What year Chevys does the 63'' Leaf Springs come off of. Do I have to do any fabrication to get the to fit. Also what is the best way to lift the front end on a 87 4runner.

 

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...threadid=20665

Some fabrication is required, yes. Springs are longer so perches have to be welded.

 

Depends on what you want to do with it, and who you talk to.

If you're gonna crawl it, most say SAS is the only way to go. If you aren't gonna wheel it too hard, an IFS bracket or BJ spacer lift would work. Lotsa info and lots of opinions on the subject in the YT archives...

 

88-98 1500 2wd springs. 2wd are 3 leafs + over load. HD trucks like the 2500 and up will have 4-6 + over load leaf and 4wd start at 4 leafs and go up to 6 leafs depending on setup. You can use the 99-current springs but might not get the same hight as the older springs. The newer chevy trucks use 2 leafs both 2wd and 4wd plus a block(which is total BS for a manufacture to use). I would guess if you used a 99-up springs you'd need an add-a-leaf or re-arched lift springs or blocks.

Also mount the front hanger 11 1/2" forward and the rear shackle mount 4 1/2" back. All the online info states 11" and 4" but that doesn't work well on the 84-88 trucks/4runners. Pick up a 4* castor shim to correct the pinion angle. Also I found a 7" hole to hole shackle works better than the advertised 6" when a new rear mount it used. If you use the stock rear shackle mount you'll need at least a 9" hole to hole shackle. Just whatever you do DO NOT USE A DOUBLE SHACKLE!

Oh and the 91-98 springs are IMO made better than the 88-90 springs, the newer ones use anti-sweek pads.

 

I'll show some pictures of my setup, which is still a work in progess, as soon as the weather gets better.

 

Dont do it its not worth the headache

 

So are the Chevy springs better or worst and whats the best way to lift the rear is they are worse

 

Eh? why have you even done it?? Any other spring upgrades, marlin, trail gear, etc. all require welding at least new forward mounts. IF you can measure and get your axle centered to you liking, there are no headaches with the chevy springs. The swap is very very simple, no headaches. Chevy spring pairs can be had at the junk yard for under $75, new front hangers $45, rear shackle mounts $35, 4* pinion shim $20, shackels $45 and depending on spring/shock mounts a u-bolt flip or just new u-bolts if your re-using the stock mounts like me $40. Where is the headache?? Taking it to my welder and paying him $40 to weld the mounts?? Nope. I say for the gains of globs of wheels travel and a hell-of-a smooth ride it was well worth the little time and money. I actually only paided $40 for my springs at the junk yard so if you do it well, the swap can cost from $225-$300 and replacement springs can be bought over and over for cheap.

 

yes I have ran them and they hung up on anything and everything that was on the trail, the only way they flex better is with the dual shackle setup that will unload when you don't want it to, the toyota rears flex just as good with minor modifications.
For a little extra you can buy a complete kit for the rear.


Its not the installation thats the headache that stuff is easy

 

Also are you trying to get lift or flex

 

I'm looking for both but mostly lift.

 

I've talked to a few guy running them, and they really like them, but there is a general consencus: if you just want lift, it's a bad way.

Most reports I've read(and seen) are that if the springs you get are new, then you will get some lift 1-3" range. But if you're getting old junk yard springs they flex great, but give you little to no lift.

I'm planning on doing this swap myself once my truck is running again.

 

When I did it I got new springs. The springs alone give a 2 inch lift. Add some longer shackles and you can get more. I have about 5 inches due to the longer shackles I'm using. Chevy springs give you a better ride and more flex over stock springs. Just read everything on the pirate write-up and you will be-able to get them on in a rather short amount of time.

 

hmm. heated debate we've got going here. id say, read the pirate forum, lots of good info. and it depends on who you ask. im sure a ford guy will say use every thing ford. but either way, (for the sake of all projects and the growth of this and every yota forum) use what you know, use what you've got, what's close by and make it work for you. personally im going to get the 63" leafs from my dads friends wrecker yard, and order new shackles and mounts and do a bunch of welding because, it doesnt matter about headaches, the more the better, it just means ill have lots of hurdles to overcome and more to be proud of.

 

 

IMO there is no good way to gain more than an inch of so lift on the front of an IFS rig. The best way, IMO, to gain that inch, is to use ball joint spacers and then relax the torsion bars half an inch or so. Seems like any more than an inch and a) the ride sucks b) the steering components wear out fast c) the CV boots wear (unless you have manual hubs). IFS just doesn't lend itself well to being lifted, or flexing much either for that matter. The get the most flex out of the front, add BJ spacers, relax the torsion bars half an inch, add slightly longer front shocks and make front swaybar disconnects.

When I added flexier rear springs on my 4Runner, it was almost as if the rear wasn't forcing the front to flex as much so that the rear just ended up doing all the flexing.

 

I got about 3" lift out of mine. Its pretty straight forward if you can cut/grind weld.



Bj spacers or blazeland up front. Avoid drop brackets.