64" springs in a 72 Blazer

[OLDCHEV4X4]

I want to put 64" rear springs from a 88-98 Chevy 2500, on the rear of my 72 Blazer. Anybody have any experience doing this? I also want to do the shackle flip.
I got the springs and the front hanger off the 95ish chevy. They are 4/1 and I am gonna remove the 1 (over load). I have them all apart and am wire brushing them and painting. Have new bushings, stock shackle, center bolts (they were metric) and am trying to get the correct wear pads. The spring shop sent me 3 different kinds and all of them were incorrect. Mine are square with a 9/16 nub.

Anyway, how many leaves should I run? Should I find a 5/1 pack?
How far foreward, or backward do I have to move the hangers? It looks like a body mount is gonna be in the way of the front hanger. I want a 20-30 degree angle back for the rear shackle. The rear cross member might need to be relocated.

The 95 spring hanger will have to be spaced out to match the stock front hanger. I dont have a exact measurement yet, but looks like about a 1/2 inch.

I want to keep the axle in the exact same location and have the same 2.5" lift.

Soooo, does anybody have any tech to post up?? Some pictures would be even better.

[special-K]

I don't know. I hope this helps.

^^^TTT^^^

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Originally Posted by special-K

I don't know. I hope this helps.

^^^TTT^^^

It does help Tim. All I was hearing was......crickets. Are you gonna make the race?

Looks like I will forge ahead and put the info here.
I'm gonna go do my favorite thing. Cut rivets!

[snj8198]

I have read about it on other sites but never experienced it myself. Looks like your paving the way for others who would like to do the same. If you can would you mind snapping some conversion pics and a before and after? I have considered the 63" spring swap on my '71 long box along with 52"s on the front for ride quality with an eye towards load ability.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Originally Posted by snj8198

I have read about it on other sites but never experienced it myself. Looks like your paving the way for others who would like to do the same. If you can would you mind snapping some conversion pics and a before and after? I have considered the 63" spring swap on my '71 long box along with 52"s on the front for ride quality with an eye towards load ability.

I will post some pictures.
I did 52's on the front last year.

[special-K]

I just spent $500 on new 52"ers on my '85 Jimmy where the plan was to simply swap the lift and axles from my dead '91 Suburban. I laid under there and pondered dropping the tank,pulling the bumper and hitch,then those pesky rivets started laughing at me. As I crawled out from under there I even heard "And,don't forget about drilling those 12 holes" followed by more laughter. My money's tight,but I can only take so much. So I went inside and called Suspension Connection with tears of humility still in my eyes.
Yes,I plan on being there for sure!

[snj8198]

Originally Posted by special-K

I just spent $500 on new 52"ers on my '85 Jimmy where the plan was to simply swap the lift and axles from my dead '91 Suburban. I laid under there and pondered dropping the tank,pulling the bumper and hitch,then those pesky rivets started laughing at me. As I crawled out from under there I even heard "And,don't forget about drilling those 12 holes" followed by more laughter. My money's tight,but I can only take so much. So I went inside and called Suspension Connection with tears of humility still in my eyes.
Yes,I plan on being there for sure!

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Originally Posted by special-K

then those pesky rivets started laughing at me. As I crawled out from under there I even heard "And,don't forget about drilling those 12 holes" followed by more laughter. My money's tight,but I can only take so much. So I went inside and called Suspension Connection with tears of humility still in my eyes.
Yes,I plan on being there for sure!

I have drilled out several hundred rivets in my time. And I hated every single one. I have it down to a science, but its still not fun. I had this project on the back burner for months, but the hot weather delayed me from starting.

Your coming to the race! Excellent! You guys should throw something together, I will drag you out if it dosent make it.

[6 Door King]

Haven't run 64 inch springs on aything, but getting rid of rivets has become a recent favorite passtime. I cut two wedges out of the large side with a cutoff wheel and push the body of the rivet through with my air hammer and pointed tip.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

I got the hangers off with the help of my buddy Jeff. I did the pass side, he did the driver side.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

I hate rivets.

