Options for new front leaf springs?

[61Chevy454]

Originally Posted by padresag

appears to be a later frame.
ron

How old? Like 60s or 70s/80s? If it's 70s/80s, that should make buying springs way easier, correct?

[padresag]

73-87 style. . do you have pictures of the truck?
ron

[andyh1956]

Yeah you got a '73 - '87 like padresag said. You will notice those springs are 3" wide at the ends & narrower in the middle. No big deal, jerk them off & carry them to the spring shop & tell them what you need the springs to do & they will positive arch them & add some leaves & there you go!
Oh by the way, nice cab mounts!

[61Chevy454]

Originally Posted by andyh1956

Yeah you got a '73 - '87 like padresag said. You will notice those springs are 3" wide at the ends & narrower in the middle. No big deal, jerk them off & carry them to the spring shop & tell them what you need the springs to do & they will positive arch them & add some leaves & there you go!
Oh by the way, nice cab mounts!

Are the cab mounts really bad?

[Captainfab]

Everything I see indicates to me that this truck is on an original style frame. It is NOT a '73-'87 frame.

The only explanation I have for the reverse arch front springs are they are possibly '67-'72 springs? I am not that familiar with those to know what type of front springs those have.

Originally Posted by padresag

appears to be a later frame.
ron

[61Chevy454]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Everything I see indicates to me that this truck is on an original style frame. It is NOT a '73-'87 frame.

The only explanation I have for the reverse arch front springs are they are possibly '67-'72 springs? I am not that familiar with those to know what type of front springs those have.

Had someone who's knowledgeable come by today and confirm that it is indeed the original frame with newer axles and leaf springs swapped in.

[padresag]

I see where I went off. I was also thinking of a 63-66 frame. front springs on a 60-62 are different, the motor mount crossmember that I was thinking about being later was actually the 60-62 tubular crossmember which the orig eng mounted to and the wider cah mounts. the 73 and up frt springs are longer and yjere was no other hole in the frame whee a shorter set of springs shackles would have come out
ron

[61K10]

anybody have a pic of a 63-66 cross-member--

[padresag]

63-66 didn't have an under eng. c/member but had side mounts

in 68 I believe that they came out with this c/member which I had put in my 64 after I took the Detroit out

ron

[61K10]

thanks for the pic's ron. Funny they look similar to 65-67 nova V8 mounts.

kimnle

[downeyballz]

my 66 k-10 had original bronze bushings instead of the newer style rubber in the leaf springs and shackles. that's an easy way to date the frame and suspension.

measure the front leaf spring length. early k10's had 44" front leaf springs and later 73+ had 48" front leaf springs. if I were you I would just order new 2.5" front leaf spring that are the appropriate length or just get a full lift kit and swap out the funky rear spring/ block combo. I believe all rear leaf springs were 52" regardless of length.