top truck type build suspension ideas?

[kleedus]

I am starting to plan out a multi purpose truck. I don't want a lot of lift or to big of tire.

in the past I had a blazer with 9'' lift and 38'' tires and loved it. I am thinking about 9'' or less and 39.5 tires on this build.

I am looking for suspension ideas 52'' front springs and longer rear springs are some ideas I am thinking about.

I have an arb locked dana 60 front Detroit locked rear 14 bolt ord 203/205 doubler ord cross over high steer.

I am not sure witch tranny I want to use turbo 400 or 32 spline output sm465 4 speed. I can use either tranny with my doubler.
I will be putting a 99 vortec 350 with the fuel injection in it mild cam and some bolt on stuff should get me a little over 300 horse from it

this truck will be built on a 87 short bed frame.
I am thinking about boxing the frame for strength

I don't want a monster mud truck on 44'' tires to use as my wheelin rig


I don't want to spend a fortune on 4 link and coils so I am staying with leaf springs. so let me hear some ideas or opinions on what works.

these pics is of my old blazer it donated the axles for this build loved it

 

[bucket]

For mine, I've been planning on running 39.5's with only about 4-5 inches of lift and some cutting. But my body is a rusted pile and it won't hurt anything. I also am just going to run 56's out back, I think they flex plenty good enough.

Everything I've seen and read about 52's or 56's up front says they have crazy flex that required a lot of work with other parts, and they fatigue extremely fast. But if you have a good supply of springs laying around and don't mind replacing them every so often, it still seems like a good way to go.

Boxing the frame seems like a good idea too, or at least the front half of it.

 

[kleedus]

I guess I forgot to put it in the first post but I am building it with 39.5 tsl or irok tires. not sure witch ones yet

I have a worn out set that I will use during the build but when its up and running I will buy new ones for it.

 

[hot dawg]

I vote for the 52" front/56" rear setup! I run 52" all the way around and I love it! They flex like crazy and ride great. I have 1" zero rate add-a-leafs as well for a total of 5" of lift and my truck clears 42" TSLs with normal fender trimming. It would clear 40" tires easily. I wheel my rig very hard several times a year and have only broken one 52" spring, they are easy to find and most of the time even free. I hope this helps.

 

[firebane]

@hot dawg how are the road manners with 52s in the front though? I heard it can make the truck sway and be unpredictable especially a truck which may see more concrete than dirt?

 

[hot dawg]

I love the 52s on the street. Granted my current rig does not see much street time but my last one did. It was a 1981 GMC K10 short bed with 52s in the front and it was driven 95% on the street. I modified the sway bar so I could use it and shimmed both sides of the spring eyes at the hangers and shackles to center the spring and it worked great. The 52s are narrower than the front spring hangers so I would agree that if left that way it would probably drive horrible! I used washers from the hardware store on mine but you could always get some spacers made at the machine shop. That GMC saw 100-120 mph several times and always drove straight as an arrow.