55.2-59 55-59 straight axle

[57tailgater]

Springs rates, installation design, vehicle design and road conditions all contribute to how they ride and handle. One thing you will notice on newer ones is they have the fixed end on the front and the shackle to the rear. This way the force of hitting a bump is not driven directly into the rear spring hanger and transferred hard into the frame. With the shackle to the rear, the forces are relieved some as the spring compresses and the shackles swing rearward. Trouble with doing this on the front of a lot of trucks is the frame has to be designed to accommodate the shackle up front which means that end is usually much higher than the fixed end. They ride like old trucks and newer (even just by 15 years or so) suspensions have made things more comfortable. Just my $.02.