1ST GEN Chevy 63s conversation

Sounds like a plan. Yeah, they seemed a bit small.
Says they are 3/8"
I'll get the orileys ones and bring them in for comparison.

 

Cut all the perches out.



Tacked in the rear perches and started hanging the leafs.



Out with the old



About ready to be in with the new.

 

Lots of good info on shackle angles
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/shackles-a-study-in-leaf-spring-setup.789563/

Props to @vanillion

 

So, they didn't sag at all. And with this "full load" on the truck I still have a little over 1/2 inch more between center of axle to bottom of frame. That says my ride height is really, pretty much where I want it.

Now, for shackle angle. I'm reading in a bunch of places that with 63s you want around 30°.

I thought my shackle angles looked good, but now that I have an angle finder on them it's saying I'm not close to 30°.




I'd have to be at this angle to be at 30°



Damn... that's a really shallow shackle angle.

@Speedytech7 what angle are you running on your shackles? Are you happy with them?

 

So... with as flat as these things are at ride height... is up travel just not a thing with 63s or do people just bump them at negative arch?

 

You can bump them at negative arch, they're happy to travel a bit negative. I just wouldn't go hard negative without overload leafs because the arch will be too sharp and kink them.

 

But mine aren't bumped hardly negative at all and I don't feel I'm lacking uptravel.

 

I'd say that's pretty good up travel. Just seems like, looking at them, they'll be negative if they go up at all. I guess I'll see how they work when I actually start cycling them.

 

That's part of why the 63s are regarded as riding well I think, the more arch you have to fight typically the less progressive the pack so they start harsh. Are your hydros threaded bodies so you can tweak em? Also I've noticed 63s like a soft rebound valving on a shock, don't be surprised if you need a full revakve after all this.

 

My hydros are not threaded unfortunately.

I'll most likely be getting the shocks from Accutune. I should be able to give them all my info and they can get them close.

 

How bout these bolts? They significantly reduce droop. Are people running these? Removing these? Modifying them ?

 

Aren't those riveted to the bottom leaf on your pack?

 

The bracket is. I'm talking about just running them without the bolt. (Leaving the bracket in place). Or welding some flat stock on them to raise up the bolt to give me droop.

 

oh, interesting. Mine are flipped and it bolts to the bottom.

Would it mess with the steel if you welded to them or heated them up? Thinking i might want to reverse mine to reflect yours (without having to go pull another pair of packs)

 

I'd be welding on those brackets, not the leaf it's self. Heating the leafs like that would probably make the leaf brittle.

 

Kind of what i figured as well. Looks like i might wind up going your route and modifying or extending that bracket. My alcans currently have a bit of space on them.
I am way behind you though. You and @Speedytech7 are my wealth of knowledge for this seemingly monumental task.

 

With some thinking you should be able to come up with a design the boxes the shackles and allows them to flex as needed but to just slide over any rocks that they could easily catch on.

Good luck and interesting project.

 

Figured I'd update this thread a bit.

Ended up changing the shackle length again. Going with a 7 inch shackle at about 35° at ride height.



I added a center tube to stiffen up the shackles, and also space them out so I don't over tighten on the bushings. (I've read a lot of people end up over tightening the shackles and bind their travel a bit.

The 7 inch shackles get close the straight up and down at full droop, which gives me a bit more droop (over the 5 or 6 inch shackles).

 

I fitted up the shocks. (FOX 2.5 - 14 inch)

Had to order elbows so I could route the resis the way I want them.

 

The elbows arrived so I could fit up the resi mounting brackets.