The build isn't going to happen for probably a couple months, and when it does I have tranny issues to deal with first. I have plenty of time to think this over before I pull the trigger. Probably too much time.
CK5
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Time to build a suspension... (looking for input on springs)
- Thread starter campfire
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- awesome suspension
The build isn't going to happen for probably a couple months, and when it does I have tranny issues to deal with first. I have plenty of time to think this over before I pull the trigger. Probably too much time.
Yea yea yea..
Yeah, I've yet to hear anything bad about either company, and ORD is much more strongly represented here. FWIW, riding in Luke's K5 with custom ORD front springs & Bilstein 5125 shocks is what started this whole thread. If I wind up directly copying his truck I will probably be very happy with the result.
But while I'm planning this out, I'm gonna ask all the questions that I can think of. MAW think it through now while I have time.
To best of my knowledge but don't quote me ORD has Aclan build there springs they sell to the ORD specs.
Also do the Bilstein 5125 through ORD carry warranty? Thought I read once warranty stopped at 5100? Please someone correct me if I am wrong here!!!!!
Also do the Bilstein 5125 through ORD carry warranty? Thought I read once warranty stopped at 5100? Please someone correct me if I am wrong here!!!!!
I've heard the first bit about Alcan building the springs, but I have no info on the shocks. I am curious, though.
@Stephen, would you be willing to explain the differences?
As far as I know, the difference between the 5100 and 5125 is the the 5100 is application specific and the 5125 is universal. They are the same shock.
Good info!
5125's have a one year warranty. I blew out a wiper seal on one, had to buy another, but at 70 a shocks thats not too bad.
So, here's deal: Just as mentioned above, Alcan builds our springs to our specs, they don't have anything to do with the design process. If it didn't make sense to have them ship the springs directly from their shop nobody would know they we involved. I don't mind that people know since they have a quality name and do good work but that's the situation.
Comparing the two? We run softer spring rates and more thinner material for more available travel and softer ride. And we do have a lot of vehicle specific info and experience to work with. In addition to a set of our springs on a buddy's truck that you've ridden in and like that we can use to help set yours up which is a great tool. Spend all the time you can with his truck and pick it apart so we can use that info to make yours better.
As much as I like linked up trucks I have to admit the bang for the buck with our spring line is pretty aweseome. They bolt in and work really good, and to re-emphasize, they bolt in. A couple weeks back I spent at least 3 full days working on the link system on Fred Williams' army truck and still had a few details to button up and we could have been driving the truck in a few hours if we'd run leaves. And that few hours could have been done in just about anyone's driveway with pretty minimum tools.
Comparing the two? We run softer spring rates and more thinner material for more available travel and softer ride. And we do have a lot of vehicle specific info and experience to work with. In addition to a set of our springs on a buddy's truck that you've ridden in and like that we can use to help set yours up which is a great tool. Spend all the time you can with his truck and pick it apart so we can use that info to make yours better.
As much as I like linked up trucks I have to admit the bang for the buck with our spring line is pretty aweseome. They bolt in and work really good, and to re-emphasize, they bolt in. A couple weeks back I spent at least 3 full days working on the link system on Fred Williams' army truck and still had a few details to button up and we could have been driving the truck in a few hours if we'd run leaves. And that few hours could have been done in just about anyone's driveway with pretty minimum tools.
Awesome. The quality of customer service will probably decide this sale.
Looking around CK5, I see ORD spring packs with 9 and 10 leaves. Is the number of leaves dependent on height? The one example I have found on here of Alcan springs on a square Suburban used 7 leaves for 3" of lift. I'm thinking that if the ORD springs were using 9 leaves for the same lift & spring rate they would have more flexibility because each stage would have a lower rate. Which is the whole point of buying custom springs in the first place, right?
I'm just thinking out loud here, I still have more questions than answers at this stage.
