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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Snead, Alabama
Posts: 399
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71 c10 how do I stiffen rear springs without changing them, need to tow car trailer
how do I stiffen rear coil springs, without changing them.
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#2 |
its all about the +6 inches
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,693
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air shocks or air bags in the coils.
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#3 |
GYRO GEARLOOSE
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Nevada City, CAEverett, WA
Posts: 361
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I put cheap air shocks on my '66 panel, stiffens up quite a bit, and lifts rear about 4" with 90 lbs.
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Nevada City, CA Everett, Washington 57 3/4 rat, 235, 3spd 66 C-10 Panel, SWB. 350 from '68, 200R4 tranny, 3.07 rear ratio, restoring 68 C10 LWB 350 4spd, 4.56 rear dump runner 82 Camaro, 305, THM-200-R4 84 Monte Carlo 305 TH350, land tuna 85 Tercel SW, snow runner DISGRACED OUTLAW MEMBER OF THE DRUM BRAKE CLUB |
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#4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Valley Center KS
Posts: 3,525
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I would go with the air bags.
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#5 |
Account Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,002
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You can buy these little nugget things that are made of steel and fit in between the bends on the coils.
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#6 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posts: 5,817
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Those inserts don't need to be steel. There's poly ones and rubber ones as well. Just be careful to not overload your axle and cause serious problems with your carrier and axle bearings.
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'69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA. |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Posts: 7,717
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Inserts can be dangerous as they isolate load in specific areas rather than over the whole spring. The best thing to do is the airbags, but you might be able to get a set of factory overload springs for your coils as well.
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44 Willys MB 52 M38A1 64 Corvette Coupe 68 Camaro 'vert LT1 & TH700 69 Z/28 355 12.6's @110 69 Chevy Short Step 4 1/2"/7" drop 72 Jimmy 4WD 4spd 4" & 35's 02 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Duramax |
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#8 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 901
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I installed auto level system from a '79 Cadillac Seville, complete with compressor.. Paid $50.00 for all; including shocks!!! /// Have wiring diagrams for this installation if anyone interested...
When removing; keep track of wiring harness connections.... shpould be no problem..... I felt the air-shocks that were part of the original Cad installation were somewhat light for the application ; so I did replace them with Monroe air shocks...Jim
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'71 GMC;fleetside;PB/PS/AC/CC/402 Eng./Custom Paint/110,000act miles/3 fuel tanks(52gal). |
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Citrus Heights Ca.
Posts: 186
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Been thinking about air shocks for the rear on my C-10 too. Instead of filling both shocks with a one air fill into a tee.......wouldn't be better to have seperate fills for each shock to cut down on sway? With a tee, wouldn't air from the compressed shock push over to the extended one thus amplifying the lean/sway around the corner with a heavy load? Does that make sense? Or am I just rambling again?
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Ethan '71 C-10 LWB Cheyenne 85K miles. "Time spent Boating is NOT deducted from ones lifespan". |
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#10 |
its all about the +6 inches
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,693
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I had air shocks on my 68 cougar, and never noticed what you describe...but I wasn't loading it with 3/4 ton of stuff either.
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Posts: 2,410
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I installed coil-over shocks, they sold under the brand name "Overloaders". Overall they gave me an extra 2" lift in the rear when empty. You could also look for the optional auxillary leaf springs that were available for rear coil trucks.
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1970 GMC 1500 Custom Original 350/TH350 Victoria, BC, Canada You can wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first. |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Old Mission, MI, USA
Posts: 2,510
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You are much better off to use the air bags that go inside the coils. The shock mounts were not designed to support a load, they are just there to damp the up and down motion of the suspension. You want the load supported at the spring mounts.
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Tim |
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: BRADENTON FLA
Posts: 3,269
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I have a used set of rear air bag coils for 60.00 if interested, no air lines or compressor.
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Rest in Peace Ed. Thanks for all the good times. |
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada
Posts: 2,048
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How about those over load coil spring that mount to the top plate of the u bolts and up to the back shackle, you can ajust the tension, I seen the boys from two guys garage on tv install a set they look easy to install and sound like what your looking for
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada
Posts: 2,048
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How about those over load coil spring that mount to the top plate of the u bolts and up to the back shackle, you can ajust the tension, I seen the boys from two guys garage on tv install a set they look easy to install and sound like what your looking for
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#16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada
Posts: 2,048
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I hit the enter button twice dooope!
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#17 |
"Ochre Ogre"
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Springfield, MN
Posts: 3,558
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The factory over-load spring made a huge difference in how my C-10 towed my loaded car trailer. They aren't that difficult to install. No idea what part of the world you live in, but $40 + shipping would get you everything you need but the grade 8 bolts.
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Bowtie Truck Stop Inc. Mid-West GM Truck Restoration Parts Supplier Your Key Parts, Auto Metal Direct, Dynacorn, and Goodmark dealer. like us @ www.facebook.com/BowtieTruckStop 1971 C-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1971 K-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1972 C-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1972 K-20 Suburban (Yellow- that just aint right!) Springfield, Minnesota 56087 |
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