Leaf Spring Info Needed

[DRAGOONRANCH]

I am havin a hellufa time getting our dial up warmed up tonite and pirate seems to not be doing any better and the google of pirate is about the same. I need to get the dimensions on the different springs (52 and 56) so I can plan out a little strategy before I head out and go look for a new set for the front of the cheby. I have the 48's on there now and the front axle could stand to me moved forward a hare and rotated up also. Any help is always appreciated.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

http://www.4x4spot.com/misc__spring_information.htm

I have another link with info, but it was on that school boy ***** racing website, and I can't open that at work

[Sharpe]

What exactly do you want to know? Go with 52's in the front, they will flex just as well as 56's with less pinion issues. With this swap your axle will be moved forward ~4" which is nice. Honestly, for chevy tech, coloradok5.com kicks the crap out of pirate's chevy section.

You probably need more height than I have but on pigpen my fronts are 56's with add-a-leafs. I just put the add-a-leafs in to gain some ride height so I have more uptravel. I'm hoping they wont limit flex too much, but since my uptravel was prety restricted before I dont think they'll hurt it all that much.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

http://www.4x4spot.com/misc__spring_information.htm

I have another link with info, but it was on that school boy ***** racing website, and I can't open that at work


I came across that one last night, and while it has some good info on it, I am lookin for the 52" rear spring dimensions. I just need to find a set now.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

What exactly do you want to know? Go with 52's in the front, they will flex just as well as 56's with less pinion issues. With this swap your axle will be moved forward ~4" which is nice. Honestly, for chevy tech, coloradok5.com kicks the crap out of pirate's chevy section.

You probably need more height than I have but on pigpen my fronts are 56's with add-a-leafs. I just put the add-a-leafs in to gain some ride height so I have more uptravel. I'm hoping they wont limit flex too much, but since my uptravel was prety restricted before I dont think they'll hurt it all that much.

as I replied to feller, I am lookin for the dimensions on the 52"s. I acquired a rear end from a suburban, but pretty sure that they are 56 or 63's but I have to get some time to go get the axle to find out. Either way I am going to be fabbing up some front hangers and do away w/ the stock ones.

[Sharpe]

mk listen up now son. The springs are (suprise :flipoff2: ) 52" long. The centerpin is not offset, it is in the middle of the spring. They are 2 1/2" wide and have varying bushing outside diameters depending on the year. On half tons (everything, trucks, burbans, blazers), chevy used 52" springs until 88 1/2, when they switched to 56's. On 3/4 and 1 tons, there's no telling what they will have regardless of the year but all the ones I've come across have been 56's.

The "90's body styles" used 63" springs and started in 88, so dont let that confuse you as the 63's centerpin is also in the center. On 56's, the centerpin is offset 4", so that one half of the spring is the same length as either half of the previous 52" springs. This allowed chevy to use the 56" springs and only have to move the rear hanger (and not the front) from where it was with the 52's.

As far as the hangers, why bother making new ones when you can just swap out the old ones side to side (i.e. put the passenger side on the driver's and vice versa)? If you want to see what I'm talking about look at pigpen's buildup thread in the first few pages, there are plenty o pics.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

mk, so half of 48 is 24 and half of 52 is 26, then how will this move the axle 4"s forward? or were you sayin that w/ the 56"s the axle would move forward 4"s?

[Sharpe]

The spring pin is offset 4" on the 56's. This means that on a 56, one side measured from spring eye to centerpin is 26" long (the short side) and the other side is 30" long (the long side). Using either 52's or 56's will move the axle forward 4" because the "short" side of the 56's is the same length as either side of a 52 and if you use 56's you put the short end towards the front. Make sense?

[DRAGOONRANCH]

yeah, i get ya. I should be able to get the axle this afternoon. I want to build hangers because I am going to mount the radiator hoop to the top of them also.

[Reckless]

leaf spring parts and hard to find stuff

http://www.autoandtrucksprings.com/