How to: Chevy 63" Leaf Spring Swap

My truck was over 6k lbs total at my last weigh in. I have shed a little weight since then and the 63s went on, so i may be slightly under that now. I dont have exact front and rear axle numbers, but theres a Decked system packed with tools, plated swing out, fuel, water. flippac camper, and propane tanks, and spare parts on longer trips. Easily 1000-1500 lbs over the rear on an average day. I dont think 3 leaves would work for me. So far very happy with the 4. I had actually planned to pre-purchase an add-a-leaf and run with 5, but folks here suggested I see how the 4 leaf works before messing with it. It was good advice. Under 1000 lbs I think the 4 leaf would be a bit stiff for my taste. I'll pull I leaf if this pig ever goes on a diet.

 

Our trucks are probably pretty close to the same weight and are used about the same. I’m pretty happy with what I have going on. Around the first of November I’m planning on taking everything off except the spare tire on the swing out and putting my hound dog box in and see how it rides empty and with 300-400 pounds in it until spring time.

 

When @Buttskevin21 set mine up I was worried about axle wrap it just made sense at the time to go a little bit over and dial it back if needed. I definitely don’t need more but want to see what I can take away. One of these days I’ll get new coil overs and worry about the little bit of rake I have or maybe don’t have if my front is a little tired.

 

I cant imagine 2, as even with 3 leafs people frequently bend the packs or break the pack in half with axle wrap. I've broken 3 packs in half in the past.
I run 4 leafs with an anti wrap leaf on top of the pack, and it rides pretty great for leafs. Have 5" of uptravel with a lighter weight hc bumper, full size 37 spare, spare driveshaft, big box of tools/cv axles so probably around 350-400lbs over stock. Even with 5 leafs, I still get insane axle wrap so will be doing a antiwrap bar sometime like Chris' up above.

 

I am worried about the strength with just 2 but it’s seems OK. I took it out originally when I had just the spare in the bed and a few tools and i thought it rode better / softer. I got them from a yard but wonder if they were aftermarket and are somehow different than the traditional Chevy leaves. Either way I’ll add the third on my next coast trip where I’ll have a lot more weight and keep them on after and see.

 

Antirock installed

 

I'm not too familiar with these although i hear about them a lot.
how does this function as either a track bar or a limiter?
I always assumed they were just sway bars?

 

I don’t see how a sway bar can act like a limiting strap unless you droop out enough that the links and arms end up in a straight line which is a recipe for disaster.

 

not sure im following at all, sorry!
my definition of a trac bar would be a panhard/watts/etc which stabilize the lateral freedom of the axle, which your endlinks can't control.
and then unless you are having the arms hit something before full travel, how does it limit shock travel?

 

Anyone have any experience with Locked Shocks? They look like they are competing with the big names but aren’t as widely known yet so their prices are still really low. I might pull the trigger on their 12” travel smooth bodies that all come with compression adjusters

 

Curious on this as well.

 

They work just fine. I'd atleast do 14s if you're doing 63s, no point for 12s as thats what stock packs can do.
I run Carbon Shocks in the rear, they have been working awesome the last year and are tuned pretty well. $530 each right now with dual speed adjusters.

 

I get 14inches out of my stock pack

 

Don’t you need to go through the bed for 14s or at least to make full use of them?

Also, so if it’s possible to get that much out of the stock pack could I relocate my shocks first and then do my 63 swap later?

 

Nada, 14s fit just fine. And yeah you can do either or first, I like to do the leafs first so then you know where full bump will be for the shock when you're setting those up.

 

Is this a bad idea for a 3rd gen carrying pretty much no extra weight? Looks like some guys are getting 3-4” in the rear. I was hopping for somewhere in the 2-2.5” range if that’s possible

 

I just hope that you have better luck at receiving them then my buddy did. It took almost 9 months to get his stuff for his truck. I have a few friends that have their stuff and like it. The only issue is the buddy that it took 9 months for was only supposed to be 2 months out.

 

@Buttskevin21 is still pretty low

 

This is dope! Glad to see this thread still helping out people

 

Started my swap today and got about 90% of the way done. Just need to finish welding and mess with my abs wires. Using stock shock location for another week or so until I get time to relocate and install 14” shocks