[snj8198]

Congrats on your riveting battle!

Where's the center pin sit on the 64's? Who did you go with for the shackle flip?

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Originally Posted by snj8198

Congrats on your riveting battle!

Where's the center pin sit on the 64's? Who did you go with for the shackle flip?

The center pin is in the center of the springs, 32".
For the shackle flip I hope to use the 95 hanger in the rear and a stock 4.5" shackle.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

I put a spring in to eye things up and right away the plan has changed.
I think I will have to fab a front hanger and reuse the rear hanger, only invert it.

[special-K]

Dang,that's about right under the body mount,huh? Will you plate the inside of the frame to run your spring mount support up the inside? Or,make one to straddle the body mount? Or...? I know you have a plan. Just a minor set-back,right?

We'd get a rig together but you'd lose you whole Maryland fan club. And,we wouldn't have any fans. Just a bunch of Pennsylvanians hollering,"Get that broke down junk outta da way. These ain't no DC potholes here and we ain't got no AAA!"

[duallyjams]

Have you looked at a square body hanger ? Tim has some on his burb that he's parting. Whats the date for the race ?

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Originally Posted by duallyjams

Have you looked at a square body hanger ? Tim has some on his burb that he's parting. Whats the date for the race ?

Hey James! Whats this square body mount look like??
The race is Sept 17th, I will probley leave Thursday morning.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Originally Posted by special-K

Dang,that's about right under the body mount,huh? Will you plate the inside of the frame to run your spring mount support up the inside? Or,make one to straddle the body mount? Or...? I know you have a plan. Just a minor set-back,right?

We'd get a rig together but you'd lose you whole Maryland fan club. And,we wouldn't have any fans. Just a bunch of Pennsylvanians hollering,"Get that broke down junk outta da way. These ain't no DC potholes here and we ain't got no AAA!"

I'm still scratchin my head on the front mount. I think I can squeeze a "Davidson Machine" hanger in there and leave the body mount.

Tim, I'm conifident that your junk would be much better than some of the other junk there. And when your broke down on the track, now your just another obstacle, yelling profanity woulnt do any good. Just smile and wave.

[drunkbus]

When I took my springs apart to clean and paint them I researched for days trying to find new wear pads. The only place I could find that had them was Skyjacker and they were a nightmare to deal with. Since you can't order directly from Skyjacker, I placed my order through Summitt and instead of just drop shipping the items from Skyjacker, the idiots at Skyjacker send them to Summitt then Summitt has to process them and then send them back out to the customer which wouldn't be all that bad if the idiots at Skyjacker could get an order right the first time. After eventually receiving my full order of about a dozen wear pads in three different shipments over about a 1 month period I was able to put my springs back together.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

I know what ya mean drunkbus. I placed my 1st order with the local spring shop on Aug 1st. and they sent me 7 wear pads of the incorrect type. 7!! After sending them a sample of what I had and them sending me more wrong stuff, I finally compromised on a pad, and received them yesterday Aug 22.
It took 22 days to get it all figured out.

[special-K]

Wear pads are very complicated high tech items that require complex use of a measuring tape which requires elementary school level math to read.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

I am going to get back on this tonight. I was sidetracked by a little weather event.

[special-K]

Huh? I figured you finished it up while it was raining. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[duallyjams]

Where are the finished picture's as I am sure you are ready to go. With all this rain it should be good n sloppy. Have any bridges been washed out the would impede our trip up. ( Tim lost your number in a new phone transfer.You have room for me in your ride )

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Its not finished yet, but I am working on it. I refuse to give up. The weather has put me behind schedule so the pictures will have to wait.....sorry.
Its is going to be some wet, muddy racing!

I'm not sure about the route up there. Rt 322, 147, 225 is how I go.