What suspension do I have?

[centexk5]

Previous owner said it was a 6" suspension and 3" body. I'm getting ready to redo all of it and make it lower//flexier//better. But before I just start ordering parts I'd like to know what I've got to begin with.

It looks to me like the front is just a longer rear hanger and stock springs while the rear looks like a block with an overload and stock springs with stock hangers.

My plan is below:

Front end:
4" EZ Ride Front springs
Bilstein 5125 shocks
Extended front shock mount
HD Front shackles with bushings

Rear end:
4" Shackle flip or new springs (if I've got stockers now I might just do the shackle flip)
Bilstein 5125 shocks
Rear spring bushing kit

 

[obijuank5]

The fronts look like a 6" spring with the bottom leaf removed. The rears appear to be stock spring with a block added.

 

[sweetk30]

answer to the o.p. question in title = leaf spring suspension

wow them front shackles = stiff ride on that combo the way its set up .

rear looks stock just a block .

plan looks real good for off the shelf best ride / flex .

dont forget blazer / burban with rear tank = drop tank for shackle flip install . can be done with out and i tried it 1 time and just dropped the tank .

re-do them trans cooler lines up and tighter to the block before they get ripped off or bent up .

 

[centexk5]

So for sure replace the front springs with some new ones and new shackles.

Plan was to always drop the tank for the shackle flip.

The trans lines are on a long list of shit that needs to get fixed right. Check out this custom exhaust clearance for the front driveshaft.

 

[Bent77]

Yeah that exhaust isn't doing you any favors either...


Don't forget that you may need to shorten your driveshafts after you drop it down. But a 4" lift is very user freindly

 

[fourwheelerjeff]

any numbers on the front springs?

you may want to do this? keep the front springs, get this https://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/hdshackles.htm the shackle flip for the rear and better shocks and see how it works out.

PO may have said it has a 6" lift with 4" front springs and the long shackle

also if you want to measure front the top of the spring pack to the frame may help figure out what lift you have in front

 

[1-ton]

Previous owner said it was a 6" suspension and 3" body. I'm getting ready to redo all of it and make it lower//flexier//better. But before I just start ordering parts I'd like to know what I've got to begin with.

It looks to me like the front is just a longer rear hanger and stock springs while the rear looks like a block with an overload and stock springs with stock hangers.

My plan is below:

Front end:
4" EZ Ride Front springs
Bilstein 5125 shocks
Extended front shock mount
HD Front shackles with bushings

Rear end:
4" Shackle flip or new springs (if I've got stockers now I might just do the shackle flip)
Bilstein 5125 shocks
Rear spring bushing kit

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Your plan sounds good. You could also do a 1" aluminum puck body lift with a new set of poly body mount bushings to go with the suspension you want to buy.

 

[centexk5]

No numbers on the springs but I measure 9 3/4" from top of spring to the bottom of the frame. I measured as close to the center of the axle tube as I could get.

 

[Bent77]

Theres an L shaped bracket at the factory bump stop over the axle tube. Measure from there to the top of the axle tube

 

[sweetk30]

my to start point i would do the ord hd shackle kit here http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/hdshackles.htm
find out what part #'s are on the front springs or bushing color to id brand of spring maybe .

then i am a fan of a master poly bushing kit for the body and 1" body lift from ord also here http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/oneinchlift.htm and http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/bodymounts.htm

then the rear could be block or flip . i like the ride of flip over block lets the springs flex more if thats your end goal .

i did this blazer for him from start to finish and she clears 37x12.50x17" tires on a 4" tuff country hd spring front / ord hd shackles front / 1" zero tate and axle forward 1.5" . rear was light duty 3/4 ton burban springs 22-547 stock replacement # springs minus 2 lower leafs and 4" ord flip kit . https://ck5.com/forums/threads/3-to...-its-alive-and-on-the-road-having-fun.336341/

 

[centexk5]

my to start point i would do the ord hd shackle kit here http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/hdshackles.htm
find out what part #'s are on the front springs or bushing color to id brand of spring maybe .

then i am a fan of a master poly bushing kit for the body and 1" body lift from ord also here http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/oneinchlift.htm and http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/bodymounts.htm

then the rear could be block or flip . i like the ride of flip over block lets the springs flex more if thats your end goal .

i did this blazer for him from start to finish and she clears 37x12.50x17" tires on a 4" tuff country hd spring front / ord hd shackles front / 1" zero tate and axle forward 1.5" . rear was light duty 3/4 ton burban springs 22-547 stock replacement # springs minus 2 lower leafs and 4" ord flip kit . https://ck5.com/forums/threads/3-to...-its-alive-and-on-the-road-having-fun.336341/

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This list is almost exactly what I was planning for mine. I just wanted to know what I'm starting with before spending money I may not need to.

I'd much rather do a shackle flip than blocks. I hate blocks.

 

[centexk5]

Theres an L shaped bracket at the factory bump stop over the axle tube. Measure from there to the top of the axle tube

I'll get that when I get home. Thank you.

 

[blazer74]

Theres an L shaped bracket at the factory bump stop over the axle tube. Measure from there to the top of the axle tube

^This one is what I use, the bump stop bracket at the front axle. Easier to ge a straight measure from the top of the tube.
14 inches on mine. I say 5 inches of lift.
Old superlift something on the front from the early 80’s guessing. 4 inch Tough Country springs with a zero rate at the rear.
Sits level.

 

[Bent77]

^This one is what I use, the bump stop bracket at the front axle. Easier to ge a straight measure from the top of the tube.
14 inches on mine. I say 5 inches of lift.
Old superlift something on the front from the early 80’s guessing. 4 inch Tough Country springs with a zero rate at the rear.
Sits level.

Yeah I think 12.75" was supposed to be 4", so we must be pretty close to the right number

 

[blazer74]

There was a nice post on this measurement years ago.
Pretty sure it was lost when the change was made.

 

[centexk5]

I'm at 13 5/8" from that bracket to the top of the axle tube.

 

[centexk5]

I reached out to the previous owner about the front springs and got this:

So I have no idea who the manufacturer is. I have looked over the springs several times. I just know they are from the 80s-90s. The lift on them is approximately 4”, the shackles are approximately 2” longer than stock which yields a 1” of extra lift. Last year, I took them to a leaf spring shop in Houston to replace the bushings, remove 2 leafs ( to help with the ride), and re-arch the springs to compensate for the removed 2 leafs. I also had them make me new Ubolts.

Which to me reads as I should probably buy new front springs just so I know what I'm working with.

 

[muddermilitia]

The 4" EZ ride springs from Tuff country flex real nice for an off the shelf spring. I put in a ORD shackle flip on one of my trucks without dropping the tank. Just used a flexible magnet to fish the bolts through from the inside pointing out. Wasn't that hard. But then 6 months later, the fuel pump went out and I ended up dropping the tank anyways