1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

How to: Chevy 63" Leaf Spring Swap

Discussion in 'Suspension' started by dakotasyota, Jun 13, 2015.

  1. Feb 25, 2019 at 2:43 PM
    #521
    SearArtist

    SearArtist GX poor

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2016
    Member:
    #174151
    Messages:
    18,968
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Matt
    NC
    Vehicle:
    GX470 & GX460
    Things
    There’s only 1 available. I need 5
     
    ovrlndkull[QUOTED] likes this.
  2. Feb 25, 2019 at 8:10 PM
    #522
    WormSquirts

    WormSquirts Armageddon

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    Member:
    #172583
    Messages:
    2,842
    First Name:
    Braeden
    BC
    I am very close to pulling the trigger on some king 16" IBP shocks. Is it a waste to go 16" or can I use it all? I am going through the bed regardless
     
  3. Feb 26, 2019 at 12:36 PM
    #523
    TYetti

    TYetti 4cylinders of awesomeness

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2014
    Member:
    #124858
    Messages:
    2,343
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mat
    Abbotsford, BC, Canada
    Vehicle:
    09 Tacoma AC 2.7L 5spd 4x4
    Hey so I'm looking for some opinions, I've got my truck sitting sans driveline at the moment and I've been wanting to do 63 swap for a long time, so I'm thinking I'm already spending 5k what's another few hundred bucks lol...

    Currently I've got ome dakars the OG ones, custom shackle flip with oe shackle, and 12" fabtech shocks stuffed into the stock location they didn't bottom out or explode wich was surprising they were a test I did last minute last summer.
    FB_IMG_1529349719178_e5d4496dec8397ef63ccb8c0a978ee1064ee65eb.jpg

    She's a heavy bitch for a 4cyl last time I weighted her in full trim it was around the 5500ish mark, the dakars have done well but I want more lol.

    Proposed setup.
    Ford towers
    14"king 2.0 with Resi
    4+1 leafs

    I'm now running 16" method NV with 4.5 bs and I've got a little spacer in there so they clear. The truck is mostly camping, PNW wheeling, some crawling, road trips.
     
    WormSquirts likes this.
  4. Feb 26, 2019 at 11:02 PM
    #524
    WormSquirts

    WormSquirts Armageddon

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    Member:
    #172583
    Messages:
    2,842
    First Name:
    Braeden
    BC
    You'll have to angle the ford towers in more than what they come as to clear still most likely. But not a big deal. I'm about to do the swap as well, so maybe we should team up at the junk yard! I think the best one is out your way hey?
     
  5. Feb 26, 2019 at 11:43 PM
    #525
    TACORIDER

    TACORIDER Just another statistic

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2012
    Member:
    #81357
    Messages:
    5,984
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    JAKE
    EAST TAWAKONI TEXAS
    Vehicle:
    12 TACO and some other Toyota’s
    I tow and wheel with it and it is excellent at both. Not sure how much it weighs but it's pretty heavy. Dollar for dollar it's the cheapest mod with the most reward

    20190216_155752.jpg
    20180803_142302.jpg
     
  6. Feb 27, 2019 at 5:07 AM
    #526
    ovrlndkull

    ovrlndkull STUKASFK - HC4LIFE

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2017
    Member:
    #206806
    Messages:
    37,785
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Skip
    Burlington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2005 DCLB Silver
    63s, XD Machete, Beat not Babied
    At some point the springs and shackles will be your limiting factor for droop and bump. At that point you will only be raising the shock mount and not getting anything in return. Also depends on which 63s you decide to go with. I personally think 16s are the limit of 63s at which point it is all in set up and spring selection. Certain set ups 12-14" would be the limiting factor.
     
    WormSquirts[QUOTED] likes this.
  7. Feb 27, 2019 at 5:11 AM
    #527
    ovrlndkull

    ovrlndkull STUKASFK - HC4LIFE

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2017
    Member:
    #206806
    Messages:
    37,785
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Skip
    Burlington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2005 DCLB Silver
    63s, XD Machete, Beat not Babied
    With the ford towers you are going to need a lot less backspacing than that. Just for reference I may end up getting some rubbing with my AG relocation and King 2.5s with my 9" wide wheels and an effective 3" BS. Ford towers put the top of the shock even further outboard. I would guess you would need a min. of a 1.5" spacer if not more to clear them when flexing. @Timbo's Customs should be able to help better than that. This is one of the reasons I steered clear of the ford towers.

