Leaf springs

kbenz

kbenz

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2020
Member Number
2262
Messages
137
Loc
Kannapolis Nc
84 k10. original front springs were 2 leaf. I replaced them bout 3 years ago. I think they are bad again. They take a lot of abuse on the dirt and logging roads where I hunt. I see General Spring has 2,3 and 4 leaf. should I try a 3 leaf or go straight to 4?
Thanks
 
You don't have to buy a kit to run them either. If you cut the rivets and take the entire bracket off the core support mount you can flip them side to side. So driver side one goes from behind the core support mount to the passenger side in front of the mount. You will still have to redrill the rear and get the longer shackles but it works out good.
edit: obviously they aren't adjustable like the aftermarket brackets are. Just pointing out a lower $ option
 
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350TacoZilla said:
You don't have to buy a kit to run them either. If you cut the rivets and take the entire bracket off the core support mount you can flip them side to side. So driver side one goes from behind the core support mount to the passenger side in front of the mount. You will still have to redrill the rear and get the longer shackles but it works out good.
edit: obviously they aren't adjustable like the aftermarket brackets are. Just pointing out a lower $ option
Click to expand...
Yeah. My budget is a pretty strict diy mostly.
I watched a guy on youtube doing that bracket flip. He said it puts the diff 2" forward. Is that correct? and about a 3-4" lift?
 
I didn't measure to be exact but that sounds about right. Here was my one truck with the brackets flipped. Unfortunately I also did the bushwacker flares at same time so it's harder to see the height and Wb difference since they opened up the fenders a huge amount. Also its two sets of rear flares because I didn't like the front ones. I ordered 1 set of rears first and tried them up front then bought another set, so if I didn't end up running them on front I could just use them on rear and order fronts. Cut up a rusty fender first to see how they fit.

46555712772_7f59174f41_o.jpg
No body lift, 52's up front with I think 2 or 3 plies added to support the diesel, manual trans, crew cab, winch etc lol. Hummer 12 bolts with 37's, D44 front with dually adapters and D70 dually pickup rear.
 
350TacoZilla said:
I didn't measure to be exact but that sounds about right. Here was my one truck with the brackets flipped. Unfortunately I also did the bushwacker flares at same time so it's harder to see the height and Wb difference since they opened up the fenders a huge amount. Also its two sets of rear flares because I didn't like the front ones. I ordered 1 set of rears first and tried them up front then bought another set, so if I didn't end up running them on front I could just use them on rear and order fronts. Cut up a rusty fender first to see how they fit.

46555712772_7f59174f41_o.jpg
No body lift, 52's up front with I think 2 or 3 plies added to support the diesel, manual trans, crew cab, winch etc lol. Hummer 12 bolts with 37's, D44 front with dually adapters and D70 dually pickup rear.
Click to expand...
Mines a 64 mounted on an 84 k10 frame which already gives me a 3” body lift. 10 bolt rear. Corporate front. 33” tires
 

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That's cool. My current project that I have bee gathering parts for is a 1963 GMC going on a 1994 ram 2500 chassis. Crappy pics but it was a farm truck from new till about 2014, then a kid bought it and tore it apart and lost interest so I bought it from him, still has the original 1963 ***le. I also got a rusted out medium duty fender to test fit, plan to run 35-40" tires. I have way too many sets right now, need to thin the herd.
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How the PO found it
150751095_221726286357116_593454625602348989_n.jpg
How it looked when I bought it.

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Fender sitting on a 9.00r20 tire, photo shopped a wheel in
 
Pity you don't live closer I have 2 different sets of aluminum slots that would fit that. There again I love the slot mags and have few sets but not the set I need, 16.5x9.75. My parents had a rare set back in 90s 16.5x12.
 
350TacoZilla said:
You don't have to buy a kit to run them either. If you cut the rivets and take the entire bracket off the core support mount you can flip them side to side. So driver side one goes from behind the core support mount to the passenger side in front of the mount. You will still have to redrill the rear and get the longer shackles but it works out good.
edit: obviously they aren't adjustable like the aftermarket brackets are. Just pointing out a lower $ option
Click to expand...
will I need crossover steering?
 
