Suspension advice

[Toast]

Recently installed 63" chevys on my 84 single cab. I was wondering what leaf pack guys with this setup run?

The spring on the bottom is what I'm currently running. Not gonna lie, she rides rough. I'm thinking of yanking a leaf out but I don't want to drop a ton of height. Thoughts? Also I wanted to ask about shocks. Currently have rancho rs5000 and I'm thinking they kinda suck. Would simply going with a superior shock solve my issues? Leaning towards bilstiens. Thoughts? Will they really make that big of a difference? Any input is appreciated

 

[MatS]

Shocks will make a huge difference, will benefit from getting the best possible shocks to match what spring rate you end up with. OME medium shocks felt good on the rear of my truck with 2.5" lift.

 

[ntsqd]

Flip the GM over-loads upside down or use the yota o/l's upside down. A lot of the roughness you're feeling is the springs hitting the o/l's and no damper can compensate for the dramatic change in spring rate btwn on the o/l's and off of them.
I'm running the 3 4 longest leaves of the 63's under the rear of my Xcab with a shell on the bed. Lift is a perfect match to the OME front springs. Really doesn't 'stink-bug' at all when I remove the shell.

Currently running Bils 7100's in the rear with 278/75 valving in them. The std 255/70 wasn't enough.

EDIT: No. of leaves

 

[Toast]

Interesting.... I didn't think the springs were even coming close to hitting the o/l's. The springs were so stiff with the 3 pack + o/l and the Rancho rs5000 that I could jump up and down in my bed and hardly move it. I typically drive with an empty bed but the more I put back there the better it seems to ride. I took a leaf out today but I wasn't sure which leaf to remove? I took the middle leaf out so I have the long leaf, short leaf and o/l. Truck rides better for sure but still isn't great. Truck is also dead level now which is cool. What type of rig do you have by the way? Thanks for the advice about the o/l. I think once put bilstiens on it will ride nice. Up front I'm running OME springs with a 4" offset shackle with rs5000 as well.

 

[ntsqd]

The way that the GM o/l's are set up the other leaves lay down onto them when compressed, which shortens their effective length and radically increases the spring rate.
Patch:

'84 Xcab, 33-10.50's, 4.88's, Grizzly/Lock-rite, Bils, GM63's/OMEs, WFO rear shackles, OEM fronts; Overlanding Desert Race Chaser.
Shot of rear suspension:

Not completely, but reasonably sure that those are the GM o/l's since they don't have the keeper/traction strap that the yota parts do. *Might* be some Mazda parts though.
Notice that it curves down.

 

[Toast]

Nice! Ok so your running 4 leafs in your pack and an o/l... Dang and it rides nice? Must be my shocks that are killing my ride. Any advice on which leaf I should have removed? I'm pretty sure I want to run just the two and an o/l because it sits very level now.

 

[ntsqd]

Rides very nice. The truck came with RS5000's on it. Dumping them in favor of the Bilsteins was one the two best mods that I've made. The other is the 63's.

 

[Toast]

Ok that's exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you man! So I'm gonna put that leaf back in after all. I think once my rear bumper and tailgate are back on my rig it will sit pretty close to level anyways. I'm torn between running a 4" or 6" shackle up front. Are the front and back supposed to match shackle lengths?

 

[Toast]

Getting axle wrap that I never got before.... Definitely putting that leaf back on

 

[ntsqd]

I used a WFO kit to install the 63's, but I don't recall the shackle length. There is a formula for the minimum length of a compression type shackle that involves the difference in free spring eye to eye length and the flat main leaf eye to eye length, but I don't recall it.

4.88's, Detroit/Grizzly, and 33's, don't have significant axle wrap. That long keeper on the OE o/l acts as a traction bar of sorts. Only allows so much wrap before it contacts the top of the main leaf and then works like a "slapper bar" traction bar. Debated making a similar 'keeper' for the o/l I'm using now, but decided to try it first and haven't needed to make them.

 

[Toast]

Threw some 5125 Billsteins in the rear.... HUGE difference. Put my leaf back in the pack tonight. Still rides decent. Flipped my O/Ls upside down too. Can't wait to toss some Billys up front now!

 

[DTCsk8er]

I had the same issue when i installed my 66" inch chevy springs.. the Billsteins helped out a ton. I was shocked how much a good shock can help.

Should be noted, I still get spring wrap. I stuck a contour camera down there once and took a short video.. it was crazy to see how much the pinion shoots up when I start off