Suspension

[bajatrailrider]

Hi new member from Calif. I recently got a 82 chevy short bed K10 4x4. Had to get it for the cheap price. The decades old question,the noway to drive it off road. Too stiff its lifted 4 or 6in,12.50sx15. Since Truck is in my Vacation house Baja,Mex. It is all off road no pavement pounding. To get to the point,any of you using Deaver leafs front and rear. In stock position They want 750$ set.After reading all the posts about soft ride off the self leafs. Looks like most are not happy with the ride. I have a 92 toy pre runner long travel,the deaver leafs in rear ride like a caddy. Can I expect anything close to that up front in the chevy. Does anybody have stock front measure,frame to top of front diff housing. I have no history on this truck. Thanks Guys.

 

[theblindchicken]

I've got a 4in lift with 35's on long bed k10. It has a much softer ride now than when it was on stock suspension. Front got a set of 4in EZ Rides. Rear got a shackle flip with stock springs. RS9000XL shocks all the way around. Greaseable bolts and bushings make a whole word of difference.

One major thing that I noticed with my truck, is that the shackles and spring bushing sleeves are designed to actually bind up in the rear to help with carrying a larger payload. Unfortunately, this is not good for the smoother motion of the suspension desired for offroad use.


Based on deaver's reputation, I'm sure their springs would work great for your intended usage. Just make sure that you have everything installed that you plan on so that the springs will be built around the total weight of the truck.

 

[bajatrailrider]

Thank you truck already has weld in frame brace. Steering arm. Im just wanting input. At this point keep this nice truck,Only if it could ride decent. I know It wont ride like My Toyota,but need a good ride. All the roads/trails here are dirt.Even in town all dirt road,normal PSI in tire here 15/18. This truck rides like a brick. Since its way to high geared,and I want to ditch the 700r trans.To get this truck right is Big $. Sell it now or dump many large bills in it.

 

[theblindchicken]

If you could throw up some closer photos of the current front and rear suspensions, we could help you further with what size and style lift you have.

What size tires are on there currently? 33's?

 

[bajatrailrider]

For got to add from bottom frame in front it is 9 1/2in to top Leaf spring with 5 Leafs . Rear has 4 leafs bottom frame to top leaf 9 1/4 has 4in block. Its this 4in lift or 6in Thank you

 

[bajatrailrider]

Tires are 15/12.50 Owner that sold truck to me knows nothing

 

[highdesertrange]

I will say he knows nothing he didn't even put a steering arm on it. get a steering arm on that asap. that is why the frame cracked and he got it reinforced and he still didn't put a steering arm on. anyway back to Deaver, they built me a custom spring pack for my rear springs. this was on my 78 k-30. I like them and I like dealing with them, I have been dealing with them for 30 some years. I have never used their premade stuff but I recommend them for any spring work. btw if you go to their shop in Santa Ana, 2 of those brands burnt into the wood on their counter is from our cattle ranch. highdesertranger

 

[bajatrailrider]

Thanks H Desert. The whole point Im making If I start on this truck. It wont stop till 8/10 grand. So before I think of anything. I want report of who has the deavers on the front Of a 1/2 ton. Its all dirt here just the roads in town are worse then Baja 1000. Hoping for more info thanks guys.

 

[bajatrailrider]

Still no one could tell me if this truck has 4 or 6in lift in front?

 

[77 K20]

Sorry- I'm not sure on the amount of lift you have in the front...

but one thing you can try that is free is unbolting your front sway bar and going for a drive. I drive mine a lot on dirt and removing the sway bar made a big difference in how the front rode.
Right now when you hit a bump it is trying to compress your sway bar that is at a downward angle to attach on to your axle. The factory wanted this sway bar to run horizontal.

 

[bajatrailrider]

Thanks Mike. I think your right,even that they say. The sway bar (On other trucks) wont make truck ride stiff. Not true I had opposite problem. On my Nissan 4x4 turbo Diesel. It would bottom out everywhere.It had a 1/2in sway bar factory,I installed 1in sway bar.With urethane bushings,to make it corner on highway. I did exactly that,for what ever reason. 100% fixed bottoming out on Highway. I hear you on My chevy,with sway bar and lift there is a problem. I will remove end bolts,to see if any help. Thanks again

 

[Christian Nelson]

Not sure where you are getting numbers like 8-10 grand for fixing the issues on this truck. Rough ride? Those lift springs on front have WAY too many leafs. Stock has like 3 leafs. I've even seen some with only 2 leafs.

I've seen soft ride front spring sets go for around $400.

You will never find a cheaper vehicle on the planet to set up for off road use than the 73-87 GM 4x4.

The body is Beautiful on that truck. MAN I wish we didn't have so much salt spread on our roads!

I also agree with getting that lift arm (many lift kits come with them, these days).

My suspicion is that lift is an old one installed way back, when the cheap way to do it was re arch your stock springs, and add a bajillion leafs to the pack to get you a 4 inch lift.

Unfortunately, they made for an EXTREMELY rough ride. Just about any modern spring lift will have a smoother ride than that set up.

 

[bajatrailrider]

Ok first thanks goes Mike To remove complete sway bar. 2 ton jack 4ft breaker bar for end bolts. It does ride better then,with Sway bar. Then more Thanks to Chris,I think your right .On this tank Susp. That has been my point If I could get away with just 4 or 6in off the self easy ride springs.Also shackle kit.Get descent ride Then I would think of keeping truck. I PD 2,800 as of today total in truck 3 grand. Zero rust anywhere. When I stated drop 8/10 grand in truck,I was not talking about Leaf springs. I was talking about renewing Interior,all brakes/drive line/It has 3.06 Or close to it gears needs 4.10 or 4.56. The 700r needs to go ,Turbo 400/or stick shift.So please keep Ideas coming,Before I sell this thing. Also needs to get AC/heater fixed. With this truck in baja any work I dont want to do. Labor is very cheap, but parts cost.

 

[theblindchicken]

With the 4in block in the rear, I would assume that you have a stock leaf pack back there. And from the pictures, your truck looks pretty level. Thus my thought would be that you have a 4in lift all the way around.

The front pack looks like it may have been rearched with extra leaves added in. That would definitely create a rough ride in the front. Rear will always be a little rough since there's no weight back there as of yet.


There were tens of thousands of these trucks produced all over the country. Parts for them are very easily found.


While you're on the suspension, I'd definitely take a look at the bushings on front and rear shackles. If those are dry and cracked to pieces, it's certainly not gonna help your ride any.


Also, as a frame of reference: My truck has approximately a 5" lift in the front on a set of 35x12.5R15 on a set of 15 x 10 wheels. From ground to the center of the front wheel well is 41.5" on my truck.

Assuming you have a 4in lift with what looks like 33" tires, you'd be approximately at 39.5" from ground to the center of the front wheel wells.

 

[bajatrailrider]

My truck has 35x12.50 tires. If I change leafs,I would like to keep same height as now. Im about 41 1/2 in from ground to wheel well edge. Picture rear leafs/with 4in blocks. So if you think rear leafs are stock. How about shackle flip kit,then I will need shorter U bolts. Chuck the blocks,also the bottom overloads. This truck will never be used to haul,as I have 3 other trucks to haul.Also yes on needing new bushings. The transfer case looks like it has 1in drop.