ToyMachine88

Hello, i dont mean to repeat anything or ask a question that has a simple or already responded to answer but i work 6 days a week and my sundays are eaten up to where i cant sit and search the internet for hours'

Im sure both of my leaf springs are weak but my drivers side has a broken leaf and my shackles look pretty brutal. i was able to bend them back and forth with a slight tap of a hammer. When i bought my parts truck it came with a brand new shackle and hanger plus bushings still in the bag. I have another leaf spring pack that came in the box of my pickup when i bought it so i plan on putting the new shackle and hanger with the new leaf pack on my drivers side. My problem is everytime i search for the shackle for the other side i can only find ones that provide lift which i dont want. they also never have the hanger with them. Im sure i could find what im looking for if i had more time to search but the time i have spent doing even this is valuable sleeptime.
P.S. my boss is making me haul more and more stuff in my tiny toy, i saw some add a leafs and some helper springs not sure which way im gonna go yet any suggestions?

Thank You

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

You can get the rear shackle kits from the dealer if you want to stay stock.

I would be real careful putting a new spring in only one side could cause all sort of handling issues.

Your only about an hour and a half away from me

flg8r22

iTrader: (1)

i have a helper spring and air bags (i keep them around 40psi) on my 86 for hauling heavy stuff. they work great and really didnt lift the truck too much. my pics are dark, not sure if you can see them.

ToyMachine88

nice truck flg - that sounds like a great setup probably what i should get too since i haul alot of heavy constuction materials

yea wyoming i thought the same thing tho dealer parts are usually overpriced i should see how much i can get another leaf spring for

flg8r22

iTrader: (1)

thanks man. it works way harder than i do and never needs a day off

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

Have you searched for the ZUK mod? Check out my signature for the DIY. There are lots of guys here who have done it and love it. $70 for parts and a day long job, if that.


But it sounds like you need new shackles regardless, huh? Trail-gear.com has them:

http://www.trail-gear.com/shackles

You could just get the 5" shackles, which are only 1.5" longer than stock, resulting in less than 1" of lift most likely.

ToyMachine88

thanks for the responces

yea phil looks like trail gears got the parts i need

zuk mod looks interesting but for now i think im just gonna beef up the leaf system

rattlewagon

Which leaf is broken? Main one? I wouldant be driving on it at all, let alone hauling anything with it. I understand you need the truck daily...so be careful. It would be disastrous if that axle let go..say at highway speeds with a full load?

The hanger is welded to the frame of the truck. You shouldant need to replace that. If your looking for more hauling capacity you could always add a couple of your old leaves to the new pack to bulk them up a bit.

Good luck and be save.

ToyMachine88

not the main leaf thats broken, the leaf is broken in the middle right in front of the ubolt so it likes to slide out the side of the pack a bit and when that happens the ride becomes really rough ive been tapping it back into the pack with a hammer to make the ride a little better. I need the hanger too because it looks like its got a bit of a twist in it and if im gonna replace the other stuff i might as well cut that off and put on a new one, ive thought of adding leafs to the new packs but i think i would rather just put on helpers and check into the air bags instead of taking the packs apart, tho if its rather easy i still might thanks for the concern re re

ToyMachine88

when i do this ill post some pics im about the order my other shackle from trail gear along with some vacuum line since im still having the powersurge issue ive had since i bought my truck even after changing just about everything on the truck except vacuum and wiring

rattlewagon

Try putting a hose clamp around that broken leaf to hold it in place, and the leaf packs come are held together with a single bold in the middle of the pack. Wicked easy to take apart.

And with that power serge, my 22re was doing that, I just turned down the idle and it went away

ToyMachine88

good idea on the hose clamp, the powersurge comes only when i have the RPMs up to around 3200-3500, it just opens up like i just got another cylinder running, and it doesnt do it all the time - every now and again it will run great for a day or two and then start the sluggishness again - after changing the engine, air flow box and sensor, coil and ignitor, distributor-wires-plugs, fuel pump-tank-filter-lines, ecu, and other parts it still does it- i never changed any of the vacuum system so thats what im looking into doing next