Swapping rear springs up front...

[CableRunner88]

Alright I have heard of it being done... and I would like to know what the pros and cons of swapping the rear springs up front??? actually any info on this would be nice...

[WHITE_TRASH]

The con (yes singular) is that you have to play with the springs a bit to get them to your personal liking. ie, if you just toss them in they will too soft.  So you have to play around with what leafs you ad and where inthe pack you put them.  There are way too many pro's to not do it.  Oh yea you'll need loger shocks and crossover steering to use the springs effectively.

[MiniSimp]

I highly recommend you read through this:

Rears up front FAQ

[mr4x42u]

I ran banna shackles on my 4runner..This way I did not have to cut my body mounts..The rears are 2 inch longer so it worked great..

[GRM]

I run conferr shackles and I didnt have to cut my body mount

Also you have to run at least a 4" long eye to eye shackle if you dont move the front hanger forward.

[mr4x42u]

Mine would hit..but thats because its on a runner and not a truck..

[WHITE_TRASH]

I just cut the rea part of the body mount off and reinforced the area round the cut purtion.

[mr4x42u]

I just cut the rea part of the body mount off and reinforced the area round the cut purtion.

I thought it was just as easy to change the shackles over cutting and welding..

[WHITE_TRASH]

Homeade shackles are nearly free so was my time then.  Remember Im generally a super cheap ass....

[mr4x42u]

I hear ya squeaky

[CableRunner88]

What spring pack arrangements are most popular or what are you guys using?

[Volcom]

What spring pack arrangements are most popular or what are you guys using?

I'll have two rear packs to play with so this is a great question.  What's the best way to cut a leaf down?  I've heard spring steel is kinda tough to drill and cut though.

[MiniSimp]

I used a Makita dry cut saw to cut the springs, clamp the spring vertical in the vice, it is easier on the blade and the saw.

Specs:
1st leaf: 85 1st leaf
2nd leaf: 85 2nd leaf
3rd leaf: 85 3rd leaf
4th leaf: 85 1st leaf cut down 3" shorter than 3rd leaf
5th leaf: 85 3rd leaf cut down 3" shorter than 4th leaf
6th leaf: AAL

[GRM]

Mine would hit..but thats because its on a runner and not a truck..

Mines a 4runner too.

My current setup is 83 main leaf, mil wrap, and 3rd leaf. 4th and 5th leaf are cut down 84 rear springs. I am about to toss a full lenth 84 main leaf undert the mil wrap leaf to add more spring rate.

[CableRunner88]

I used a Makita dry cut saw to cut the springs, clamp the spring vertical in the vice, it is easier on the blade and the saw.

Specs:
1st leaf: 85 1st leaf
2nd leaf: 85 2nd leaf
3rd leaf: 85 3rd leaf
4th leaf: 85 1st leaf cut down 3" shorter than 3rd leaf
5th leaf: 85 3rd leaf cut down 3" shorter than 4th leaf
6th leaf: AAL

AAL?

[Hyena]

I actually moved my front spring bolt back about an inch.  My 2 inch lift shackle hits the frame under full compression.  Right when the spring goes flat the shackles nudges the frame, not the body mount.  I want to get some banana shackles later.

[MiniSimp]

AAL?

Add A Leaf

[CableRunner88]

MiniSimp how much lift and travel do you get with your setup?
Im looking at using yours or a similar spring pack with boomerang shackles and highsteer...
How does that sound?

[MiniSimp]

Sounds good.
I'll let you know how they work as soon as I can afford the crossover steering.

Should be soon.....or soonish.

[tanman2003]

anyone getting 4" of lift with rears up front in the stock hangers?

if so what mix of springs ?

[Volcom]

I ran banna shackles on my 4runner..This way I did not have to cut my body mounts..The rears are 2 inch longer so it worked great..

Do you have any more pics of the front springs?  How much lift did you get out of your setup? 

