Rears+Fronts up front! (my try at flex pics... only place i could find!)

[milla85]

I am always reading and seeing how well the rears up front..... but i always get shut down by the lack of hysteer on my rig. So after collecting springs for a couple of mounths i finally had enough to start my version of rears up front. I started with a set of 86 rears, 83 rears and 83 fronts. And just started cutting and measuring and this is what was laying on the ground by 1am that morning. Have not put them on yet to see how they work. Am thinking i might have to drop a leaf or 2 due to the thicker stock fronts in the pack. I just thought i would shave some pics with yall and maby some other poor people that cant afford hysteer might give this a try. I will post pics of how they work when i get them in. Ohh yeah does anyone know where i should put another spring clamp? cool!!!!!  thanks - Nick                

[6.72:1]

Cool.

[milla85]

If i am going to be using the stock hanger how long shoild i make my front shackels? i was thinking like 5 or 5.5 eye to eye?

[6.72:1]

5.5 sounds good.

[mado13]

try them out... you could delay some serious damage to my wallet if these work!!!!!!

[6.72:1]

try them out... you could delay some serious damage to my wallet if these work!!!!!!

Haha...I've been there.

Still there in fact!

[milla85]

try them out... you could delay some serious damage to my wallet if these work!!!!!!

Yeah man! The wallet damage is pretty permnant for the time being, so if they work ok it should be pretty cool, and if they dont... well it was fun making them! I was looking forward to some imput from some people that have done the rears up front and have made a few packs.

[jimbo74]

what did you use to cut the springs down? jsut a grinder? cutoff wheel? or a chopsaw?

[milla85]

Chopsaw!

[CTENG in KS]

Nice...before you install those, if you want to clean them up a quick hit with wire wheel and that hammer tone paint werks GREAT for springs.  The hammer tone stuff will flex with the springs without cracking all over the place.

[milla85]

Yeah i am goin gto clen them up, my buddie has a motor shop so we are going to take them apart and glass bead them and hot tank them and hit em with some paint then good to go!

[Ramrod]

another alternative to this spring setup is a set of 7 leaf wagoneer springs

[All_Set]

Looks good.  I know you're not done, but you will want to spring clamp those lower 3 or 4 longer leaves that are not clamped already.  They will twist out on you and can become your new wheel stops.

[86gatoy]

looks like a good set..never heard of anyone using stock front springs in a RUF spring pack..wish i could find a set or first gen. springs around here so i dont have to down size the spring bolt..

1st gens have 18mm bushings
2nd&3rd have 14mm bushings

BTW did you reuse the old spring pin ?? i cant find new ones anywhere

[Ramrod]

just use a normal 1/2" or 9/16" bolt and you wont have to worry about downsizing if you buy the right size

[alwayzbroken]

another alternative to this spring setup is a set of 7 leaf wagoneer springs

You use the rear wagoneer pack right?

[yotadork83]

You use the rear wagoneer pack right?

yeah done it  works awsome with the execption of the non military wrap on the main leaf

[toyo487]

Nice work they look good, I wonder how much lift they will give you.  yotaboy79 did something similar to this and it worked awesome, they gave it a small lift and they flexed really good for something that was basically free.  Now I believe he runs the wagoner springs up front.  I'm looking forward to seeing the out come of these springs.

[milla85]

I have a few questions!

What size marlin shock hoops do i get if i dont want to cut my inner fender? is there such a thing?
How long of shocks should i get? I think i am going to get some es3000 due to the wallet  ! I dont know how to order them from like 4wheelparts it dosnt give me a option of how long.
I got metal for shackels today and i was thinking of 5.5 eye to eye but i want  some more imput. Is 5.5 going to be to long?
Oh and for all you pictures lovers  out there the springs should be on some time this week! so stay tuned. - Nick 

[milla85]

Any help?

