63" Chevy spring swap

getitdone · 05-29-2006, 08:40 PM

Well I have just completed stage 1 of the swap.
I have had these springs sitting in my garage for over a month. Recently my rear passenger pack decided to crease for no apearent reason. The truck was riding on the pass bumpstop and I was worried about the pack breaking sending my axle flying!

Look at this crap.

So I got to work fabricating the hangers and shackles. Garrett came over several times to help get this whole thing together and I can't thank him enough!!!

Look at those springs.

Chevies are LONG!

I just realized that I have no pics of the finished product sitting flat.

Only flexed.

This loading dock really maxed out my stock junk.

Now I need something bigger.

That is more like it.

Urban wheeling at it's finest.

Jeeze!

As you can see I have stock springs up front and they aren't budging!

Once the front gets some tlc I will be flexin all over the place!

When I bought the truck the bumpstops in the rear where only one inch from touching. Now with the chevies on there the bump stops sit 6.75" away from the frame! I am willing to say that I got 5.5" of lift from the chevies over my saggy stock springs. WOW.

Future work includes:
-shocks
new crossmember
weld on tabs to axle
-ubolt flip
-uhmw polyethylene in between each leaf
-spring clamps
-shims (vibrations)

I am so happy with the springs so far. The flex blows my mind.
Not bad for a 50 dollor set of springs!

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garrett1478 · 05-29-2006, 08:49 PM

it's too big and flexes too well. go back to stock.

getitdone · 05-29-2006, 09:06 PM

You know, I feel like this is the first REAL mod I have done. It is just the first I have ever done to the suspension. Can't wait to finish the rear and get started on the front!!!!

drguitarum2005 · 05-29-2006, 09:34 PM

i have the chevy spring swap too though don't know enough about how they perform. i wish i knew how to weld and cut like that, beautiful work!

getitdone · 05-29-2006, 09:44 PM

For cutting I used about 10 cut off wheels for my harbor frieght angle grinder. Everything was from plate.

If I had to do it again I would have used square tube for the hanger. Also I would have been more careful as to what kind of metal I was getting out of the scrap bin. See drilling metal for explanation.

drguitarum2005 · 05-29-2006, 11:06 PM

how would you have used square tube for the hanger?

getitdone · 05-30-2006, 08:26 AM

Like this.

getitdone · 06-17-2006, 05:50 PM

10 Man points to who ever can specifically say what these little pacman things are.

getitdone · 06-17-2006, 07:51 PM

What, no body has any man juice tonight? Fine I won't update untill someone gets it.

Napoleon047 · 06-17-2006, 11:34 PM

they are shock mounts for the u-bolt plates

Napoleon047 · 06-17-2006, 11:38 PM

another thing to note: wtf happened to the overload leafs from your stock pack? running without them is no doubt the reason for the failure.

using 3.5"^2 X .25" wall tubing for the hangers is definitely the way to go. also, if you need new busings for your chevy springs, napa has them.

getitdone · 06-18-2006, 06:59 AM

10 MAN POINTS FOR PETER!

That is exactly what they are. Yep the overload has been out for a while and no doubt the cause of the bent pack.

I got new poly bushings from energy suspensions. The part # is in the pirate faq.

Pics after work.

getitdone · 06-18-2006, 05:41 PM

Ok, update.

Let me just say something about UHMW-PE(Ultra High Molecular Weight - PolyEthylene)
It is used in my pack just like the little teflon pads in normal packs. The UHMW is 30 times slicker and I think its stronger too. I heard about it from an article(posted below) and decided to give it a try. It is pretty cool tech if you ask me.

READ THE ARTICLE ABOUT IT

LINK

This stuff is about 40 bucks for a 50ft roll that I can do BOTH axles with.

Ok. Back to my truck.

Bam, everything is gone.

A king on his throne.

Got the springs painted, made some antiwrap leafs out of some yj leafs(far left) and replaced the bottom leaf with another from the chevy pack with clamps.

Shot of the clamp and how I beveled each end of the leafs so they would rub smoothly on the uhmw-pe.

Beveled.

These are the brackets for the shocks. The two pacman ones are for the ubolt flip plate and the triangles fit on my crossmember I made.

Welded, cleaned, just painted.

All 1/4" thick. Beef.

Made this with my left over slider material. The triangles are also 1/4" beef.

It sits directly above the axle, welds on top of the frame. My shocks will never break the mounts.

I am waiting on the paint to dry up more before I move on. Soon, I will weld on the crossmember and swap out the plates for the ones on the truck now. Pics when it's done.

animator · 06-18-2006, 08:01 PM

Is that a pro mig 135 you're using for the welds?

