68 rear spring ? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

earl87gta · 08-17-2007, 10:23 PM

The 68s had nerrow springs in the front 2.5 in stead of 3 like the newer trucks and the rear had 3in wide. On the front Im running 6in springs with a 1in 0 rate.
On the rear I have a 6in blocks and I want to get rid of the blocks and level it out with the front I was going to have DIY make me a shackle hanger for the rear 3inW spring but I still need 3in more to get were I need to be. I can use a 0 rate for 1 in but then I have to come up with 2 more can I use leafs off a mewer front end to add leafs to my rear stack. I only have 2 in the stack right now so adding some will not hurt any. Seams like I remeber reading some were that the conture of front and rear springs are diffrent so you cant do this becuse over time it will cuase a spring to break do to stress points.
Any one have any input on this or should I just replace all my spring hangers for the rear and go to a 2.5 wide spring like they use in the rear now.

earl87gta · 08-17-2007, 10:42 PM

one other thing I was thinking was use a ORD shackle flip as the front spring hanger and a shackle flip in back with a longer shackle that should give me around 6in of lift to with out adding springs. I know a longer shackle with a shackle flip doesnt help much 1in longer shackle is 1/2 of lift but if I use the shackle flip on the front spring that should drop the front spring an in or 2 further from the fram and then that would make the longer shackle give a 1 for 1 on the lift. I think any way. Seams like thats how they do it with the crazy big lifts.

msgross · 08-17-2007, 10:59 PM

I agree that the front and rear on my 68 have a different arch. The rear is flate in the middle and arch on the ends while the front is a constant low arch.

I added a short rancho add-a-leaf in the rear and gained 1.5" without ony weight on the rear. That plus a shackle flip and maybe a zero rate would get you 6" without blocks...

earl87gta · 08-18-2007, 08:12 PM

Tuff ****ry sells a 3in wide ada leaf spring kit for the new 1ton dodge trucks so I may go to the scrap yard and see how much I can score a set of doge 1ton springs for to use I would try thre add aleaf kit but its 175.

08-17-2007, 10:23 PM	#1
earl87gta Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Kingsport TN Posts: 4,641	68 rear spring ? The 68s had nerrow springs in the front 2.5 in stead of 3 like the newer trucks and the rear had 3in wide. On the front Im running 6in springs with a 1in 0 rate. On the rear I have a 6in blocks and I want to get rid of the blocks and level it out with the front I was going to have DIY make me a shackle hanger for the rear 3inW spring but I still need 3in more to get were I need to be. I can use a 0 rate for 1 in but then I have to come up with 2 more can I use leafs off a mewer front end to add leafs to my rear stack. I only have 2 in the stack right now so adding some will not hurt any. Seams like I remeber reading some were that the conture of front and rear springs are diffrent so you cant do this becuse over time it will cuase a spring to break do to stress points. Any one have any input on this or should I just replace all my spring hangers for the rear and go to a 2.5 wide spring like they use in the rear now. __________________ Earl 68 2500 4x4 GMC Burb

08-17-2007, 10:42 PM	#2
earl87gta Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Kingsport TN Posts: 4,641	Re: 68 rear spring ? one other thing I was thinking was use a ORD shackle flip as the front spring hanger and a shackle flip in back with a longer shackle that should give me around 6in of lift to with out adding springs. I know a longer shackle with a shackle flip doesnt help much 1in longer shackle is 1/2 of lift but if I use the shackle flip on the front spring that should drop the front spring an in or 2 further from the fram and then that would make the longer shackle give a 1 for 1 on the lift. I think any way. Seams like thats how they do it with the crazy big lifts. __________________ Earl 68 2500 4x4 GMC Burb

08-17-2007, 10:59 PM	#3
msgross Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Central PA Posts: 12,201	Re: 68 rear spring ? I agree that the front and rear on my 68 have a different arch. The rear is flate in the middle and arch on the ends while the front is a constant low arch. I added a short rancho add-a-leaf in the rear and gained 1.5" without ony weight on the rear. That plus a shackle flip and maybe a zero rate would get you 6" without blocks... __________________ The Garage: 1968 K-10 SWB - "Project Money Pit" 1996 Z-71 - "huntin rig" 1969 C-10 LWB (SOLD) "Project flip that truck or else" 1993 Passport, F@rd 1-ton (SOLD)"Project Cousin Eddie" My Garage Build "The 1,000 footer" Last edited by msgross; 08-17-2007 at 10:59 PM.

08-18-2007, 08:12 PM	#4
earl87gta Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Kingsport TN Posts: 4,641	Re: 68 rear spring ? Tuff ****ry sells a 3in wide ada leaf spring kit for the new 1ton dodge trucks so I may go to the scrap yard and see how much I can score a set of doge 1ton springs for to use I would try thre add aleaf kit but its 175. __________________ Earl 68 2500 4x4 GMC Burb



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