    Edit: All in this swap if you don't go the budget route and get new springs, a good relocation, the swap kit, and all the misc brackets etc needed gets pretty pricey. It's one of those things where junkyarding it/cheap way can yield some good results but if you really take your time and put in some good research and calculations the end result will be much better.
     
    TYetti[QUOTED] and BlakeM like this.
  8. Feb 27, 2019 at 5:18 AM
    #528
    ovrlndkull

    ovrlndkull STUKASFK - HC4LIFE

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2017
    Member:
    #206806
    Messages:
    37,785
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Skip
    Burlington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2005 DCLB Silver
    63s, XD Machete, Beat not Babied
    Do you have any more pics/write up on that roof rack set up?
     
  9. Feb 27, 2019 at 5:58 AM
    #529
    BlakeM

    BlakeM Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2017
    Member:
    #207016
    Messages:
    1,413
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Blake
    Gonzales, LA
    Vehicle:
    2023 T4R.SR5.4WD.OMG.LOL.WTF
    I did the Ford shock towers Bilstein 5125s. Cut and flattened the shock towers a little. I have 4.5” backspace wheels with 1” wheel spacers. At full articulation, it still rubs the shock. Just a tiny bit though.
    I could’ve flattened the shock tower just a little more. Might’ve gained me an extra 1/2”.
     
  10. Feb 27, 2019 at 8:51 AM
    #530
    TACORIDER

    TACORIDER Just another statistic

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2012
    Member:
    #81357
    Messages:
    5,984
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    JAKE
    EAST TAWAKONI TEXAS
    Vehicle:
    12 TACO and some other Toyota’s
    I had to get it built since I do not have a bender and I could not have done that good of a job

    20180713_155734.jpg
    20180713_160211.jpg
    20180713_160230.jpg
    20180713_160141.jpg
    20180713_160145.jpg
     
  11. Feb 27, 2019 at 10:35 AM
    #531
    TYetti

    TYetti 4cylinders of awesomeness

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2014
    Member:
    #124858
    Messages:
    2,343
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mat
    Abbotsford, BC, Canada
    Vehicle:
    09 Tacoma AC 2.7L 5spd 4x4
    This is one of the reasons I was looking at the 2.0 shocks vs 2.5 but I hear what you're saying.... Could just make something or mod the towers some. I feel I do too much on road stuff still for inboard setup, I really wish method made better bs wheels, i got them on sale and out of spite lol. Things to think about for sure. Only things from the junk yard were going to be the springs themselves, I've already got rear bracket, just need to fab a front hangar and come up with a shock solution
     
  12. Feb 27, 2019 at 10:37 AM
    #532
    TYetti

    TYetti 4cylinders of awesomeness

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2014
    Member:
    #124858
    Messages:
    2,343
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mat
    Abbotsford, BC, Canada
    Vehicle:
    09 Tacoma AC 2.7L 5spd 4x4
    Pick a part is the best they want like under 100$ for chev springs lol... Could get 3 sets for the price of new
     
  13. Feb 27, 2019 at 11:07 AM
    #533
    ovrlndkull

    ovrlndkull STUKASFK - HC4LIFE

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2017
    Member:
    #206806
    Messages:
    37,785
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Skip
    Burlington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2005 DCLB Silver
    63s, XD Machete, Beat not Babied
    I wasn't going inboard either hence why I went with the Archive Garage kit. Didn't feel like nor have the time to muck around with making the Ford towers work.
     