At a given amount of travel, a thinner leaf fatigues less than a thicker one. So these high leaf counts are buying you flex and durability. You can get the same spring rate from fewer leaves, but they don't last as long. There are lots of CK5 stories of mad flex with 52s but they are trashed in a year. If you don't need tons of wheel travel, you can limit it (bumps, straps) and get longer life from a cheaper spring.
wildweaselmi
Bra Stress Tester
7 pages of posts... kinda wondering if I should keep this thread going or post new.
I have a 1991 Chevy K5 that I just put a 6" BDS Suspension Kit with Fox Shocks... (nothing but the best of my pride and joy). Currently upgrading the crappy front and rear axle to 1 ton (Dana 60 in front, GM 14 bolt in rear) and doing high steer.
So now I got myself all exposed, curious if I should do a sway bar or not. I would say more than not everyone says with leaf springs I don't need it but let me tell ya. I'm spending 50% highway driving to where I want to offroad the other 50% and my goal is to show those Jeepsters that a K5 is just as capable and not as easy to come by. We can't just go buy an offroad rig, we have to build it. Yes, I'm more of a black sheep, don't like to follow the flock or heard of Jeep people. I don't mean that as a disrespect but more of a statement that anyone can own a jeep and build it with the mail order bolt on parts but not so many can accomplish the same thing with a classic like the K5. I just appreciate the passion of keeping it real, metal and unique.
Sway Bar
A. Yes (go with the currie rock crawler sway bar linkage more than likely or fabricate your own)
B. No (leaf springs don't need sway bars, especially on the K5.. how much body roll do you think can happen)
I have a 1991 Chevy K5 that I just put a 6" BDS Suspension Kit with Fox Shocks... (nothing but the best of my pride and joy). Currently upgrading the crappy front and rear axle to 1 ton (Dana 60 in front, GM 14 bolt in rear) and doing high steer.
So now I got myself all exposed, curious if I should do a sway bar or not. I would say more than not everyone says with leaf springs I don't need it but let me tell ya. I'm spending 50% highway driving to where I want to offroad the other 50% and my goal is to show those Jeepsters that a K5 is just as capable and not as easy to come by. We can't just go buy an offroad rig, we have to build it. Yes, I'm more of a black sheep, don't like to follow the flock or heard of Jeep people. I don't mean that as a disrespect but more of a statement that anyone can own a jeep and build it with the mail order bolt on parts but not so many can accomplish the same thing with a classic like the K5. I just appreciate the passion of keeping it real, metal and unique.
Sway Bar
A. Yes (go with the currie rock crawler sway bar linkage more than likely or fabricate your own)
B. No (leaf springs don't need sway bars, especially on the K5.. how much body roll do you think can happen)
I'm confused? You said almost everyone you've asked has told you you wont need a sway bar and that's not enough? I'm assuming your asking legit people and not vacuum salesman for car advice? Do you see any lifted leaf spring trucks running sway bars? Does BDS recommend running a sway bar with their lift? I'm not trying to be an ass just wondering, because I think you've answered your own question already and are worrying about something you don't need to be. The only 100% way to be sure tho is to drive it, see how it handles and if whatever body roll it has is something you can live with or not.
If you do choose to put a sway bar on it. You might wanna go easy on the "Neener Neener, jeeps are bought not built thing" when you go with the Currie sway bar. You know since Currie is a Jeep after market product company, the sway bar was originally designed for Jeeps by Jeep guys to combat body roll in Jeeps, and would be a bolt on Jeep product on your K5 .
(now that could be taken as me being an ass, but I'm really just giving you a hard time and saving you from future embarrassment)
If you do choose to put a sway bar on it. You might wanna go easy on the "Neener Neener, jeeps are bought not built thing" when you go with the Currie sway bar. You know since Currie is a Jeep after market product company, the sway bar was originally designed for Jeeps by Jeep guys to combat body roll in Jeeps, and would be a bolt on Jeep product on your K5 .
(now that could be taken as me being an ass, but I'm really just giving you a hard time and saving you from future embarrassment)
I would recommend starting your own thread with this question, then you can post a poll with the question and folks can answer more easily. And also put the question in the title of the thread so folks can tell what you're asking.
