as long as either is near flat when installed. :) Of course, adding 600lbs is going to load them up good.
 
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