REMOVE a leaf?? or, How to Lower a 4" lift to stock height

[MannyDantyla]

I think I want to lower my SWB K10 and put on smaller tires. The first step will be get some 31" or 32" tires. I believe stock was 29/30" and they say 33" could barely fit with stock height. Won't be hard. I'll buy new shocks, I don't want to buy new leaf packs, hoping to use whats on there now as I think they're in good shape still.

The rear is obvious: remove the 4" lift blocks. On my truck, this will be a good thing as the 4" blocks on there now where cobbled together by the PO with a section of C-channel with a piece of diamond plate welded to make it rectangular. On the passenger side, it's actually buckling a little.

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The front: this is where I need your guys help.

I'm hoping I can "remove a leaf" if there is such a thing. I understand it could be a trial and error process. However, despite the fact that the rear lift was hacked together, it actually looks like the front was done with new leafs rather than add-a-leaf. Also, the suspension feels pretty good.

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So what do you guys think? Can a leaf be removed to lower it, will I have to buy new leafs? And if I do have to buy, then from where? It's hard to find stock-height leaf springs! lol

BTW, here is the way the lift looks now. Yeah I know, it does look really good with the lift and 35" tires, but, it's not what I have in mind for my tuck.

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[Skweegle89]

Rock auto has new springs. You could always hit the scrap yard and see if you could find a decent pair. New stock springs are stupid expensive.


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[chengny]

My knowledge of leaf spring suspension systems is extremely limited, so I am going way out on a limb here:

Your truck looks to be level now.

If you drop the rear end 4 inches, and remove one leaf up front (what is that 3/8") - the difference in height will noticeable. Even if you are hoping to get some droop up front - from the sag due to the leaf removal - I don't think it will even you out.

Have you considered flipping the front spring stacks. I am not sure about your truck, but from what I have seen, those front leaf springs should have a slight negative arch. Is it possible that they were installed upside down intentionally?

Consider flipping them over and see what you look like.

You could remove a leaf, I have done it (actually renewed several cracked leafs - never removed a leaf without replacing it) and it's not all that hard. But you will also loose some weight capacity.

Either way the springs will have to come out.

If you flip them over and that levels you out - you're done. If not - and you go too low - well...you didn't cause any harm and can still try the leaf removal method.

 

[MannyDantyla]

Thanks for the tip. Yeah rockauto has stock springs, first I've been able to find, but still surprisingly expensive. I might try and remove one of the 4 leafs, see how level it brings the truck with no blocks in the back. But handling could be ruined. Possibly. Might have to bight the bullet and buy new leaf springs.

Oh, and the leaf pack thickness is 1.5" with 4 leafs. They got to be new, ya think?

 

[MannyDantyla]

My knowledge of leaf spring suspension systems is extremely limited, so I am going way out on a limb here:

Your truck looks to be level now.

If you drop the rear end 4 inches, and remove one leaf up front (what is that 3/8") - the difference in height will noticeable. Even if you are hoping to get some droop up front - from the sag due to the leaf removal - I don't think it will even you out.

Have you considered flipping the front spring stacks. I am not sure about your truck, but from what I have seen, those front leaf springs should have a slight negative arch. Is it possible that they were installed upside down intentionally?

Consider flipping them over and see what you look like.

You could remove a leaf, I have done it (actually renewed several cracked leafs - never removed a leaf without replacing it) and it's not all that hard. But you will also loose some weight capacity.

Either way the springs will have to come out.

If you flip them over and that levels you out - you're done. If not - and you go too low - well...you didn't cause any harm and can still try the leaf removal method.

Well you still know more than me, lol.

Hmm.. flipping the springs upside down.. yeah that would be a easy, awesome solution. But is that possible on a 4x4?.

 

[chengny]

It probably not a 2WD/4WD issue.

But it's doubtful that you could flip them anyway. I just looked closely at your springs and they are configured like rear springs - a stack of leafs that get progressively longer from the bottom to the top.

I am pretty sure that if you have that style, they need to be stacked like that.

The front leaf springs on my trucks are stock and they are not configured the way yours are. On mine, the leaves that make up the fronts are all the same length. Well, all except for the top one. That one is just a bit longer - because the ends are rolled to accept the shackle bolts.

