has anyone moved the rear leafs under the frame?

[Junkyard Slug]

I'm thinking it will give a little more flex. I started thinking about a shackle flip, and just putting the spring under the frame wouldn't be much harder. Any ideas?

JYS

[AZFord4x4]

yup, I moved mine under the frame with 63" GM leaves & kinda long shackles. Twists great, but from what I've heard from people with drivers that they've done this too it causes alot of sway.

[Paul Gagnon]

Ford put mine under the frame for me. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

[Junkyard Slug]

Thanks Fullsize, I think I now know what I must do! Can you tell me what the 63" GM springs are from? (sorry, I'm not up to date on my Chevy suspention knowledge), and can you give me some pointers on fabing the spring/shackle hangers. I was thinking about just going to a steel house and buying some thick C channel with the right inside diameter. Any advice would be great!

Thanks,
JYS

[robellis77]

Paul, what is that? an Expedition?

[AZFord4x4]

Originally posted by Junkyard Slug:
<STRONG>Thanks Fullsize, I think I now know what I must do! Can you tell me what the 63" GM springs are from? (sorry, I'm not up to date on my Chevy suspention knowledge), and can you give me some pointers on fabing the spring/shackle hangers. I was thinking about just going to a steel house and buying some thick C channel with the right inside diameter. Any advice would be great!

Thanks,
JYS</STRONG>

The rear could have been done alot more simply than what we did on mine. my rear hangers are actually 5 different pieces of steel welded together to make a nice slider so I shouldn't get hung up on them too badly. It would be much easier to just pull front hangers off a truck that are the right width & weld them on. The shackles too are pretty biased towards off road use only, they are drilled through the frame like a fullsize truck uses on the front. The shackles themselves are quite long (10")
The springs are from 1988-1996 GM truck. I belive 2wd & 4wd are the same. I think mine came from a 2wd, but they were pulled outta the wrecking yard, so I don't know for sure. I'm actually looking for some info on stock spring rates, I wouldn't mind the rear being a little stiffer, so I'm looking for spring rates between 1/2, 3/4ton & Suburban springs. I'll dig up some pics on my rear hangers & shackles here in a few.

[AZFord4x4]

Originally posted by BroncoRob:
<STRONG>Paul, what is that? an Expedition?</STRONG>

Explorer

[AZFord4x4]

Here you can kind of see how the shackle is mounted.

<IMG width=560 height=420 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/Im000718.jpg">

And this is the outside of the hanger, this side runs smooth with the frame, but on the inside of the frame it's contoured with the width of the frame & also sits under the rear cab crossmember, that's why it ended up being so damn complicated.

<IMG width=560 height=420 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/Im000719.jpg">

[Junkyard Slug]

Killer! How exactaly did you hang the shackles in the rear? I am assuming you boxed the frame (if it wasn't already boxed) and welded a steel tube in for the upper shackle bolt to go through. If so did you use a bushing?

Thanks,
JYS

[AZFord4x4]

no, it isn't boxed back there. The hole was drilled high as possible, & there's a piece of tube with a bushing inside. It's actually all the way to the top of the frame, so the tube is just welded to the top of the frame

[Junkyard Slug]

Fullsizes Rule, you da man! I got my springs under and bolted up in the front and soon in the rear. Just think this all started 5 days ago when I was thinking that inboarding the springs wouldn't be much harder than a shackle flip! I love it! Hahahahah!!!!

Anyway, what kind of suspention are you running in the front? Coils? Leafs?

Thanks,
JYS

[AZFord4x4]

all leaf...
coils are for prerunners & tow vehicles <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[robellis77]

Hey slug, are you doing this to your 86 bronco? Do you drive on the road much? I've got a 94 and I was thinking of inboarding the rear leafs. Will you let me know if it handles any different. Thanks <IMG SRC="smilies/beer.gif" border="0">

[Junkyard Slug]

Hi rob. Yea, I'm doing this to my 86', but I don't drive it on the street. In fact, I just swaped in a rockwell 2.5 ton rear in to mine (thats what prompted me to start thinking about the rear suspention) so even if I did drive it on the street it will be a few months before I can drive it at all, as I still have to buy a front rockwell and set it up. Oh well

PS, if your ever in the eastern part of NC, I live in Greenville.

JYS

[robellis77]

hey slug,
I have to say I've stumbled around greenville quite a few times. I recently graduated from state. Rockwells, huh? pretty impressive. I'm finishing up my d60/10.25 swap with 16" coilovers right now. Do you do any rock crawling? I know theres not much of that where you are. We go to Tellico quite a bit. You're welcome to come along sometime.

[Rubicrawler]

Mike Ladd at www.bentandtwisted.com has a kit that might work for you. Give him a call.

[NewToy]

Originally posted by Rubicrawler:
<STRONG>Mike Ladd at www.bentandtwisted.com has a kit that might work for you. Give him a call.</STRONG>

A leaf kit or coil kit? Can it be used on a 79 f-250?

[Rubicrawler]

Originally posted by BroncoRanger:
<STRONG>A leaf kit or coil kit? Can it be used on a 79 f-250?</STRONG>

It's a leaf kit that uses 3" wide F150 rears. You may be able to use it on your 250. I suggest calling Mike, he's a great guy and very willing help you with your application.

[AZFord4x4]

Originally posted by Rubicrawler:
<STRONG>It's a leaf kit that uses 3" wide F150 rears. You may be able to use it on your 250. I suggest calling Mike, he's a great guy and very willing help you with your application.</STRONG>

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Mikes kit for early Broncos?

[davids78bronco]

JYS - do you have any pics of your setup yet? I'm about to get a pair of Rockwells for way cheap, and the idea of putting the sptings under the frame is exactly what I was thinking about a couple weeks ago

I wonder how the rear springs from a 1ton Ford or Chevy would work with this idea at the front - seems to me, it'd be the same results as at the rear. I gotta try this

[Junkyard Slug]

David, I am trying to get one of my buddys with a Digital camera over. As soon as I do, I will post some pics.

JYS

[1uglyranger]

Is this what you wanted?

[Joshua J. Allan]

Hey NoRulz; how come you had wanted to put the shackles as high on the chassis as you could? What size diameter did you decide to use for both the sleeve through the chassis, and the hole in the chassis? I'm trying to get ideas for my truck.

[AZFord4x4]

Josh, shackle went up high to get the longest shackle I could without the truck ending up too tall... longer shackles tend to do better for wheel travel. Keep in mind though, this truck is not street driven, it does handle a bit wierd because of how I put it together. The hole in the chassis is 2.5", but only because that was the only hole saw we had. The tube is 2" & I don't know what the bushings were for, they were laying around the shop.


oh, & BTW Rubicrawler... 3" wide F150 rears will bolt into a 73-79 F250... they're the same spring, just different rates.

[Chad H]

Found it, thanks
JYS you ever finish yours?