Napoleon047 · 06-18-2006, 08:57 PM

just warning you, you will probably hate the shocks angled in that far. their effective dampening will be cut in half. taking a corner at speed and nailing a pothole or a rough spot will be some scary S H I T my friend.

getitdone · 06-18-2006, 09:25 PM

Those welds are made with my lincoln 175pro. Quite a bad ass machine if you ask me.

I am actually impressed with how much these things stiffened up the ride. I have been going to work and back(little more than a block) with no shocks now for like 4 days. With the shocks in there I am not bouncing all over the road!

But it really seemed to make bumps a bit rougher than the cushy chevies alone. Also it seemed like it limited my flex just a schmidgen. Maybe not, I didn't measure.

Pics!

These are rancho 5012's by the way.

Need to play with the ebrake cable to get it farther away from the shock.

You can see the uhmw-pe sandwitched inbetween the leafs here.

Still have plenty of flex left in the shocks. Especially drooping.

Have at least an inch of shock left to stuff, which is probably like 2 inches of wheel travel.

The ride is really good. It handles alot like any truck would. Very predictable. I went down really bumpy roads, over train tracks, down the highway at 75+, and flexed it out. I am very pleased with the work/money put in vs the results. Just love em!

Napoleon047 · 06-19-2006, 06:12 AM

your shocks are upside down, ranchos are supposed to be mounted can down

getitdone · 06-19-2006, 07:17 AM

Does it really matter? I just wanted less unsprung weight.

Napoleon047 · 06-19-2006, 09:06 PM

when i ran ranchos, they didnt dampen as effectively upside down, something with the valve and the way the oil and gas sits in there.

getitdone · 06-19-2006, 09:12 PM

Hmmm. Well I didn't really make the brackets to fit can down. I think the can will hit the bottom bracket.

Oh well I guess now I have to get bilsteins.

I think that is right, can up for those and can down for rancho.

Wish I would have remembered that before.:pat:

montypower · 06-20-2006, 10:57 PM

That's a great swap... Although, the shackle length isn't right... or maybe it's the placement of them. Hmm. Sure beats stock!!!! How is the axle wrap?

fnrunner · 08-18-2006, 01:07 PM

I just finished my 63 rears & rears up front swap too...still needs shocks tho.
Cool idea for the bottom shock mount, might loose a little stroke if leaves are added, but cool.
For the upper I was going to do the same, but between the rails & add longer tabs to give me adjustability for the angle of the shock. Basically weld 4, 6-8" long flats to the tubing with holes spaced ~1" apart.

How long are those shackles?? You could've moved the rear hanger back 4"...

Clean install non-the-less!

getitdone · 08-20-2006, 06:01 PM

The shackles are 9" eye to eye. The reason I didn't relocate the rear hanger is because some people on the pirate thread said they used the longer one and it worked great.

Well, I have been driving on these long ass 9" shackles for a few months now. Let me tell you guys, they work great. I have been flying around tight twisting mountain roads at 70 and ralley driving down dirt roads with these shackles.
Sure I could have moved the hanger back, and really I still can, but that is just more work. And as I have come to find out, it's more work than its worth. They work great. End of story.

I guess the only down fall is they stick way out. Which in my opinion looks like but. Especially with the 3" bodly lift.

RED 85 · 08-20-2006, 08:06 PM

Gotta have you come over and consult me on doing this to both my 85's. It is sweet work. Oh yeah welcome to Colorado.
Brandi

getitdone · 08-20-2006, 08:20 PM

Thanks, just talk to Ric... he is my agent.

05-29-2006, 09:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	You know, I feel like this is the first REAL mod I have done. It is just the first I have ever done to the suspension. Can't wait to finish the rear and get started on the front!!!! __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

05-29-2006, 09:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
drguitarum2005 Contributing Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston (home), Atlanta (school), Cincinnati (work) Posts: 2,235	i have the chevy spring swap too though don't know enough about how they perform. i wish i knew how to weld and cut like that, beautiful work! __________________ -David 2000 Taco TRD Access Cab v6 \| 5spd \| 33" BFG A/Ts \| 33" PC Mud Terrains \| OME 882's \| Bilstein HD struts front \| Rancho shocks rear \| Chevy 63" leaf spring swap \| Custom sliders \| Custom front bumper \|3" BL \| U-Bolt flip \| Flowmaster exhaust \| Kenwood Speakers \| Grey Wire Mod \| Aux. Reverse Lights \| Deckplate Mod \| Lots of lights Pictures

05-29-2006, 09:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	For cutting I used about 10 cut off wheels for my harbor frieght angle grinder. Everything was from plate. If I had to do it again I would have used square tube for the hanger. Also I would have been more careful as to what kind of metal I was getting out of the scrap bin. See drilling metal for explanation. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig. Last edited by getitdone; 06-18-2006 at 06:05 PM.