Sorry to get your hopes up.


Check out flip kits. They are usually used for raising, but maybe they sell lowering flip kits too - IDK.

 

[Don5]

The front springs are arched to give you the 4 inch lift. Removing a leaf will drop it some but not enough. You are going to need different springs.

You are aware that if you take the lift off that you will have to replace some other things as well. For example shocks and maybe a new steering arm if you have a raised one. What about the length of your driveshafts? If they have been lengthened for your lift, they will need to be cut and returned to stock length or replaced with different driveshafts. And we have not mentioned tires yet.

These are some of the things you are going to have to face if you take the lift off. I would suggest just replacing the rear blocks or buying new rear springs. Good luck with whatever your decision is.

Edit- I just looked at your pics again and you do not have a raised steering arm so that will not have to be replaced.

 

[Skweegle89]

There is another option that might allow you to keep your current springs. Find a spring shop near you and call them and see if they can de arch them. Will probably cost you an arm and a leg, but you never know. I'm not even sure if they can safely de arch a 4" lift spring back to stock ride height, but the phone call to find out is free.

 

[MannyDantyla]

The front springs are arched to give you the 4 inch lift. Removing a leaf will drop it some but not enough. You are going to need different springs.

Yup, that's what I suspected. Shucks...

You are aware that if you take the lift off that you will have to replace some other things as well. For example shocks and maybe a new steering arm if you have a raised one. What about the length of your driveshafts? If they have been lengthened for your lift, they will need to be cut and returned to stock length or replaced with different driveshafts. And we have not mentioned tires yet..

This all started last night when I saw some nice wheels and tires for sale on CL, but they were sold already. No big loss, but yeah I had tires in mind for sure. But the steering and axles.. I didn't think about that. Hmm

Edit- I just looked at your pics again and you do not have a raised steering arm so that will not have to be replaced.

Yay!

 

[MannyDantyla]

The driveshafts are both the two-part kind. No slip yokes on the transfer cases.

Think they'll need to be replaced? Can they be chopped to fit?

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[Skweegle89]

They are likely the factory length shafts of that's only a 4" lift


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[MannyDantyla]

They are likely the factory length shafts of that's only a 4" lift


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Well... it's more complicated than that.

This truck started life as a 4x2 C10, which was converted to 4x4. Still doesn't necessary mean that the driveshaft is not the old stock one, but with the automatic transmission swapped out for a shorty SM465 + NP205 (which together might make the length of whatever auto tranny it had originall ??), all of that just makes it less likely that it was the original driveshaft. But who knows...

 

[bucket]

Everything is in good shape except the rear "blocks" it seems, correct? Why not just put actual blocks in the rear and call it good?

 

[MannyDantyla]

Everything is in good shape except the rear "blocks" it seems, correct? Why not just put actual blocks in the rear and call it good?

Yes actually.

Why? Because I want to install smaller tires and bring it down to stock height.

In fact, this is the question I've been asking myself every day, several times a day actually. What I have is a pretty good truck, excellent off-road machine (sm465, np205, only weak link is the 10bolt rear diff). And I like that it's a 4x4 in case I need to use it, but I'm not big on mudding and rock crawling and all that. I also want to replace the entire front end with 74-80 style and give it a paint job. Speaking of paint, the paint on it now is pretty good and everyone has told me they love the color. But I hate it. Overall there's some but little rust but I can repair it for cheap. The interior is very livable and the engine is excellent. I'm becoming attached to it.

So this is the question I've been asking myself is. Is this truck the right platform to build my dream machine? It has the potential, I've already bought it and payed taxes and all that (at $3.9k now with repairs already), and there's no major problems (anymore). But it will be expensive to do the things I want to do to it and I don't have a lot of money right now. Maybe somebody will pay $4k to have it the way it is, then I can by a $2k c10 (I don't need the 4wd) that already needs paint and has the body style that I want.


The truck I have in mind is something like this:

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[MannyDantyla]

Just calculated the gear ratio via HotRod's wheel spin method.

It's a 3.42:1 gear ratio. WAY OUT OF RANGE for 35" tires!
(according to this chart at least) - http://www.southwestpowersports.com/gear-chart.gif

More reason to go down to smaller tires