  14. Feb 27, 2019 at 11:56 AM
    #534
    TYetti

    TYetti 4cylinders of awesomeness

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2014
    Member:
    #124858
    Messages:
    2,343
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mat
    Abbotsford, BC, Canada
    Vehicle:
    09 Tacoma AC 2.7L 5spd 4x4
    I'm on a time crunch too but for 350 bucks I'll make the Ford towers work, or just get some tube bent I dunno, doing this mid engine rebuild probably wasn't the best idea lol
     
    ovrlndkull[QUOTED] likes this.
  15. Feb 27, 2019 at 12:36 PM
    #535
    ovrlndkull

    ovrlndkull STUKASFK - HC4LIFE

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2017
    Member:
    #206806
    Messages:
    37,785
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Skip
    Burlington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2005 DCLB Silver
    63s, XD Machete, Beat not Babied
    I am traveling 4:30 hrs to my buddies house and then me and a few other guys will be doing this and a CMR all at once. I didn't want to have to modify and hope that it works on anything the day of install. Need it to be as straight forward as possible.
     
  16. Feb 27, 2019 at 12:40 PM
    #536
    TYetti

    TYetti 4cylinders of awesomeness

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2014
    Member:
    #124858
    Messages:
    2,343
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mat
    Abbotsford, BC, Canada
    Vehicle:
    09 Tacoma AC 2.7L 5spd 4x4

    Makes sense, I have some time and only have to walk 30 steps to my shop so I can dick around if need be
     
    ovrlndkull[QUOTED] likes this.
  17. Feb 27, 2019 at 1:14 PM
    #537
    WormSquirts

    WormSquirts Armageddon

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    Member:
    #172583
    Messages:
    2,842
    First Name:
    Braeden
    BC
    Cool, yeah that's what it seemed like from my reading was 16" is the absolute max. Will be nice to not have to worry about the shock limiting anything. I went ahead and bought the 16's so I'm pumped on that. Ordered the RuffStuff kit as well, just need to go get some leafs from the junk yard. Will be looking for a 3+1. Will have to mess around with it when building to maximize articulation to use as much of the 16 as possible. If you have any tips for that, I'm open!

    Yeah I heard that they do $35 per spring or something. I'm going to head there on Monday hopefully!
     
    TYetti[QUOTED] likes this.
  18. Feb 27, 2019 at 1:21 PM
    #538
    ovrlndkull

    ovrlndkull STUKASFK - HC4LIFE

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2017
    Member:
    #206806
    Messages:
    37,785
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Skip
    Burlington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2005 DCLB Silver
    63s, XD Machete, Beat not Babied
    I would get the longer 6" or 7" shackles. Also putting them at a 15-20* angle would be good for up travel and droop. I would get the 4+1 at the min. if it were me. I went with new springs for a 15+ truck they have a little more arch and are a 5+1 so I have a lot of playing around to do with spring rates and such. I'll probably be removing the overload at least but haven't figured all that out quite yet.

    What shocks did you go with?
     
  19. Feb 27, 2019 at 4:34 PM
    #539
    WormSquirts

    WormSquirts Armageddon

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2015
    Member:
    #172583
    Messages:
    2,842
    First Name:
    Braeden
    BC
    Cool thanks! I had originally ordered the 5" shackles with the kit, but I will see if I can bump them to 6" before shipping. Either way I can always make my own shackles if I need to.

    I'll see what springs they have at the junk yard when I go, but I thought that the more leafs you have the less flex you get?

    I got an insane deal on some 16" King Internal Bypass with RR+adjusters. Couldn't pass it up. I've been waiting to do this for a long time, and these shocks came up and forced my hand.
     
  20. Feb 27, 2019 at 4:45 PM
    #540
    ovrlndkull

    ovrlndkull STUKASFK - HC4LIFE

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2017
    Member:
    #206806
    Messages:
    37,785
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Skip
    Burlington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2005 DCLB Silver
    63s, XD Machete, Beat not Babied
    2.0 or 2.5s? If the 2.5s can you measure from the center of the top eye to the bottom of the body for me?

    As far as more leafs the less flexy that is kinda a double edged sword and can be yes or no depending on the leafs. Take my current 9+2 Expedition Deavers they flex just as much as Dakar heavies and better than the All-Pro Expos from what I have seen. both the latter springs have less leafs than mine. If the leafs have the ability to separate well then each leaf can add some droop ability. As far as bump it can make it harder to compress since they are a progressive rate. There are times/set ups that the droop can be minimized by the # of leafs. There isn't really a simple or single best answer for that.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top