A couple questions

[Schepacarter]

Hey Guys. Just bought a 78 k10 silverado. Sitting on 1 tons and a 6 inch lift. When I bought it, the guy told me that the shackle up front was straight? And can't be. Needed new shackles. Also, the u bolts on the rear aren't exactly straight up and down. I was told that it just needed a 1 ton block? In order to straighten them out. This is my first lifted truck, and as sad as it sounds, I can rebuild the motor but don't know much about the suspension. Any help would be much appreciated. I need to use it as a daily and would really like to get her safe for the road. Thank you.

 

[Stroked]

On the rear, when you say not exactly straight, do you mean that the spring perches on the axles don't line up with the springs?

 

[hirschdalechevy]

Hey Guys. Just bought a 78 k10 silverado. Sitting on 1 tons and a 6 inch lift. When I bought it, the guy told me that the shackle up front was straight? And can't be. Needed new shackles. Also, the u bolts on the rear aren't exactly straight up and down. I was told that it just needed a 1 ton block? In order to straighten them out. This is my first lifted truck, and as sad as it sounds, I can rebuild the motor but don't know much about the suspension. Any help would be much appreciated. I need to use it as a daily and would really like to get her safe for the road. Thank you.

I am not getting the shackle thing up front , (we need pic's).

As for the rear , a lot bone heads swap in 14 bolts in half tons with out swaping out the half ton top plates which makes the u-bolts all angle in to get through the half ton top plates.

But again we need pic's to be sure whats going on here.

Also , if it is 1 ton stuff it will have a dana 60 up front , not a 44 or 10 bolt , (rear's) are the same.

 

[hirschdalechevy]

OHH sorry , welcome to the fourm

 

[Schepacarter]

Thanks guys. I'll get pictures as soon as I can. Where can I get the one ton plates from? That's what I believe it is, but I can't find them anywhere.

 

[GreaseDog]

Www.DIY4X.com

 

[MrMarty51]

Welcome to the forum.
If front shackles is crooked, probably means they are either bent or, the bushings is bad

 

[chevyk10]

We can definitely help you with a few pics


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[bucket]

As for the rear , a lot bone heads swap in 14 bolts in half tons with out swaping out the half ton top plates which makes the u-bolts all angle in to get through the half ton top plates.

I've done this, but it was with lift blocks and thick spring packs. The u-bolt is long enough that it is very easy to squeeze them by hand and use the 1/2 ton plates. It's not noticeable when you look under the truck. And I'm sure at some point I'll do it again too, lol.

 

[GreaseDog]

I've done this, but it was with lift blocks and thick spring packs. The u-bolt is long enough that it is very easy to squeeze them by hand and use the 1/2 ton plates. It's not noticeable when you look under the truck. And I'm sure at some point I'll do it again too, lol.

and it will be just as wrong when you do it. If the plates have the ubolts are on an angle, you're not only putting a tension load on them, but a lateral load as well. Not a good situation.

 

[chevyk10]

I never liked when people do such iffy work. Just do it right the first time and you'll thank yourself later.


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[bucket]

and it will be just as wrong when you do it. If the plates have the ubolts are on an angle, you're not only putting a tension load on them, but a lateral load as well. Not a good situation.

Not at an angle, just slightly squeezed. The side load put on them is non-existent when compared to bending them in a U shape to begin with.

 

[chevyk10]

It's 3 5/8 round bend vs 3" round. Not a setup I ever like to use. But I did suspensions for 20 years.


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[bucket]

It's 3 5/8 round bend vs 3" round. Not a setup I ever like to use. But I did suspensions for 20 years.


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3 3/8 on the axle and 3 inch plates, and the u-bolts are like 11 inches long. The u-bolts were sized for the axle housing. So what I'm saying is, the u-bolt is bent 180 degrees when it is made, the amount they are squeezed is 3 to 4 more degrees (rough estimate, I did not measure), so is there really a big difference between 180* and 184*? By design, u-bolts bend and stretch some which is why they are not reusable, so this should be within the limits of their design. My skinny little hands could squeeze them enough, there couldn't be excessive side loads, right? Is there something wrong with my thinking?

And just to be clear, I would never do this with a stock length u-bolt. It would be clearly too much angle on the u-bolt, and also way too much angle for the washers to properly seat against the plate.

 

[chevyk10]

3 3/8 on the axle and 3 inch plates, and the u-bolts are like 11 inches long. The u-bolts were sized for the axle housing. So what I'm saying is, the u-bolt is bent 180 degrees when it is made, the amount they are squeezed is 3 to 4 more degrees (rough estimate, I did not measure), so is there really a big difference between 180* and 184*? By design, u-bolts bend and stretch some which is why they are not reusable, so this should be within the limits of their design. My skinny little hands could squeeze them enough, there couldn't be excessive side loads, right? Is there something wrong with my thinking?

And just to be clear, I would never do this with a stock length u-bolt. It would be clearly too much angle on the u-bolt, and also way too much angle for the washers to properly seat against the plate.

If it's new it will hold okay. It's just not the kind of work that I do. I've bent many of them and again they will hold but not on my truck.