Rear Springs

[blohmiller]

my stock rear has 9 leaves on each side

If any one want the whole thing rear end N springs $50 and you pick up it's yours

Bryan

[Vintrader]

Remove the rear springs and turn them upside down on a level surface. Now measure the center of spring to ground. They should be the same. If you want to drop the truck 2" put spring in a press and gently bend in about 6 places until you are 2" lower. Thats how spring shops rearch them.

Now here is a fella that's a thinkin.......This is why I love this forum. Now for my 2 cents. I guess there are two ways to look at this, If you want your truck to be and look stock as a work truck then the rear should be higher than the front. On the other hand if a level look and a softer ride is the goal then "billwillard" seems to have the solution that makes the most sense to me. I have had springs Re-Arched in the past but it was allways to get them back to original, not to take the arch out. But I would guess they can go both ways. The cost was only around $100 a pair. For me that was money well spent. As far as the issue of level from left to right go's we should remember that some of these trucks have been used as trucks, and been worked hard. An inch or two off level one side to the other could be a in number of places that are just a little off that are all adding up. I know at least for my self, after 54 years " I'm a little cattywampus" now there's a word for ya..........

Just my two cents.

Dutch

[Reg Evans]

My 52 1/2 ton has always sagged to the drivers side about an inch. I cured this accidentally by installing the spare tire on the passenger bed side.

I also had a 40 Plymouth that had the same sag on the drivers side. I leveled this car up by installing an air shock on the drivers side and pumping it up until it was level.

Yes....I'm cheap and chintzy.

[Fernando Mendes]

Remove the rear & front springs and turn them upside down on a level surface. Now measure the center of spring to ground. They should be the same.If they aren't the same, rearch all the leaves in a proper machine.

[Dave72dt]

I 'd be more curious of how far the springs will compress or flatten out with a know pressure or weight applied to them Are the tension rates the same. I tend to believe, but have no proof, that rearcing is a temperary fix and the leaves will once again sag after a period of time.

[Reg Evans]

Remove the rear & front springs and turn them upside down on a level surface. Now measure the center of spring to ground. They should be the same.If they aren't the same, rearch all the leaves in a proper machine.

This kind Fernando.

[Fernando Mendes]

I 'd be more curious of how far the springs will compress or flatten out with a know pressure or weight applied to them Are the tension rates the same. I tend to believe, but have no proof, that rearching is a temperary fix and the leaves will once again sag after a period of time.

Dave72dt,did you know about springs pressure machine?When you know it,you will get the answers(proofs) you want "pressure or weight applied","tension rates" and "rearching is a temporary fix"......

[Fernando Mendes]

This is my situation now.Next tuesday I & my friend will remove all the springs in two days of work.He works in a spring shop.In four pics we see the following situation:Pic nº 208-front left-not original 8 leaves,pic nº 209-front right-think it is all original 10 leaves,because the leaves are very thin,pic nº 210-rear right-not original 7 leaves,pic nº 211-rear left-not original 6 leaves.Any B3-B springs original pics to help me is welcome until next tuesday.I intend to photograph all the job to transmit to all of this forum.Thanks.

[pflaming]

Studying this thread the springs have 7 - 9 leaves in them. I just recounted mine and have only five (5) front and rear. The front spring shackles is to the back and the steering arm is parallel to the axle. Some even have overload springs, not mine. After this reading I am not going to change anything until I drive it. It may have a nice soft ride. . .

I have not seen any five leaf springs in other threads, maybe missed a few. When new was there a choice between 'light duty' / 'heavy duty'?