I know all the hardtop stuff adds weight, but... (1 Viewer)

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san pancho, ca
I would like raise the rear 1-2" inches (already running extended shackles).

Currently running rear fj55 2 1/2" lift springs, and was thinking of putting together my own pack.
Clean them up and replace the bushings while I'm at it :D

I know there are a few guys have custom packs...wondering what your experiences are?

Other then Alcans, is anyone familiar with a good 2 3/4" wide lift-pack?
Any recommendations?

thanks,
manny
 
Manny, When needing about 1" to 1.5" of lift, I've have good success adding one long leaf to stock cruiser packs. As doners, I've used other cruiser leaf packs, dodge ramcharger leafs, chevy truck leafs, and other ones I don't know what they came from. A lot of these were 2.5" wide and had a bit thicker leafs. They work, and are working, fine so I don't think you need 2.75" wide. In fact, I've had the best results when using a leaf thats a little thicker than stock and these are generally 2.5" wide. I've never found anything other than a cruiser with 2.75" wide leafs. I just fine a leaf long enough to cut to the length I need and try not to have to drill any extra center pin holes to get them positioned where I want them in the cruiser pack. You can drill new holes, and I have drilled many of them, but just more work. The 'add-a-leafs" can be easily cut with a chop saw. I suggest replacing the center pin when you do this. You may also have to modify the spring clamps by straightening them out. If the pack is too thick for any reason like u-bolts aren't long enough, spring pack clamps aren't long enough, etc, then you can loose the botton leaf. I've found it generally doesn't make much difference whether its in or out of the pack for ride height, etc. I find that this mod gives about 1" to 2" extra lift and a little stiffer suspension which I like when I'm loaded down for a wheeling trip.
Oh and when you decide on the length of the add-a-leaf, don't have 2 leafs ending at the same point in the pack as this will put too much stress on the next longer leaf.
 
Mike,
When I was a kid, my dad would leave me in Live Oak a few weeks every summer...lots of good memories :D

Did you look for 4" lift Dodge,Chevy leafs?

Thanks again for the info,
manny
 
Mike,
When I was a kid, my dad would leave me in Live Oak a few weeks every summer...lots of good memories :D

Did you look for 4" lift Dodge,Chevy leafs?

Thanks again for the info,
manny

Live Oak, yeah, just up the road a few miles. Not much there besides Pasquini's and the molding mill. What did you do there as a kid besides wander around the orchards? :lol:

For the homemade add-a-leafs, I've just used stock (no lift) chevy or dodge rear packs. They had about the same or a bit more lift then the cruiser packs I was adding them to. The ramcharger packs worked pretty good. Have had them on mine for about 5 years. They were from an '84 4x4 ramcharger. Used to own it and installed a lift kit so the stock springs were left over. The front springs were very flat and not much good for this purpose but the rears where perfect. I used the main and second leafs to do this to 2 cruisers.
 
My brother and I would crash at my Dad's God-Parents, I could say it was his way of getting rid of us for 2weeks in the summertime.
We would go fishing, swimming, go to the drive-in (it's prob. gone by now)...regular kid stuff.

Come to think of it, my Brother was actually born in Yuba City.

Since I am currently running 2 1/2 lift springs, I think a leaf from used 4" would work nicely...
 
For some reason I was thinking your 40 was SOA but I see in your sig that it says SUA. So, I agree that you probably need someting with more arch like a 4" lift doner spring.

I have a Chevy Blazer Spring Pack I got (free) from Pat K (pygpen) to use on my 45 that I don't think I'm going to be using. Not exactly sure, but I think they might be lifted springs. I can measure them for you, arch, length, etc or I can bring them to the swap meet in Stockton if you plan to be there and want to have a look. I guess I should offer them back to Pat first but I'm guessing he wouldn't mind if I gave them away to another cruiserhead.
 
Mike,
looking forward to meeting you at the swapmeet...thanks,
manny
 
MAF sells, or used to sell, a 4 inch 55 lift spring. I used to have some. That might be worth a shot, or look for some used ones.
 
That's what I'm currently running, but they are actually 2.5" lift springs.
4" of lift is only accomplished by running extended shackles (read fine print).

I'm going to keep a lookout for some used 4" lift springs, dodge/ford/toyota lift springs and build myself a pack :D

Will have to remember what Mike said about not making any of the leafs the same length.
 
Waste of money. They will sag again quickly.

Your experience, or you uninformed opinion?

A spring is made of steel. The process of making steel into a spring makes it springy.

An old spring is made of steel. If you properly recurve it, it will be a springy new spring.

My 1 year old recurves are just as high and springy as when they were done. I suspect they will last 25 years, just like they did the first time.
 
Your experience, or you uninformed opinion?

A spring is made of steel. The process of making steel into a spring makes it springy.

An old spring is made of steel. If you properly recurve it, it will be a springy new spring.

My 1 year old recurves are just as high and springy as when they were done. I suspect they will last 25 years, just like they did the first time.

Sensitive? 1 year on re-arched springs and I'm the one with the uniformed opinion?
Put some miles on them and get back to us. Do a search on this forum. Haven't heard much good, but maybe you'll be the first.

My personal experience was working for a company that had the springs on a fleet of 10 trucks re-arched and they sagged back to where they were within 3000 miles. By that point they were worse than before they were sent out. Which in my book = A WASTE OF MONEY!

Get helper springs/add-a-leafs or don't bother.

Good luck.:flipoff2:
 
Talk about a waste of money......



I would not spend a penny of my money on having a spring re-arched or on a helper spring/add a leaf system for used leaf springs.


I know too many people that did the add a leaf thinking that it will take care of the sagging rear leaf springs in their 40/55/60 series, only to come to the realization within a year that not only did they waste the time and money on something that did not give them what they were after, but the experience of re-work first hand, removing what they had installed initially, and installing what they now realize they should have from the beginning.


You are not going to get a ‘new’ spring from re-arching a used leaf spring.



:beer:
 
Sensitive? 1 year on re-arched springs and I'm the one with the uniformed opinion?
Put some miles on them and get back to us. Do a search on this forum. Haven't heard much good, but maybe you'll be the first.

My personal experience was working for a company that had the springs on a fleet of 10 trucks re-arched and they sagged back to where they were within 3000 miles. By that point they were worse than before they were sent out. Which in my book = A WASTE OF MONEY!

Get helper springs/add-a-leafs or don't bother.

Good luck.:flipoff2:

Were these springs annealed and heat treated, or just cold re-arched?
 
My personal experience was working for a company that had the springs on a fleet of 10 trucks re-arched and they sagged back to where they were within 3000 miles.

Yes, I am sensitive to incorrect information given out on a public forum that normally contains good information.

Your company got ripped off. The rearched springs were not done right. I have more than 3000 miles on my springs including wheeling, loading and the winter with the top on. It has not sagged even a centimeter.

More simply stated: rearched properly = new springs.
 
Yes, I am sensitive to incorrect information given out on a public forum that normally contains good information.

Your company got ripped off. The rearched springs were not done right. I have more than 3000 miles on my springs including wheeling, loading and the winter with the top on. It has not sagged even a centimeter.

More simply stated: rearched properly = new springs.

:lol: Now I know yer full of s***.

Tell yourself whatever you have to, a rearched spring is not a new spring.

Not many others have had good experiences with them, but we're all incorrect.:rolleyes:
 

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