[Ramrod]

you could just use the stock shock mounts and ask for shocks for a truck with a 4" lift or something

[Tallchevy]

The longer the shackle is up front, the more the pinion angle gets pushed down. Make sure you put degree shims in to keep the pinion up towards the transfer case.

[milla85]

you could just use the stock shock mounts and ask for shocks for a truck with a 4" lift or something

Yeah! The reason i was thinking longer shock hoops because i thought the stock ones would limit suspension travel. But i guess your are right its not like i am "rock crawling" more of a DD/exploring rig. Should my version of rears up front be abil to max a the shock on droop with the stock shock tower? Maby i should just put the damn things on and stop asking so many questions! 

The longer the shackle is up front, the more the pinion angle gets pushed down. Make sure you put degree shims in to keep the pinion up towards the transfer case.

Where can i get degree shims? And how mang degrees of shim should i get? Will putting the shims in make the axle side of the shock mount at a funny angle compared to the top, like put the shocks in a bind?

U bolts. I need longer u bolts for the front but i dont think i can use marlins flip kit because i dont have hysteer so i am looking for longer U bolts i can use. Is there a place that sells longer U bolts say for a block lift i could use for the front? Or would a U bolt flip kit work on the front if i flip my j arm ball? If none of that stuff works my dad made u bolts for his 1.5 ton flat bed and they seem to be strong enough so i might try that out. Sorry for asking so many questions, but i just want to try and do my stuff the right way the frist time!

         Thanks, Nick               

[yotaboy79]

did you use the stock front mainleaf and military wrap leaf as the start to the pack? if so you dont have a need for longer shackles it will just make your shackle angle worse and probably negatively affect performance try the stock shackels first if they hit the frame then use longer shackles, and if it does turn out to flex pritty good with these springs id put a limiting strap on the drivers side to limit the down travel so it doesnt put pressure on the j arm because it will snap. i used to run a similar set up but with a few less leafs because i only wanted to level it out the front sagged very bad but it also wound up flexing realy well for a stock truck

[yotaboy79]

also napa will normaly make custom u-bolts
also eather tonight or tomarrow ill go measure the shocks i used with that set up and let you know they worked out about perfect with the stock mounts so they didnt bottom out bad and they where just long enouph

[milla85]

did you use the stock front mainleaf and military wrap leaf as the start to the pack? if so you dont have a need for longer shackles it will just make your shackle angle worse and probably negatively affect performance try the stock shackels first if they hit the frame then use longer shackles, and if it does turn out to flex pritty good with these springs id put a limiting strap on the drivers side to limit the down travel so it doesnt put pressure on the j arm because it will snap. i used to run a similar set up but with a few less leafs because i only wanted to level it out the front sagged very bad but it also wound up flexing realy well for a stock truck

Yeah i used the stock main and mil wrap for the start of the pack. Your pack was made with less leafs, how did it ride? was it softer or about the same as stock but sitting level. I am worried about my pack that it might be to stiff with the stock main and mil fronts. Would you happen to have any pictures of you packs in action? Did they flex noticiably more? Sweet man thanks for all the help!!! "you da man"  Oh yeah get back about thoes shocks.

    thanks again - Nick

[yotaboy79]

ok heres the specs on the shocks i used i measured from the center of the bottom eyelet to the top of the lower bushing on the upper shaft extended they where 21 1/2 and collapsed they where 13 7/8 and i believe the part # on the shock it's self was 0157w2 they where rancho rs5000 they would stop the down travel right befor the stock brake line got tight om my 79 im still looking for some pics it was a couple years ago when i was running that settup and i remember taking pics so ill find them sooner or later
oh and i was running six leafs in the packs it looks like you have 7 leafs i dont think they will be to stiff for ya

[toyo487]

here are some pics of yotaboy79's truck with the springs that he made.

[yotaboy79]

nope those are the rong ones those where with the first rear up front pack i built

[milla85]

Well do the ones you are talking about flex better?