1987 Chevrolet V20 front leaf spring replacement

[iamtherealJayy]

I just ordered 2.5” lift leaf springs, not a lift kit. I looked up lift shocks and they’re all measured by like extended and compressed lengths

 

[Redfish]

On the Rough Country website they sell the shocks based on the height of the lift kit. I know I have seen other shock brands sold that way. I was just on the ProComp site and it is exactly as you say, a compressed and extended length thing. I can see how that would be confusing.

Hang in there, you are eventually going to get this thing working right. I am looking forward to it.

 

[iamtherealJayy]

I’m really looking forward to it lol. I’m thinking about listing my k10 for sale again once I get it running again lol I want a blazer or suburban next
I have looked at rough country but they’re around $100 for a pair and they look like basic shocks, I kinda wanted shocks with rubber boots(appearance preference)

 

[Grit dog]

Negative ghost rider. I don’t know what length shocks I need so I have not ordered any new ones.

Ditch those old shocks if they're hanging up. You don't "need" shocks on it to do what you're doing. Heck, with brand new springs and a sway bar, you may not miss them for a while! Don't worry about them for now, not part of the equation and the truck will drive fine without them for the time being.

 

[iamtherealJayy]

Truck doesn’t have a sway bar on it it’s sitting in the bed of the truck right now lol. I’m trying to be patient with the parts being delivered lol I can’t wait to finally get my truck back.

 

[mtbadbob]

The steering wheel is probably 75° turned right, almost straight up and down a quarter turn right. And when the wheel is perfectly straight the truck veers slightly left. I do have equal amount of turning from straught to lock left and right, approximately 1-3/4 turns. So around 3-1/2 turns from lock left to lock right. I also noticed if I’m at lock and let go of the wheel(truck not moving) the wheel turns the opposite direction a little bit and straightens back some. So I don’t have to remove the tie rod ends to adjust the drag link? I just have to rotate the sleeve? I guess that makes sense since they’re opposing threads. I need to make mine a tad bit shorter to my under standing to pull the tire to the right a little bit or the wheel to the left. I’m working on sourcing a tube to just replace mine.

I just adjusted my '87 V20, and I turned my adjuster sleeve COUNTER-CLOCKWISE to get the steering wheel to go to the right, so you'd have to rotate your sleeve CLOCK-WISE to get the wheel to go to the left. Mine was about at the "10:30" position when wheels were straight, I ended up turning sleeve close to 3/4 of a turn to get it right. You can also take up steering wheel play with the adjusting allen bolt on the steering box if you weren't already aware. I did that before I adjusted the steering wheel.

 

[Grit dog]

Truck doesn’t have a sway bar on it it’s sitting in the bed of the truck right now lol. I’m trying to be patient with the parts being delivered lol I can’t wait to finally get my truck back.

Ok, it will still drive ok and the shocks are shot if they don't rebound on their own nor will compress.

 

[idahovette]

I just adjusted my '87 V20, and I turned my adjuster sleeve COUNTER-CLOCKWISE to get the steering wheel to go to the right, so you'd have to rotate your sleeve CLOCK-WISE to get the wheel to go to the left. Mine was about at the "10:30" position when wheels were straight, I ended up turning sleeve close to 3/4 of a turn to get it right. You can also take up steering wheel play with the adjusting allen bolt on the steering box if you weren't already aware. I did that before I adjusted the steering wheel.

That depends on the direction the drag link in installed, if it's end for end the other way it will adjust the opposite way.....just saying. I would always loosen the sleeve so it turns freely, then drive it slowly in a straight line, stop, get out and turn the sleeve to adjust the Steering wheel, get back in, drive it, see how it was and go from there.

 

[iamtherealJayy]

I think I’ve got an idea about the steering wheel and drag link, shorter distance would pull wheel left and longer would push wheel to the right? So just look at which way the threads run and make it shorter a smidge. Rest of new tie rods say be here tomorrow so tomorrow I’ll get the front end up on blocks again and finish it all and hopefully have the truck back on the road finally.

 

[Redfish]

I think I’ve got an idea about the steering wheel and drag link, shorter distance would pull wheel left and longer would push wheel to the right? So just look at which way the threads run and make it shorter a smidge. Rest of new tie rods say be here tomorrow so tomorrow I’ll get the front end up on blocks again and finish it all and hopefully have the truck back on the road finally.

If the tires are on the ground, with the ignition key turned on (so the steering wheel won't be locked) just loosen the clamp bolts on the drag link and turn that center tube one way or the other. The steering wheel will turn. If it's going the wrong way, turn the tube the other way. Not Rocket Surgery or Brain Science... wait, never mind.

 

[AuroraGirl]

There are shims to use between the spindle and the housing that will change the camber angles. You need to get a base of what it is now and then get the correct shim to adjust the camber. Both of these methods take time and patience, but in the end you WON'T wear tires. Also take the specs on front end alignment with a grain of salt, there is NO WAY that 1 1/2 degrees of positive camber will NOT wear the outside of the tires, way to much camber! I always went for 0-1/4 degree positive, as much caster as I could get and usually 1/8 to 1/16 toe in. Worked for me for 50 years!!!

I believe this method is best to my understanding if the ball joints themselves would be put in a bind or impede proper travel with the inserts that were mentioned before. I know its not like end of world critical but when using shims and inserts etc one could possibly put a ball joint in a spot where grease cant distribute but i doubt hes got any of those worries. I wouldnt be worried about the camber too much if hes putting new components and trying to get on the road. If he puts it together, gets it close, then a shop once he goes for alignment cant align without something else, then I would be concerned about all that haha!

 

[iamtherealJayy]

I have new ball joints sitting here but had no intent of replacing since mine look perfectly fine and don’t move around. If the alignment shop thinks I need them I’ll replace them but I do not like taking the hun apart on these trucks. Dislike it almost enough to pay someone else to do it and I despise having someone else’s work. Too many factors.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I have new ball joints sitting here but had no intent of replacing since mine look perfectly fine and don’t move around. If the alignment shop thinks I need them I’ll replace them but I do not like taking the hun apart on these trucks. Dislike it almost enough to pay someone else to do it and I despise having someone else’s work. Too many factors.

The ball joints are okay most likely, the things we were talking about were correcting camber if you happened ot have out of spec camber. There are 2 easy ways to adjust it if you otherwise dont have worn parts

Shim the spindle or whatever the other guy said, to change the angle that the hub and then the wheels would be at

or using a bushing/insert/ball joint sleeve that that would place the ball joints in with a different angle/position which you would attempt to kick out the top or kick out the bottom depending on the camber correction needed

Without you attempting to have it aligned by a shop, I wouldnt worry about the camber too much. just get your wheels close and your steering wheel proper so your turn signal and the rotations etc all work right, then once its all looking to be done needing parts or whatever, go for an alignment. if they said you need corrections then it would be time to worry about the pesky details

 

[iamtherealJayy]

USPS got lost I reckon my package never came and now doesn’t have an expected date still just says in transit to next facility. It’s hard being patient lol

 

[AuroraGirl]

USPS got lost I reckon my package never came and now doesn’t have an expected date still just says in transit to next facility. It’s hard being patient lol

giant snow storms hit a lot of stuff yesterday it may be delayed because ofthat