Rattletrap66’s Build and BS (Chevy 63s)

I've been looking through the thread at various intervals.....Still haven't found the answer to my question(s), so, pardon me if they've already been addressed, but I'll ask 'em now.

How does the Chevy leafs handle a load? (Relative to stock or stock w/AAL)

Ride quality on road/empty truck?

Anyone with trailer towing experience on Chevy leafs.

 

They handle a load better than stock since they are off a full sized truck. Just hauled 600 pounds of water logged wood with no sag. I also run without the overload which you could run so that can give even more payload.

Ride quality is way better than stock on and off road.

@Timbo89 has towed his boat with them (he has the overload) and can chime in on that

 

Sounds like this may be the answer I am looking for. The rep Dakars have for being so noisy has me completely steered away from them. Looking to increase stability when I tow my camper trailer. Don't want to give up a "decent" ride I have now. (for a 4 wheel drive empty pick up....)

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

The wood

 

Nothing like morning wood!

 

A decent set of deavers will accomplish the same thing while still having a bolt in pack. Just a thought.

 

They pull good had a 99 4x4 explorer I had to put on a tow dolly and it dropped down but handled good

 

Dakars noisy? Um...been running them on my 1st gen for almost 4 years now and I haven't noticed that. Maybe they are different on the 2nd gens? I did have to lube the rear spring shackles a few months ago because they started making noise, but that wasn't a big deal. My Dakars are are way more quiet than the stock 2nd gen springs and I'm pretty sure they are quieter than Frank's 63s.

That said, after the initial investment to mod the truck for the 63s, you really can't beat the cost to replace them when they get worn out.

 

Frank your truck is squeaking again?

 

This is more than the cost of Dakars right there, so unless you have the skills and equipment to do the install yourself, then the initial investment will be more than a set of Dakars.

 

I guess depends on where you source your parts and your skill set, but it's not terribly relevant anyway. The original point I was making was that it's WAY cheaper to replace the 63s once they you are running them than it is to replace a set of Dakars. That remains true regardless of how much you spent installing them.

 

Ended up going the AAL route for now.

It was a pain to time the install cause I'm never home more than 3-4 days/ no real schedule. Maybe if ever work calms down I may dig up some rusty 63's for the reg cab.

 

Springs cost vary and the kit runs about $200 depending on what you get of course but yea Dakars blow

 

Dang! Well Yea man do it eventually

 

Nope, my chevys make no noise
But @Trident904 's dakars squeak like a bed in a whorehouse

NEGATIVE

 

You've never had Dakars, so how would you know? I am very happy with my Dakars...at least I am now that I've moved the axle back an inch. Mine make no noise and they are nice and soft (way softer and more flexible according to Todd). Combined with the 5125s, the ride on a rough trail is very nice. Granted they don't have the down travel that the 63s do, but I can live with that until such a time as I link the rear axle and run coilovers (in my dreams).

Must be one of those silly 2nd Gen quirks, 'cause my Dakars don't squeak at all. The poly bushings in the spring shackles creak when they need to be lubed, but that's it.

Funny, I could have sworn your 63s squeaked right after you put them on. I remember being surprised about that and feeling bad for ya after having gone though all that work to get rid of the squeaky factory springs only to have squeaky 63s. Didn't you have to put rubber between the leafs to get them to stop squeaking?

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Anyway, nobody has brought up the real downside to factory Chevy 63s...No military wrap, so you're screwed if the main spring breaks. I'm sure you can get military-wrapped 63s from Deaver or somewhere, but then you're back up to paying $500 for a set of springs.

 

@Rattletrap66, it really depends on which whorehouse, but yeah, they squeak. I need to replace the bushings.

 

^

 

Did you grease the bushings and the bolts on the shackle when you installed them? As I recall, mine creaked right after I put them on and I had to take the shackles right back off and grease them with chassis grease. I thought never-seize would do the job, but once I lubed them with actual grease they were silent for 3 and a half years before I needed to grease them again.