[kneedownnate]

OHHHH,  I see now, seems somebody told me 2wd rears would pretty much drop right in and add 2" lift.  All this jumbling of leaves brings me to an idea I've had for a while; I've never seen a tool that measures spring rate, but have come up with an idea to make one that we all could use affordably at home.  I'll hafta build a prototype and maybe let a friend use it at his shop, then maybe contact somebody like Marlin to see if he'd wanna distribute it.  Anyway, keep it comin, and I'm now glad I didn't have the time this weekend to put the 87 rears under the 80....

[mr4x42u]

its hard to say how much lift I got..with fender trim and the springs and shackles I clear 36 irocks on a 10 in wheel..Its really nice to have the axle moved 2 inches forward with the rear springs..

I used all 4 of the 84 runner rear springs..I then added in 2 leafs from a downey 2 in lift pack..
I took all the spring apart and set them according to arch and length..top leaf and milatary wrap on top,,thenI think I added a downer leaf,,then the other rear stock spring and one more downey spring..I cut them so I had about 2 inches  of over hang before the next spring started..I cut the over loads off on one side and used those on the bottom..I bought a universal spring clamp and clamped the springs together at the over load..It still gets flex but really helped axle wrap..

here are the best pics of the springs I have..you can see the over lap I was talking about..I used a chop saw to cut the springs..




as you can see even with the springs clamped to the overload I have no issue with flex..BONUS minimal axle wrap..


with the 63 inch chevies out back with no clamps,,no over loads,,no blocks and I do have a track bar the back is really nice too..

[lowgeared]

I added two front leaves into my rear springs on the front.  About 3 inches of lift and super flexy.

[tanman2003]

its hard to say how much lift I got..with fender trim and the springs and shackles I clear 36 irocks on a 10 in wheel..Its really nice to have the axle moved 2 inches forward with the rear springs..

I used all 4 of the 84 runner rear springs..I then added in 2 leafs from a downey 2 in lift pack..
I took all the spring apart and set them according to arch and length..top leaf and milatary wrap on top,,thenI think I added a downer leaf,,then the other rear stock spring and one more downey spring..I cut them so I had about 2 inches of over hang before the next spring started..I cut the over loads off on one side and used those on the bottom..I bought a universal spring clamp and clamped the springs together at the over load..It still gets flex but really helped axle wrap..

here are the best pics of the springs I have..you can see the over lap I was talking about..I used a chop saw to cut the springs..




as you can see even with the springs clamped to the overload I have no issue with flex..BONUS minimal axle wrap..

with the 63 inch chevies out back with no clamps,,no over loads,,no blocks and I do have a track bar the back is really nice too..

looks like your running stock hangers. any problems with pitman arm, and draglink clearance on fulll driverside compression? how far forward is your steering box?

[Volcom]

I added two front leaves into my rear springs on the front.  About 3 inches of lift and super flexy.

How is your pack setup?  Where did you place your front leaves in relation to the rear pack?

[mr4x42u]

looks like your running stock hangers. any problems with pitman arm, and draglink clearance on fulll driverside compression? how far forward is your steering box?

I moved the steering box a few inches forward..I had to cut a little of the body to let it poke through..yea,,i am still running the sock hangers..
My front springs would hit the steering box nut that hod the pitman arm on under full flex..That was fixed with a bumpstaop..My springs still go a bit on the negitive side but thats ok..it don't seem to bother them in the least..Other then that I have no issues..

[MiniSimp]

What about the front hanger bolt?
Are you using the stock bolt or did you have to modify it?

[lowgeared]

I just pulled two long springs out of the old front packs and sandwiched them into the rears.  I am not one to switch leaves around until I'm blue in the face.  I just ran what I thought would work and it works.  I also used relocation plates to move the axle back as I really didn't like how far it moved the axle forward on the leaves.  I prefer the axle to sit more to the center of the pack.  I have lots of rigs and have done a litle experimenting with coils, buggies, and Wrangler springs.  Good luck!

[mr4x42u]

What about the front hanger bolt?
Are you using the stock bolt or did you have to modify it?

stocker bolt..