As some of you are aware i'm having a bit of a reverse stinkbug situation goin on now that i'm SAS. in fact my rear end is about 8" lower than the front. I'm trying to devise ways of adding lift to my rear end without paying huge $$$ to have custom leafs made and without lift blocks. I'm willing to use up to a 2" block but absolutely no more, and preferably none at all. I'm planning on having my old springs rearched but i'm not sure how much lift i can get that way. i'm thinking that if i get a new main leaf and second leaf made i may be able to get around 4-5" of lift and still have good flex and ride.

the idea i just came up with to add a bit of lift is to cut off the existing spring mounts and build new ones that are about 2" lower than stock. i'm thinking of building em out of the same stuff as my front ones (read: beefy as hell) and shaping them like a wedge to help slide over rocks, and to add rigidity. i'm not sure what to do for the shackles tho. i guess i can either just use extended shackles, or lower the shackle mount there too.

what are your views on any of these ideas. i think any one who has seen my work will agree that it wont be weak but i would like to get some input from others on this. thanks.

Dallas

to see pics of the project amigo click: http://community.webshots.com/user/stnkbg1

First off.........Ever hear of a garage?? ;) Damn I couldn't imagine doing all my mods on the street...that would suck!

Second.......anybody die in this process??

Third..........Get some full size chevy springs.....check the toy section...this mod gets used alot. :D:D:D

56 in. chevys with 2 in blocks seems to be the easy/cheap/good set up. glow in the dark nailed it

Yea do it. Thats much better than rearching springs. Move both ends of the spring down the same amount, same thing with the shock mts. and bump stops...don't add blocks, or longer shackles.

8" sounds like alot, are you sure the front isn't too tall ? A couple inches makes a big difference.
...If you roll it over, it's gonna be hard to get a nice paintjob in that shop.

Originally posted by GloNDark
First off.........Ever hear of a garage?? ;) Damn I couldn't imagine doing all my mods on the street...that would suck!

Second.......anybody die in this process??

Third..........Get some full size chevy springs.....check the toy section...this mod gets used alot. :D:D:D

LOL yeah we've got a garage, but it belongs to mom. however she just gave it up today and the trucks gettin towed in (no engine). and nope no dead bodies, in fact no injuries at all other than some bloody knuckles and small burns from welding and such. I'll have to check on those chebby springs. anyone have any reasons my idea wont work tho, i enjoy fabbing stuff, if ya couldn't tell :rasta:

Dallas

I assume that there is a 8" difference WITH the engine in ?...it makes a difference you know... :)

Originally posted by dirtrod
Yea do it. Thats much better than rearching springs. Move both ends of the spring down the same amount, same thing with the shock mts. and bump stops...don't add blocks, or longer shackles.

8" sounds like alot, are you sure the front isn't too tall ? A couple inches makes a big difference.
...If you roll it over, it's gonna be hard to get a nice paintjob in that shop.

yeah the front is too tall, but its also minus a motor and tranny which will weigh it down a bunch. and its gettin about 6" wider with the new wheels. hopefully i'll keep it :jeep2: but if it does roll, i'm doin an exo too :D

Dallas

Ok i talked to a friend about the chevy springs since he used em on his trooper and i think thats the way i'm gonna go. I read the tech article and in there they were talkin about 63" springs with a centered pin tho, and my buddy was talkin about 56" ones with an offset pin. the shorter ones sounded better to me but i wanted to get some more details on em. what years do they come off of how do they work etc.. he said 70s 2wd chevy full sizes. thanks everyone.

Dallas

I'm running the newer chev springs in mine (88-up) and if you have the room I highly reccomend them, I get flex with nothing but framerail on the back. the older springs came in 52 and 56, I have a 1/2 ton 2wd set that is also very light but not as long.
both springs have a fair bit of arch to them to start with, the older springs even more than the newer ones

On those 56" chevy springs how wide are they and do you know how much offset is in the centerpin. I am trying to figure out a way to gain some lift in the rear of my ranger with out buying custom springs.

Matt

Stinkbug, I got just one question for ya: How the hell do you keep the neigh-bores from calling your shiot in as abandoned and having the po-lice towing it off to the scrapper before you get a chance to finish?????? :question: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Seriously though, looks good, and you got more determination than I do to do that much work in the road. :beer:

Also, I second (or third?) the notions of the long chev springs, they'll work great as long as you don't have too many leaves in there.

Sean

Well i've lived in this house since i was about 10 and through the years i've gotten to know my neighbors pretty well. all the ones immediately surrounding me are friends or parents of friends and i've done misc odd jobs for all the ones farther away, so for the most part they are pretty cool about it. i just make sure that the truck looks somewhat normal when i'm not workin on it. for a while i had the wheels held on by zip ties so people wouldn't readily notice it had no front axle. However last night i did finally get to pull it into the garage, with lots of help from a chain and my high lift :D.

Dallas

Originally posted by RockRanger
On those 56" chevy springs how wide are they and do you know how much offset is in the centerpin. I am trying to figure out a way to gain some lift in the rear of my ranger with out buying custom springs.

Matt

Check this out:

Recent spring thread (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29640)

56" Chevy springs have have the pin hole 26" from the front, but I'll be turning mine around to move the axle back 4". Ford F150 springs (from the mid 80s) are nice and flexy, 57" long, and have the pin hole about 25" from the front eye.

hey anyone know the width on those chevy 56" springs? thanks.

Dallas

Sorry, I meant to add that and forgot. 2.5" wide for the GM springs and the Fords come in either 2.5" or 3" wide varieties. Generally, you don't want the 3" Fords unless you have a Ford that came with them.

you syre Baddog, i recall being told that aftermarket springs are 2.5 and factory ones are 3". though the discussion was front springs:confused:

Originally posted by mj
you syre Baddog, i recall being told that aftermarket springs are 2.5 and factory ones are 3". though the discussion was front springs:confused:

"you syre"??? :confused:

The stock rears are definitely 2.5" and the Fords are also 2.5". I also saw a set of 3" fords at the yard when I got my 2.5" Fords. I just went out and double checked the front springs. My stock fronts are 3" wide.