[hardway42]

I am trying to decide what to use for my front leaf pack.

Here is what I have available to work with:
79 ramcharger front leaf packs (tapered 3 leaf)
90 jeep yj front leaf packs (4 leaf pack)

At this point, my plan is to take the main leafs from the rc leaf pack and have the spring shop put a 3" arch on it. then take the yj leafs, cut the eyes off the main leafs, and hope they match up with the arch of the newly arch main leaf.

I was also considering using a smaller leaf out of the rc leaf pack, or possibly one of the leafs I took out of my rear packs, under the thinner yj leaf pack, but without as much arch, so as to sort of work as an overload (I am guessing they should be pretty soft)

what do you all think? My guess is that I will get at least 4" of lift from where my truck sits now, and a lot more flex.

 

[MA$TER BLING!]

One problem I see is when you take you stock RC pack and re-arch it the leaves will be a little short in length and will move the axle forward some. Usually re-arched springs don't retain the ride height very long either. Usually mixing leaves can work if the arch isn't radically different. Good luck.

 

[Evildriver-3]

What are you trying to achieve here, more lift? a different ride?

Flake is right you arc your springs and they get shorter eye to eye, and move the rear up, so this is why you should lower the spring mounting points rather then get crazy archs, when they get bigger archs they don't work very well

 

[hardway42]

Well, Marty, I am attempting to get a softer ride, and more lift. Right now, the truck is running on a flat leaf, 5 leaf pack that has an negative 2.5" arch. My hope was that I would get about 1.5" of arch out of the 3" arch, after the weight was put on the springs. then all the leaf pack would give me more lift.

I also had another Idea. I was thinking about using the RC 3 leaf pack, but just slipping in a couple, or maybe three leafs out of the YJ springs... but I dont want a super stiff spring.

third idea: same as the first idea, but using chev main spring (which I understand is a bit longer) and going that way.

?
Ian

 

[Evildriver-3]

You can go to a longer spring but doing the gm spring isn't what i would do, and doing it right would involve moving spring mounts anyway, so keep the springs you have get them arched to a factory position or replace them and move the spring mounting points down the amount you want it lifted.

This would be the best way to acomplish both.

 

[hardway42]

So, you are saying that the stock 3 tapered leaf packs out of the RC, (which are in nice shape) with the factory arch will give me nice flex, and a better ride than I have right now?

Also, are you aware of anyone that makes prefabricated extended front spring hangers that I can just slap on? the longer shackles are easy to make.

thanks,
Ian

 

[Evildriver-3]

Well i don't know anyone making them, but i think maybe i should since everyone just offers springs bent to insane archs.

Ok spring tech 1 more time, if you take a a already arched spring it only has so much more downard travel and so much compression left without making a long shackle at the risk of a weird wandering feeling, and loss of nice ride manors.
So extending the spring mounts down lets say 4" gives you the lift you want while not moving the rear in any direction other than straight down, while keeping good ride manors and no need for wierd feelings due to shackles that are 8 inches or longer.
Another way to increase a smoother ride is by extending the rear section of the spring, the section of spring forward of the centering pin is what controls forward movement and torque control and traction and braking traction, the rear section behind the centering pin on the spring controls ride and weight capacity, gm springs are usually like 50/50 and don't do the 1st thing very well, so while longer good they also center the rear toward the center of the spring, this is why there are tons of traction and spring wrap devices for gm spring set-ups