Building leaf spring packs

[fourwd]

I dunno, guess everyone has their opinion on which way to go, & all viable options. Personally I've had great success with going to the junkyard & picking out nicely config'd Ford or Chevy truck springs, my stock 1st gen springs were shit like most others with a little neg. arc & I thought about going the aftermarket spring route but just couldn't justify the cost until I tried some old school tricks to refresh some tired springs, so I added 2 Ford springs to each side & the results were amazing, got the lift I wanted & the on road /offroad ride was 200% better than what I expected, & after over a year since doing this I still have my lift & the ride is still incredible...

[MarkLux]

Tricks like what may I ask?

[slander]

Well these arent stock springs that are in my truck, they are deaver 8 leafs that are all clapped out. They are actually kinda bent into an "S" and the prinion points higher than the rear of the first drive shaft, that explains my vibes!! I can get them to kinda axle wrap spinning my tire on a jack lol!!! Fourwd re read my first post, what you said you did was similar what i was asking, tricks and tips to build leaf packs using leafs from other packs only diff was asking about using leafs from my deaver packs in my all pro pack. I instead just yanked leafs out of the all pro pack. If im junk yard dogging it, im just going to go with chevy 63s, and thats not happening until i get a new frame, at least a year.
Marklux: Read the link to pirate i posted, lots of good leaf pack building info and tech.

[mustangstephen]

If your springs are in a "S"s shape sitting still with no load accelerating or what not, then I doubt any of your leafs on the deavers are any good to reuse. Pics would he awesome though. I'd say pull a leaf off your all pro packs and install. If its to high pull another. Just my

[slander]

Originally Posted by mustangstephen

If your springs are in a "S"s shape sitting still with no load accelerating or what not, then I doubt any of your leafs on the deavers are any good to reuse. Pics would he awesome though. I'd say pull a leaf off your all pro packs and install. If its to high pull another. Just my

Its a real subtle "S" shape, the pinion is definately pointed up. I pulled 2 leafs off the all pro pack since i really dont haul much, and i want a minimal ammount of lift. Waiting for my dgree shims to show up, then ill install evreything.

[fourwd]

Originally Posted by MarkLux

Tricks like what may I ask?

Well, maybe not tricks, actually it was your only option before the days of IFS 4x's & all the after market shops you find now, as far as mixing/matching leaf springs go for lift or increasing for heavier loads etc;,

Originally Posted by slander

Well these arent stock springs that are in my truck, they are deaver 8 leafs that are all clapped out. They are actually kinda bent into an "S" and the prinion points higher than the rear of the first drive shaft, that explains my vibes!! I can get them to kinda axle wrap spinning my tire on a jack lol!!! Fourwd re read my first post, what you said you did was similar what i was asking, tricks and tips to build leaf packs using leafs from other packs only diff was asking about using leafs from my deaver packs in my all pro pack. I instead just yanked leafs out of the all pro pack. If im junk yard dogging it, im just going to go with chevy 63s, and thats not happening until i get a new frame, at least a year.
Marklux: Read the link to pirate i posted, lots of good leaf pack building info and tech.

Yeah, I re read your post & as far as I'm concerned doing this for me has been nothing short of a "win".. & I'm gonna here shit for this but whatever here goes:

I would like to first say that alot of guys (probably most) need to open their minds to alternative methods/proceedures & mostly get the "name brand" springs out of your heads, now this isn't a knock on Alcans/Deavers/Dakars/Expos etc: These are all quality springs, this is more of a money issue, i mean if $$$$$ isn't an issue then by all means buy 2 sets of aftermarkets & kick down a set to me ... (haha j/k) Or contact National Spring here in San Diego, they've probably forgotten more than the "other guys" will ever know, they'll happily build you a set for a starting price of roughly $1200.00... too rich for my blood, I've rebuilt/refreshed alot of stock Tacoma springs for 1st & 2nd gens. With good feedback from the guys I've done them for, here is a quick "mock up" junkyard chevy springs for some 1st gen spring ideas I'm kicking around using building off the stock springs (if still rebuildable)....

[slander]

Nice! I still have my set of stock leafs, ill keep this in mind when I inevitably F up the expos. Spring swap is tomorrow, ill try to get some pics, the digi cam is on lockdown, pics of my fiances wedding dress are on it and i am not allowed near the cam.

[Land Pirates Off Road]

yes... one of the things we dislike about the Deavers... Even 12 pack sets will "s" or kink at the u-bolts... If they are kinked or "s" dump them.

[slander]

Got the leafs in, it gave me 3inchs of "lift" on the drivers side, and 2 on the pax side over what it was prior to the install. The truck has a bit of a rake, which i dont care its a pickup its supposed to when empty. Springs ride a bit stiff, but i have zero axle wrap, and minimal vibes with no use of a shim. Going wheeling this weekend so ill see how they are off road. Ill try to get some pics.

[slander]

Pics taken with the phone:
Drivers side deaver, compared to my expo leafs with some leafs yanked out


Still leans about an inch to the drivers side with a full tank of gas, thinking its the frame or front springs.

Side shot, I think it looks good with the rake. No more halfass pre runner look.

Not a fan of the shackle angle but what can you do.


Im hacking the top of the ubolts off tonight or tomorrow!

[mustangstephen]

/\/\ wow, them deavers are messed up. Glad I did the "add-what-I-had-laying-around-leafs." LOL. Looks like it worked out good for you. I agree, a little rake is how a truck is suppose to be empty. Moving some heavy tools/chains to the passenger side should help the lean.

[slander]

I loved the deavers! They are super soft springs, I ran them without bumpstops for pretty much the whole time that i had them, without a traction bar, and the tourque of the crawler did them in. I would get them again, just didnt have the $$ and I would for sure get a taction bar. We shall see how these work out.

[slander]

Wheeled the taco this weekend. No axle wrap, handled being loaded down in tools and spares excellent(around 500lbs)! They flexed okay kind of stiff but thats too be expected on a relatively light truck like mine. I "baja'ed" it a bit in some whoops and the rear was nice and stable with no bottoming out, the front on the other hand was all over lol!! They should settle down nicely and flex well for quite a few years. Overall happy with the springs and glad i did the mod, the yokes slapping into each other got pretty old!!