63" Chevy leaf spring install (1 Viewer)

[trailcarnage]

This thread is to document the installation of 63" Chevy springs on the rear of my '85 X-Cab Toy. The spring pack came from a '92 Chevy 2500. This particular pack, due to being a 3/4-ton rating, included 5 leafs plus an overload. I am going to try it out with the 5 leafs and remove leafs as require to attain the lift and flex that I desire.

The images in this first post show the drawings of my front spring hanger and it's reinforcement plate.

 

[trailcarnage]

This is off topic, but I thought that I would throw in a profile picture of my shaved front FJ60 housing. She came out SWEET!

 

[trailcarnage]

Next are the pictures of my rear shackle hanger that go with the Chevy springs. I used 7/8" agricultural rod ends for these. This is the poor man's replacement to the RE joints.

 

[No power]

Go to www.marlincrawler.com if you have any problems

 

[trailcarnage]

Go to www.marlincrawler.com if you have any problems

I appreciate the link. If I have any problems, I am confident that I can correct them myself.

 

[bh4rnnr]

Looking good! Let me know how you like the springs. One Q: about how mutch lift do you get with those springs? Thinking about going to that type of spring this summer until I can get enough saved for the solid axle swap(might be a wile).

 

[CruisinGA]

Go to www.marlincrawler.com if you have any problems

Take a look at Tom's welds and some of his prior posts.


Maybe you mean marlin should call tom if they have problems.



Lookin good Tom, can't wait to see the final product.

 

[bkfj40]

Wow...that looks great....I recently did the chevy spring swap on my crew, I'm pretty happy with it, but be a lot more happy with some rear attachment points like that! I used some longer shackles on the back of mine and 4" marlin springs up front....now to swap in some 5.29...

bk

 

[trailcarnage]

Perry- I expect to get 5" + by using all 5 leaves. If it is too stiff, I will have to pull some. I believe most people get about 4" with 3 leaves.

Bailey- Thanks man! Besides, I don't think he was trying to be rude. Remember, he is from Kentucky.

Take a look at Tom's welds and some of his prior posts.

-That is what 4 years of welding school will do to you.

BK- The shackle mounts are quite inexpensive. I posted over at POR about this. A couple of guys questioned their life span. A few confirmed that they last for years in this application. I will have gotten bored and changed the suspension by then anyway! I am going to move my rear springs up front and dump the crappy lift springs that are up there now.

 

[ATLRoach]

Very nice once again Tom... I doing the same thing and except using flex joints. Kinda copy of All Pros ..

 

[trailcarnage]

Kyle,

That is where the idea came from. I wanted to take a less expensive approach to it though. Trying to save for duals.

 

[ATLRoach]

Tom let me know if you need any flex joints I can get them cheaper than most....

 

[HI^C]

how heavy do you roll in the rear?

if i had to do it again, I would have NEVER done the 63"s in the rear.

 

[trailcarnage]

I don't know yet. They are going on this weekend. I ran them on my Taco with buggy leafs. I loved them up until they bent into an S. I guess I should have run bumpstops

how heavy do you roll in the rear?

if i had to do it again, I would have NEVER done the 63"s in the rear.

 

[trailcarnage]

Cool! I will keep that on the burner for coilovers.

Tom let me know if you need any flex joints I can get them cheaper than most....

 

[trailcarnage]

Update...

Yesterday, I mounted the spring hangers. I was going to mount the the shackle hangers also but the current shackle mount is in the way. I hope to be able to track down some u-bolts tomorrow so I can complete the job. Here are a couple of pics of the spring hangers...

BTW- I added grease fittings to the shackle mounts for serviceabiliy.

 

[HI^C]

Just two suggestions.

one if your going to link, why not just make your mounts (eye mounts above) for them. ( did something very similiar for a setup)

two, if your going to spend all that time, and you are good at welding, why not recess the perches?

I have a pic here somewhere.

 

[trailcarnage]

HI^C, Thank you for the suggesttions. They are both very good ones.

On a previous rig, I ran YJ hangers in the rear. When it came time to go to links, I slipped the J-joint into the eye hanger. I believe this is what you are suggesting. I believe they can be used for my lower links if I were to run 3-link with a panhard. I would like to run a triangulated 4-link though. This would require the mounts to be set diagonal.

Is this what you mean by recess mounting? FRENCH? If so, I didn't recess the perches as I was being lazy. These will be much easier to remove and clean-up later when link mounts go on.

 

[HI^C]

I am talkin about the revolving eyes you have, use those for you mounts and run your links from them.

recess, yep like that, but no need to go that extreme. Take that weakest and worst place for rust away and makes it stronger.

 

[trailcarnage]

I am talkin about the revolving eyes you have, use those for you mounts and run your links from them.

recess, yep like that, but no need to go that extreme. Take that weakest and worst place for rust away and makes it stronger.

The revolving eyes are actually for the shackle hanger, not the spring eye hanger. As far as rust, I am fortunate with this one. It came from Oregon and is quite clean. The previous picture was from my FJ60 that came from MN. As you mentioned, I used the recessed mount to remove rust as well as be able to do a SOA with minimal lift.