My advice echos what folks here have told me in this thread...try things without worrying about the sway bar, and then buy the sway bar correction kit later if you find you miss it.
Oh, you should put a third category for the middle-road answer that I just gave.
I'm confused? You said almost everyone you've asked has told you you wont need a sway bar and that's not enough? I'm assuming your asking legit people and not vacuum salesman for car advice? Do you see any lifted leaf spring trucks running sway bars? Does BDS recommend running a sway bar with their lift? I'm not trying to be an ass just wondering, because I think you've answered your own question already and are worrying about something you don't need to be. The only 100% way to be sure tho is to drive it, see how it handles and if whatever body roll it has is something you can live with or not.
If you do choose to put a sway bar on it. You might wanna go easy on the "Neener Neener, jeeps are bought not built thing" when you go with the Currie sway bar. You know since Currie is a Jeep after market product company, the sway bar was originally designed for Jeeps by Jeep guys to combat body roll in Jeeps, and would be a bolt on Jeep product on your K5 .
The K5 came with its own sway bar...correcting that one is a whole pile cheaper than buying the bolt-on Jeep kit.
Might even be easier if he hasn't removed the old one yet.
wildweaselmi
Bra Stress Tester
Yea I can get your point of view. Will have to see what the outcome is of no swa bar. Really I was hoping for advice of someone that has done this, has 37.5" tires with a 6" lift. I drive expressway (75miles a day), still want to hang with the best of them Offroad. I like driving to and from my trails. Never be a trailer toy... or I'd just get a RZR or something.
Thanks though for the input.
Mentioned Currie as an option just because it's getting harder and harder to find companies to support the good ole steel soldiers.
Thanks though for the input.
Mentioned Currie as an option just because it's getting harder and harder to find companies to support the good ole steel soldiers.
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This site is full of vendors, take a read through what ORD and DIY4X offer. It's not jeep-level of support, but there are plenty of options for mods.
Getting this thread back on topic... 
Haven't bought anything yet, still tossing ideas around. Flipping the back will throw off the angle and slightly bump it forward, yes? I have a set of zero-rates already, so correcting it an inch or two isn't an issue, but the stock springs are pretty saggy. There is a chance I'll wind up replacing them anyway, and redoing the shackle bracket is a bunch of extra work if I were to do the springs anyways.
I was thinking of trying out Luke's plan of recycling the stock hangers for the flip (which has gotta be the easiest & most redneck option), but buying one set of springs and solving both problems at the same time might be a better use of my time. If I buy the flip bracket AND a set of stock springs, it's not much cheaper than simply buying a set of springs for the stock hanger.
Haven't bought anything yet, still tossing ideas around. Flipping the back will throw off the angle and slightly bump it forward, yes? I have a set of zero-rates already, so correcting it an inch or two isn't an issue, but the stock springs are pretty saggy. There is a chance I'll wind up replacing them anyway, and redoing the shackle bracket is a bunch of extra work if I were to do the springs anyways.
I was thinking of trying out Luke's plan of recycling the stock hangers for the flip (which has gotta be the easiest & most redneck option), but buying one set of springs and solving both problems at the same time might be a better use of my time. If I buy the flip bracket AND a set of stock springs, it's not much cheaper than simply buying a set of springs for the stock hanger.
wildweaselmi
Bra Stress Tester
Thanks. I am a fan of diy4x and am in the process of getting ng a customized UD1 front bumper. Also used BDS since they are so highly recommended and people like zone uses there stuff and repackages it. Just ordered my rear bumper from Colorado Offroad. Not too many options for tops (convertible or hard top or pop up tent style). Many companies I find are out of business. Sadly
Sorry campfire... I'm done hijacking thread
Sorry campfire... I'm done hijacking thread
The K5 came with its own sway bar...correcting that one is a whole pile cheaper than buying the bolt-on Jeep kit.
that's what I would do, lengthen the side and make them quick disconnect...most aftermarket springs make it unneeded tho.