05-29-2006, 11:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
drguitarum2005 Contributing Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston (home), Atlanta (school), Cincinnati (work) Posts: 2,235	how would you have used square tube for the hanger? __________________ -David 2000 Taco TRD Access Cab v6 \| 5spd \| 33" BFG A/Ts \| 33" PC Mud Terrains \| OME 882's \| Bilstein HD struts front \| Rancho shocks rear \| Chevy 63" leaf spring swap \| Custom sliders \| Custom front bumper \|3" BL \| U-Bolt flip \| Flowmaster exhaust \| Kenwood Speakers \| Grey Wire Mod \| Aux. Reverse Lights \| Deckplate Mod \| Lots of lights Pictures

05-30-2006, 08:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	Like this. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

05-29-2006, 08:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
garrett1478 Banned Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 0	it's too big and flexes too well. go back to stock.

06-17-2006, 05:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	What the hell? 10 Man points to who ever can specifically say what these little pacman things are. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig. Last edited by getitdone; 06-17-2006 at 08:06 PM.

06-17-2006, 07:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	What, no body has any man juice tonight? Fine I won't update untill someone gets it. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

06-17-2006, 11:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
Napoleon047 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Columbia, MO Posts: 995	they are shock mounts for the u-bolt plates __________________ -Peter 86 4runner SAS - Trail Rig 94 FZJ80 - DD the dirt cheap SAS Marko Customs

06-17-2006, 11:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
Napoleon047 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Columbia, MO Posts: 995	another thing to note: wtf happened to the overload leafs from your stock pack? running without them is no doubt the reason for the failure. using 3.5"^2 X .25" wall tubing for the hangers is definitely the way to go. also, if you need new busings for your chevy springs, napa has them. __________________ -Peter 86 4runner SAS - Trail Rig 94 FZJ80 - DD the dirt cheap SAS Marko Customs

06-18-2006, 06:59 AM	#12 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	10 MAN POINTS FOR PETER! That is exactly what they are. Yep the overload has been out for a while and no doubt the cause of the bent pack. I got new poly bushings from energy suspensions. The part # is in the pirate faq. Pics after work. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

06-18-2006, 05:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	Ok, update. Let me just say something about UHMW-PE(Ultra High Molecular Weight - PolyEthylene) It is used in my pack just like the little teflon pads in normal packs. The UHMW is 30 times slicker and I think its stronger too. I heard about it from an article(posted below) and decided to give it a try. It is pretty cool tech if you ask me. READ THE ARTICLE ABOUT IT LINK This stuff is about 40 bucks for a 50ft roll that I can do BOTH axles with. Ok. Back to my truck. Bam, everything is gone. A king on his throne. Got the springs painted, made some antiwrap leafs out of some yj leafs(far left) and replaced the bottom leaf with another from the chevy pack with clamps. Shot of the clamp and how I beveled each end of the leafs so they would rub smoothly on the uhmw-pe. Beveled. These are the brackets for the shocks. The two pacman ones are for the ubolt flip plate and the triangles fit on my crossmember I made. Welded, cleaned, just painted. All 1/4" thick. Beef. Made this with my left over slider material. The triangles are also 1/4" beef. It sits directly above the axle, welds on top of the frame. My shocks will never break the mounts. I am waiting on the paint to dry up more before I move on. Soon, I will weld on the crossmember and swap out the plates for the ones on the truck now. Pics when it's done. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

06-18-2006, 08:01 PM	#14 (permalink)
animator Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Plano/Dallas TX Posts: 54	Is that a pro mig 135 you're using for the welds?

06-18-2006, 08:57 PM	#15 (permalink)
Napoleon047 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Columbia, MO Posts: 995	just warning you, you will probably hate the shocks angled in that far. their effective dampening will be cut in half. taking a corner at speed and nailing a pothole or a rough spot will be some scary S H I T my friend. __________________ -Peter 86 4runner SAS - Trail Rig 94 FZJ80 - DD the dirt cheap SAS Marko Customs

