IIRC, a Canadian Cruiser shop was doing this kind of work to lower the spring to give it some lift, which usually included a longer shackle.
(Not to say that the shop did the work, but that it has been done in the past.)
Why would you want an older one-piece case? The split case is inherently stronger, and AA just came out with lower gears for it anyway. The parking brake is a non-issue compared to strength and quieter gears, especially when other options are available....
According to this:
Beijing Jeep & BAW pickups
It wouldn't be a "Chinese manufactured LC," but otherwise a copy of the old soviet "UAZ." "Uaziks" didn't have an offset rear diff either.
And this picture seems like the diff is on the wrong side:
The only thing you would want out of there is...
I drove my old '73 from Wyoming down to Cruise Moab and then up to Alaska and back once. Good times.
I drove my other '73 from Wyoming to Idaho and back on multiple occasions while I went to school in Moscow. It was 1050 miles that I often drove straight. One trip went from Idaho down to Los...
It seems you already have disks. 60 axles are 3" wider and usually have 3.70 or 3.73... I don't remember. You've got 4.10 in your stock axles, and perhaps course spline pinions. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much difference between that and your current setup. My old 55 had a 60 rear axle in the...
Get a 60 series axle which is a bit wider with the diff offset 1.5" more to the passenger's side. Then clearance the oil pan. It'll give you a 3" wider axle which will be more stable, SOA or SUA.
I love the 4bt but I had a ranger OD with the same set up as you with the 3.4L Cummins 6AT. I HATED the ranger- the straight cut gears were much louder than my diesel ever was, the shifting wasn't that smooth, and all that rotating mass in front of my H42 tranny made for less smoother shifting...
I did a combo like that behind a cummins diesel. The Ranger and old J30 case are whiney, straight cut geared boxes. The cummins itself was quieter than the gears.
Since the 1FZ-FE is no longer produced, it appears the 1GR-FE is now the base gasoline engine used in the 70 series. Bjowett did...
Currently the patrol has bigger, stronger axles as an option- larger than 14 bolt. My last job overseas needed some new trucks to replace the old 105s- the new 200s were too expensive and the 70s not available so the organization went to patrols. Not as comfortable or drivable as the 105s were....
While you've gotten everything apart, wire wheel your springs, grind down any edges where the leaves might have worn into each other, paint them, and then put some Slip Plate on them before you put them back together. Should make it ride pretty nicely, even with the add-a-leaves.
I swapped in some springs off a 79 (which was originally the 5+1 pack) that i had and put them on a 73 pig that I had. I cut the 73 springs since they were a little more tired.
Good luck!
Brian
I've bastardized a few packs. The last time I took a stock main leaf and cut the eyes off and added them as the third leaf in the front. In the back I split the length between the 3rd and the 4th leaf and added another cut spring with the edges tapered like the factory setup, along with another...
Can't say about the add-a-leaves, but when you take apart your springs, grind down all the ridges, wirewheel or sand blast them, paint them, then spray some slip-plate (and the add-a-leaves) on the leaves before you reassemble them. It'll improve your ride.
I've had two sets of alcans on two different trucks. I would definitely go with another set anyday. I did have issues on the last truck with getting the spring rate right but now it's perfect.