Removing some leafs

[bluex]

My truck is a heavy half so it has around 10-12 springs in the leaf pack. Its riding really rough now and it also sits higher in the back than it did.

How many leaves can I remove and it still be safe? If I break the center pin what can I use to replace it?

Regular trucks had 5 right? I'm either gonna do this or switch to some shortbed springs if I can find them. This will probably be easier though.

Thanks
Paul

[bigblock73]

You should have eight leafs in back...I don't believe you'll have 10-12.

I am not sure how many you can safely remove, but I would take out 2 on each side for starters...leave the overload in if you plan to haul or two.

While you have the leafs apart, just go to your local 4wd shop (or maybe an possible auto parts store), and get two new pins and nuts...won't cost you more than $5 tops.

When you reassemble, clamp the leafs together with a C-clamp...enough to get the pin started...then tighten it down a bit, then tighten the nut. Repeat these steps until the leafs are bolted down tight. Do not rely on the pin and nut only to tighten the leafs down...you will wreck the pin and you'll have to start all over.

[bluex]

It could be 8, I havent looked in awhile. I just know it was a bunch.

I'll look for the new pins, anyone have a set of shortbed leafs they want to get rid of????

Paul

[bigblock73]

Keep in mind, if you switch to lighter duty leafs (not swb leafs as you refer to them), you will need to move your rear hanger forward...the HD and standard leafs are different lengths.

Also, shortbeds have HD leafs as well, my 73 swb has 8 leafs.

[C&C Chevy]

My 87 swb had 8 springs. I took out 3 springs to level the truck out. It's been so long that I can't remember which 3 I took out.

[boxrodz]

If you have a 8 leaf spring pack, I'd 'bably leave the two topmost leafs in and remove every other leaf (i.e. take out the 3rd, 5th and 7th leafs.) You'll end up with a 5 leaf spring pack.

[evan]

Originally Posted by boxrodz

If you have a 8 leaf spring pack, I'd 'bably leave the two topmost leafs in and remove every other leaf (i.e. take out the 3rd, 5th and 7th leafs.) You'll end up with a 5 leaf spring pack.

Will that affect the ride height? I've got HD leafs and I'm thinking that when I install the flip kit the extra leafs will drop the back end lower than the front. If I take out some of the leafs to increase ride height (after the flip kit is installed) will they just end up sagging more than they did with 8 leafs and leave me with the same height I would have had if I had left everything alone?

[boxrodz]

Originally Posted by evan

Will that affect the ride height? I've got HD leafs and I'm thinking that when I install the flip kit the extra leafs will drop the back end lower than the front. If I take out some of the leafs to increase ride height (after the flip kit is installed) will they just end up sagging more than they did with 8 leafs and leave me with the same height I would have had if I had left everything alone?

For bluex, removing 3 of the 8 leafs in the spring pack will lower the rear 'bout the thickness of 3 leafs. I wouldn't expect the rear to sag noticeable with the removal of the leafs. (Although, of course, the load capacity would be less and sagging would be noticeable under a load.) In your case, once you install the flip kit, removing leafs will not effect the absolute ride height of the rear. The truck will sit at the same height from the ground regardless of the leafs. I would also think that sagging would be negligible. If you're not too concern with the reduced load capacity, removing a few leafs could leave the truck riding softer and smoother. The full drop of the flip kit is basically the distance from the top of the leaf pack to the bottom of the axle tube. You could compare that measurement with your projected front drop (and the rake the truck has) to see if you like the stance. Also, by measuring distance between the bottom of the frame rail and the top of the spring pack less the diameter of the axle tube (~3"), you get an idea how much distance you'll have once the flip kit is installed. (A c-notch may or may not be needed.)

[Bad Karma]

Originally Posted by bluex

If I break the center pin what can I use to replace it?

You can replace the center pins with Allen head cap bolts and locking nuts of the same size. Works great and makes it easier to tighten them up.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by Bad Karma

You can replace the center pins with Allen head cap bolts and locking nuts of the same size. Works great and makes it easier to tighten them up.

Yep, that works. Another middle of the night solution is to use the correct length bolt and chuck it up thread first in a drill press. With the bolt spinning, use a grinder to shave the head down till it's the correct size. It works just fine when your in a bind and you want your truck back together by morning...

[bluex]

Great ideas on the center pin guys.

Thanks for the help on which leaves to remove as well. I'm not worried about load capacity, my truck dosent do any heavy hauling anymore. It used to though and it never broke a sweat. I"m more concerned with a softer ride and leveling the truck out. On these concrete highways down here the thing is beating me to death. I look like I'm riding a trampoline. I think swapping the air shocks out for some regular gas ones in the rear would probably help as well.

I know about moving the sping hangers forward for the shorter leaves. I was thinking of this as well b/c then I could run a bumper. People sure like to tailgate here as well and I would like to keep my bed nice as it only has one very small dent in it.

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by bluex

I know about moving the sping hangers forward for the shorter leaves. I was thinking of this as well b/c then I could run a bumper. People sure like to tailgate here as well and I would like to keep my bed nice as it only has one very small dent in it.

I am confused, you can run a bumper on your truck no matter what length leafs you use.

[bluex]

Not after I cut it down from a long bed with the long leaves. I only have like 3" of frame off the end of the shackles. There is no room to bolt a bumper up.....

[bigblock73]

OK, so how come my short bed has the long leafs in back and have a bumper to boot? Aren't the short bed and long bed frames the same from the rear wheel wells back? The beds appear to be at least. Here are a couple pics of my frame...you can see I too have little frame beyond the leafs in back.

[bluex]

Thats what mine looks like. I just dont know where the brackets would go. The bumper I had on it would not go back on b/c I had no room to put the brackets. It was an aftermarket (I suppose) step bumper though.