06-18-2006, 09:25 PM	#16 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	Those welds are made with my lincoln 175pro. Quite a bad ass machine if you ask me. I am actually impressed with how much these things stiffened up the ride. I have been going to work and back(little more than a block) with no shocks now for like 4 days. With the shocks in there I am not bouncing all over the road! But it really seemed to make bumps a bit rougher than the cushy chevies alone. Also it seemed like it limited my flex just a schmidgen. Maybe not, I didn't measure. Pics! These are rancho 5012's by the way. Need to play with the ebrake cable to get it farther away from the shock. You can see the uhmw-pe sandwitched inbetween the leafs here. Still have plenty of flex left in the shocks. Especially drooping. Have at least an inch of shock left to stuff, which is probably like 2 inches of wheel travel. The ride is really good. It handles alot like any truck would. Very predictable. I went down really bumpy roads, over train tracks, down the highway at 75+, and flexed it out. I am very pleased with the work/money put in vs the results. Just love em! __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

06-19-2006, 06:12 AM	#17 (permalink)
Napoleon047 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Columbia, MO Posts: 995	your shocks are upside down, ranchos are supposed to be mounted can down __________________ -Peter 86 4runner SAS - Trail Rig 94 FZJ80 - DD the dirt cheap SAS Marko Customs

06-19-2006, 07:17 AM	#18 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	Does it really matter? I just wanted less unsprung weight. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig. Last edited by getitdone; 07-24-2006 at 09:28 PM.

06-19-2006, 09:06 PM	#19 (permalink)
Napoleon047 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Columbia, MO Posts: 995	when i ran ranchos, they didnt dampen as effectively upside down, something with the valve and the way the oil and gas sits in there. __________________ -Peter 86 4runner SAS - Trail Rig 94 FZJ80 - DD the dirt cheap SAS Marko Customs

06-19-2006, 09:12 PM	#20 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	Hmmm. Well I didn't really make the brackets to fit can down. I think the can will hit the bottom bracket. Oh well I guess now I have to get bilsteins. I think that is right, can up for those and can down for rancho. Wish I would have remembered that before.:pat: __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

06-20-2006, 10:57 PM	#21 (permalink)
montypower Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 297	That's a great swap... Although, the shackle length isn't right... or maybe it's the placement of them. Hmm. Sure beats stock!!!! How is the axle wrap? __________________ www.gitout.com 1986 4runner - Auto - 35s - Fun! - Peter

08-18-2006, 01:07 PM	#22 (permalink)
fnrunner Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Kokomo, IN Posts: 249	I just finished my 63 rears & rears up front swap too...still needs shocks tho. Cool idea for the bottom shock mount, might loose a little stroke if leaves are added, but cool. For the upper I was going to do the same, but between the rails & add longer tabs to give me adjustability for the angle of the shock. Basically weld 4, 6-8" long flats to the tubing with holes spaced ~1" apart. How long are those shackles?? You could've moved the rear hanger back 4"... Clean install non-the-less! __________________ Eric 89 'Runner SR5 - 3.0 / 5 spd / 31x10.50's / TRD Clutch / custom front & rear bumper -everything else, stock for now. Freshly Exo'd 85 'Runner SR5 - Orient reman'd 22RE w/Marlin HD clutch / Rears Up front custom pack, 63 Chevy's / Marlin's Billet 6-shooter arms & hi-steer & IFS box / Cooper 35x12.5s STT's / Custom OD green softtop...PICS

08-20-2006, 06:01 PM	#23 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	The shackles are 9" eye to eye. The reason I didn't relocate the rear hanger is because some people on the pirate thread said they used the longer one and it worked great. Well, I have been driving on these long ass 9" shackles for a few months now. Let me tell you guys, they work great. I have been flying around tight twisting mountain roads at 70 and ralley driving down dirt roads with these shackles. Sure I could have moved the hanger back, and really I still can, but that is just more work. And as I have come to find out, it's more work than its worth. They work great. End of story. I guess the only down fall is they stick way out. Which in my opinion looks like but. Especially with the 3" bodly lift. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

08-20-2006, 08:06 PM	#24 (permalink)
RED 85 Contributing Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 958	Gotta have you come over and consult me on doing this to both my 85's. It is sweet work. Oh yeah welcome to Colorado. Brandi __________________ Brandi You heard of the boy named Sue, Well I'm a man named Brandi! '85 extra cab pick-up, Up on blocks waiting for time and money. '85 4-runner with 3" lift, 33's, 4.88's, rear ARB (still trying to get air to it), Downey intake with K&N filter, some type of header, Camo Int.

08-20-2006, 08:20 PM	#25 (permalink)
getitdone Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ft. Collins, Co Posts: 1,006	Thanks, just talk to Ric... he is my agent. __________________ Chris Fischer 3D 85 4Runner SR5 \| 33" BFG M/T on flat black rims \| Chevy springs \| Custom Grab cage with overhead cb mount \| Custom fabbed center console \| Freshly rebuilt axle with IFS hub/caliper swap \| Rock Sliders \| Lots more... In Colorado, Dig.

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