You don't NEED it but its the perfect time to do it and less to F with the link. I already had crossover so I really didn't think about that.
 
350TacoZilla said:
You don't NEED it but its the perfect time to do it and less to F with the link. I already had crossover so I really didn't think about that.
Click to expand...
whats the most economical way to go about that? Kit or pieces? I been watching some videos on it. Thinking bout a panhard bar to for street driving. all I'd need there is the bar. I have a cnc, I can cut the brackets out
 
So I did a junkyard hunt and got the flat top knuckle and a 2wd steering box. Then rock auto for a jeep grand cherokee pitman and tierods I keep thinking but research that one for sure. I did have to cut and sleeve the draglink with schedule 80 pipe to get the length I needed (I cut the long side of the jeep part in half and plug welded it inside the pipe) I did balljoints at same time since the axle needed them then just bought the cheapest ebay offroad vendor highsteer arm, marked and drilled/tapped the knuckle myself and bolted it all together with the supplied studs\cone washers.
 
350TacoZilla said:
So I did a junkyard hunt and got the flat top knuckle and a 2wd steering box. Then rock auto for a jeep grand cherokee pitman and tierods I keep thinking but research that one for sure. I did have to cut and sleeve the draglink with schedule 80 pipe to get the length I needed (I cut the long side of the jeep part in half and plug welded it inside the pipe) I did balljoints at same time since the axle needed them then just bought the cheapest ebay offroad vendor highsteer arm, marked and drilled/tapped the knuckle myself and bolted it all together with the supplied studs\cone washers.
Click to expand...
Not sure on the pitman arm. Nobody really mentions it. I had assumed it’d be same as box 🤷‍♂️
 
Found this on the subject
 

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I guess they talking bout this. Not really a shelf part
 

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I just used an off the shelf jeep pitman from rock auto but I think I hand filed the index key out of it so it was splines all around. My memory isn't the best and this is going on 10-15 years ago lol. Again you will have to verify fitment or be prepared to return if I'm wrong

2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 4.7L V8 Pitman Arm | Shop Now at RockAuto

Steering Parts and More for Your 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE at Reliably Low Prices. Fast Online Catalog. DIY-Easy. Your Choice of Quality. Full Manufacturer Warranty.
www.rockauto.com
 
350TacoZilla said:
I just used an off the shelf jeep pitman from rock auto but I think I hand filed the index key out of it so it was splines all around. My memory isn't the best and this is going on 10-15 years ago lol. Again you will have to verify fitment or be prepared to return if I'm wrong

2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 4.7L V8 Pitman Arm | Shop Now at RockAuto

Steering Parts and More for Your 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE at Reliably Low Prices. Fast Online Catalog. DIY-Easy. Your Choice of Quality. Full Manufacturer Warranty.
www.rockauto.com
Click to expand...
Thanks man. You’ve helped a lot
 
As far as I know. I just grabbed one from a similar square headlight truck. Not sure if any of the threads changed from 73-80 vs 81-91
 
If I remember right, there are differences in the power steering lines. Early models have flare fittings and later have O ring style, I don't know what year it changed, but you can get adapters to make it work. I also think the early models have standard thread power steering lines and the later changed to metric thread.
 
bradp674 said:
If I remember right, there are differences in the power steering lines. Early models have flare fittings and later have O ring style, I don't know what year it changed, but you can get adapters to make it work. I also think the early models have standard thread power steering lines and the later changed to metric thread.
Click to expand...
You can swap out the fitting on the back of the power steering pump between flare and o-ring.

Match that fitting style to the box used, so you can use stock lines for what year the new box is. I order either 1973 or 1987 because I can't remember off the top of my head when it changed from flare to O ring.
 
www.pyp.com

1990 Gmc R1500 Suburban Used Auto Parts | Charlotte

1990 Gmc R1500 Suburban used auto parts available. Get a great deal on parts for your 1990 Gmc R1500 Suburban at Pick Your Part - Charlotte
www.pyp.com www.pyp.com

LKQ near you has a 2wd suburban. $55 for the steering box if you take an old one with you for the $10 core and don't get warranty.
 
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