How to: Chevy 63" Leaf Spring Swap

I have been running my set up for a while and I don’t have limit straps and I haven’t had any issues. Now I don’t jump my truck or anything. Ok I may have launched it once but yea.

I also didn’t extend my bumpstops. The wheels and tire set up is 17x9 -38 with 1.25 spacers and 315/70/17 the driver side is on the bumpstop. I have bilstein 14” shocks.

 

highly recommend getting the shock set up first before buying the straps.
I'm running a 16" strap with a 12" shock based on where I'm running the straps, plus wanting to bias towards a longer strap to 'soften' the stretch hit.

as for shackle length, unless you just want to be taller for whatever reason, a 5" shackle is going to be plenty long with a 14" shock.
I don't immediately see any benefit to going longer unless you plan on frenching in the upper shackle point.

 

If I'm doing it, its gotta get done in a weekend, which means ordering everything all at once. I daily my truck

Also the 5" was recommended on OP post.

 

you don't need the limit straps to drive it on the street so you do have the option of doing the straps a different weekend.

5" is a good starting point for sure!

 

So no train track jumping until then, got it!

 

I tried a 6" shackle it was going to be a lot of work to get it to work and it really didn't benefit me any at the time. What was meant by the limit strap length is purely the length of the strap at full stretch in your mounting location. You also gotta consider where you are mounting it too for that will have an affect on length of the strap. Inboard or outboard by the shock and where your upper mount will be.

 

I'll sell you my 14" kings once I get my 16" kings in............ Cheap. They have a decent set up from AccuTune.

 

I just figured I'd sag the shock all the way out, then jack it up an inch from bottom and then full stretch the strap there and tack, check, weld.

 

I'm actually buying some 14" fox 2.0s off @Sociopenguin for now.

 

depending on how you plan on stretching out the strap, you won't be able to get to "full stretch".
I sure wasn't able to.
the general internet guideline seems to be 1" stretch per 12" of strap, so on my 16" strap I should expect up to 1.3" of stretch to be a 17.3" eye to eye.
full weight of the axle and wheels/tires on just the main leafs (disassembled pack) didn't get me there. luckily if you add or subtract measurments as needed, it works out just fine.

in my case, I just drooped out the 12" shocks completely, then made a "fake" limit strap with holes at 17.8" and burned the tabs in, so in theory they will be at max stretch of 17.3" when the shock has .5" more to go.
the threaded clevis gives enough adjustment to fine tune from there. also makes making the right and left the same super easy, and the alignment of the tabs to be in-line with eachother top and bottom happens naturally with the "fake" strap

 

So do the Trail gear straps come with the hardware then? Such as the tabs/clevis? Or is that a separate item?

 

Talk to the strap manufacturers on the amount of stretch you can expect out of the straps. It all depends on the length, how many layers, and material used. If you don't get the stretch out of the straps and the shock is at full droop you have them set up wrong or you have the wrong strap for the application like too strong of a strap (too many layers), too long, etc.

 

How much you thinking? Miles on them?

 

I don't know it'll be a while looking like new kings are 24 weeks out for delivery. Probably in the $400-500 range. Mileage I don't really know, they have been on the truck about 2 yrs now no leaks or anything. Still doing well, if you really wanted you could go through and do an easy rebuild but I don't think they need them quite yet.

 

All separate. I just made my own tabs but they sell generic ones

If that was a reply to me I think you misunderstood what I wrote. I agree if you have the shock at full droop and the straps aren't stretched out you definitely set it up wrong, as it completely defeats the purpose of the straps, regardless of the construction/#of layers of the strap.

 

I think skip was talking to me, he's talking about how the length of the strap is misleading since they stretch up to a certain amount over their original length with weight and to think about that when attaching tabs so you can compensate. At least that's what I picked up.

 

Not just that but also the layer and ability to stretch. If you get to heavy of a strap you'll never stretch them properly and can run into issues later. Get some that aren't strong enough and you'll wear them out fast.

Slow speed stuff doesn't really need to be strapped as it isn't an abrupt drop out on the shock. But it is a good safety measure.

 

I figure in my daily driving life, so small bursts of hopping tracks or if I'm out in the desert on a trip I might try to get a little air and thus the straps become necessary. but 80% of the time I'll be on pavement commuting, 19% slow rock crawling, 1% mobbing. Which is why Mid speed tuned shocks would most likely be my end goal.

 

Any one ever use a set of deaver 61.5 springs after putting 63s in? Just wondering they’ll fit or if you have to move a hanger.

 

You'll probably have to switch shackles and/or move a hanger