suspension

[mhagie]

Has anyone ever experimented on the spring configuration on a 73-87 1/2t 4x4?
My 80 has 3 leafs up front and 6 plus the fat one on the bottom at the rear.
This truck rides like crap,its great on blacktop but hit concrete and it will bounce your fillings loose.
I am willing to remove some leafs but am not sure as to quantity or if it would even help enough to make it worthwhile.
Running 31x10.50x15 tires @ 30 psi.
Suggestions are appreciated..........Merle

[dieselcrawler]

I dunno about stock springs, but I've had good luck, and meny compliments on how smooth my truck rides with Superlift Soft ride springs, front and back.
However, I'm not sure if you can get softride springs without getting a few inches of lift, as in, stock hights. If you take out some springs, with the stock spring packs, you're gonna drop the truck some. You might find something like a 2 inch lift, not hurt how tall the truck is (if you're worried about it) and get a better ride.
The right shocks help also, if you get an adjustable one you can tune them to your favorite settings...
Good luck...
Greg

[Stray Cat]

I have a 1983 K20 Suburban. I had the weak three spring set-up up front initially. I went to a 2 1/2 inch lift to get the sturdier 5 leaf pack up front & added Rancho 5000 shocks all the way around. Didnt mess with the rear springs, just added the lift blocks. It rides like a dream...my wife calls it a 4WD Cadillac! It was rough before the kit, but it was in the soft front springs, not the sturdy rear springs.

[JeepSJ]

Back in my 4wd shop days, we sold lots of the Rancho 2.5" kits to people who were looking for a better ride from their straight axle GM 4x4. Those springs ride much better than stock. We also found that the ProComp ES3000 shocks are softer than Rancho RS5000 (the ProComp springs are crap).

[arveetek]

Yep, my '86 k-10 rode much worse than my C-20! You'd think the 3/4 ton would be worse, but such was not the case.

I, too, agree that it is the front springs that cause all the problems. I wouldn't really call them "springs." That implies that they move up and down! ;) My front springs didn't have enough movement up or down to take any of the road shocks out.

I never did change the front end before I sold it. However, I believe that if the front springs were changed out, I would think you would have a much better ride.

Casey