Chevy 63 & 64 Inch Leaf Spring Clarifications....

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

"leafs of the cheap" is that english?
and this entire thread is contradicting, confusing, and everyone seems to have different ideas of what the best parts to do it are.

you would think that as many rangers there are out there for the last 15+ years there would be 1 proven best combo!

Everyone will have different results depending on how old the leafs are...2wd vs 4wd, 1500 vs. 2500 leafs....stock vs aftermarket....

What exactly are you looking for for an answer here?

 

[jokersouthbay]

Everyone will have different results depending on how old the leafs are...2wd vs 4wd, 1500 vs. 2500 leafs....stock vs aftermarket....

What exactly are you looking for for an answer here?

have a 99 ranger prerunner 2wd with a camburg 5.5" mid travel kit up front and the rear is stock and the leafs are practically flat.

i'm looking for the best way to set up the rear for travel and plush suspension for under $300 if possible.

also i want the rear to be about 3" over stock. Thanks!

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Best bet....find some stock chevy leafs. Should work out decent for ya.

 

[xBLAKEx]

Hey guys I've read all 6 pages and other threads about the 63" Chevy leaf spring swap. But I haven't found anything about needing to modify the bed when you move the hanger forward. Just wondering if there's anything you've got to do to the bed? I have an extend cab short bed. I don't know if that matters.

-Blake

 

[dangerranger83]

With extended cabs you have to mod the rear cab bracket due to the moving of the leaf hanggers forward will hit them.

Heres a writeup from the tech library on the leaf swap plus shows what will have to be done to an extended cab truck too.

http://therangerstation.com/Magazine/May06/chevy_springs.htm

When I did mine, I had one of the rear bolt holes on the leaf mount match up with one of the bolt holes on the frame and it was exactly 6 inches forward too, which made the swap easy.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

No modifications to the bed are needed.

And yes, the front hangers will line up to 1 bolt hole on each side 6" forward....works out perfect!

 

[wahlstrom1]

And when I did mine, I didn't bother trimming the bed/body mount I just overlapped it and shimmed the bottom hole with a large flat washer.

 

[xBLAKEx]

Thanks dangerranger83, i read that and it was the reason i asked the question. It said "The rear cab mount bracket (also for front of box) needs to be notched out to fit the new position of the front hanger." So I was getting confused what it meant. But It's all cleared up now. And it really is great that it all lines up.
By cutting the rear cab mount bracket, doesn't it lose it's structural stability?
How did the washer idea work out wahlstorm1?

 

[wahlstrom1]

You would lose a bit of integrity of the front box mounts, it wouldn't affect the cab. I have had it setup like that for 6 years with no issues, the 1/8" deflection in the bushing isn't even noticeable when installing the new bolts.

 

[xBLAKEx]

You would lose a bit of integrity of the front box mounts, it wouldn't affect the cab. I have had it setup like that for 6 years with no issues, the 1/8" deflection in the bushing isn't even noticeable when installing the new bolts.

So your washer method has proved it's self. I might just do that, there's not a disadvantage is there?

Hey Sasquatch_Ryda, I know most people use the 1500 Chevy leafs, but can you use leafs out of a 2500 Chevy as long as there are 63"?
Is there any difference between the 63" and 64" leafs besides the length 'eye to eye'? I'm assuming with the 64" leafs you'd have to move the front hanger forward more then 6"?

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

As far as I know, they all measure 63"

And yes, some have used 2500 leafs, I believe they have more leafs in the pack.

 

[Maverick]

I just cleaned up all the garbage in this thread. Lets keep the "tech" going.

 

[wahlstrom1]

This was my washer solution.... Never had an issue with it in over 100,000km and lotsa hard wheeling.

***If you use lift leaf's (I have 5.5") use the rivet and upper front hole for hangar positioning, not as pictured here. The mounting as pictured with lift leaves puts the axle 1.5" behind centered as stock***

 

[xBLAKEx]

That's awesome! Much easier then cutting it all up.
Did you only put that one washer? Or are there 3?

 

[wahlstrom1]

Just one to make the front sit square and the back are flat on the frame. In reality it's a chintzy sheetmetal bracket, you could skip the washer and suck it down tight and be alright too.....