Doin the 63" Chevy leaf swap.

[Woods-Rider]

I have been looking around for some lift springs for a while to get rid of my stacked blocks but just cant justify the $$$ for a new pack. I'm planning on swapping in the chevy leafs then making some shackles to compensate for the rest (need a total of 6" to get rid of both blocks). I was out at the local wrecking yard today scoping some trucks out and spotted a '95 1500 4x4 prime for the pickin. one thing though, it had 5 leaves including the overload spring, i thought they only had 4. I measured from bolt to bolt and it was about 61" so i am assuming these are the correct packs. If i have time i will go pull them tomorrow and do the swap over spring break next week.

also on the agenda is swapping in a new T-case shift motor, sealing up front diff (small leak), and installing some of these on top of my frame rails under the bed utilizing that 3" gap to hold an ax and shovel.

Pics to come!

 

[wahlstrom1]

The overload is not counted in the pack, hance the extra leaf. I only payed $275 for a set of brand spankin new 5.5" procomp 88-98' chevy leafs, so I wouldn't say a new set of leafs is out of the question. Sounds like a fun project, and good luck if your not pullin your bed, it's a lil fun.....

-andrew

 

[97BlackBetty]

HAHAHAHA My nickname at work is QuickFist. Because I ordered 2 packs of the regulars and one of the Supers and I will be sailing on a boat all summer. Hence the nick name. They freaking rock though. Im doing the same thing with the axe and shovel and the super is for a large fire extinguisher on the back wall of the cab.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I'm using the quickfists aswell, for my shovel and hi lift.

Good luck with the spring swap. It took me a friend about 4 hours to complete, we undid the bed bolts and lifted it up to help with gaining access for grinding and redrilling the holes to move the front hanger forward.

 

[Woods-Rider]

It took me a friend about 4 hours to complete, we undid the bed bolts and lifted it up to help with gaining access for grinding and redrilling the holes to move the front hanger forward.

Thats what i plan on doing. just unbolting one side at a time while the other side is pretty loose and holding it up some with blocks to make it easier. The swap should start on monday or tuesday.

 

[JFA_Spyderman]

Yo,
I'm gonna be doin this swap soon as well. Any pics would be sweet. Thanks!

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Heres a couple of shots I took when I did mine.

This is the front spring mount now grafted into the rear cabmount

My extended shackles I built

Otherside of the cab mount/ leaf mount combo

You can see the outline of where the front leaf mount used to be on the frame and how I moved it forward and used one of the factory rivet holes on each side to keep everything square.

Any other questions fire away

 

[Woods-Rider]

thanks Sasquatch_Ryda, I'm sure I'll reference these at some point next week.

 

[JFA_Spyderman]

Yo,
On my std. cab, it looks like the cab brackets are smaller and not going to interfere. Any ideas on if this is actually the case? Thanks!

 

[4x4junkie]

On my Ranger, there's gobs of room to move the brackets forward (like about 16").

IIRC yours is a shortbed?, which I would think would cut that room down to 10" (still plenty of room).

 

[Woods-Rider]

yeah, i measured my ex. cab short bed and there is plenty of room.

 

[sweetsride]

Ya, that was a good swap we did on Sasquatch_Ryda truck, well worth the work and time of the swap. The amount of flex he gain over the stock set up was fricken awsome.

Good, luck on the swap, post some before and after flex pics when done

later
kris

 

[Woods-Rider]

will do. the swap and pics should start tomottow!

 

[Woods-Rider]

So i got the bed off and one of the leaf packs out. i put it next to one of the chevy packs and the arc is about the same. Is it supposed to be like that? In both pics the ranger pack in on top of the chevy pack.

Need feedback ASAP. I dont want to continue if i have the wrong leaf packs.

 

[Woods-Rider]

Ran into another problem. it looks like the four bolts that hold on the front hangers also connect two parts of my frame. the frame under the bed is just bolted onto the frame under the cab. here's some pics to help you understand what i am trying to say. I assume that if i put four 1/2" grade 8 bolts back in those holes after i move the hanger forward it should be fine but just wanted some opinions first. looks like i need to make another run to the hardware store.