How to: Chevy 63" Leaf Spring Swap

At ride height can you measure top of axle to bottom of frame rail and post that?

Is it better to remove the overload or one of the leaves? I assume you could remove one and see if that helps. Mine sits higher than I want (I'm going to get that measurement later and would like to compare) but I only have 2 leaves + overload. I haven't removed the overload to see.

As for no bumps - It looks like you'd want to at least bump that out to where the shock is nearly compressed.

 

Id pull the overload and go wheel it, those new leafs will definitely settle. And you definitely want bumps unless you want a ruff ride with the shocks bottoming out

 

With my swing out, tire and two full 5 gallon gas cans mine dropped a 1/2”.

 

why not add a bumpstop? an overload may help with adding force before bottoming (and bending) your shocks but doesn't take the place of a bumpstop. just add one!

I'm carrying a whole lot more weight over the rear than most on here, I'm running 3 leafs with no overload and patiently waiting for the leafs to break in.
these are brand new springs, but definitely taking longer than I had expected.
I do have air springs but basically just use it to keep the ride height the same with and without the camper (and use their internal bump stops)

ride height before the camper


and with camper

 

Thanks for the info. I just have to get creative and make these tacoma durobump bump stop work. My buddy initially used 3 leafs without overload but it just seemed too flat so we tried with overload and the leaf pack pressed onto the overload.

Before:


After:

 

Riding on the overload like that is fine, so either do 3 with overload, or 4 regular leafs. 3 will give too much axle wrap/springs will bend pretty easily

 

I cut out 3/4” rubber horse stall mat and put it underneath my Archive bumps instead of making something outta metal. Not sure if it would help you but thought I would mention it.

 

I did my 63 swap and immediately pulled off the overload spring it’s not needed in my own opinion. Good shock tuning will do you better then the overload spring.
Bump stops are gonna protect your shocks if you have good shocks then they are definitely worth the money.

 

FINALLY completed the swap. I had put the 63s on and ran out of time for the shock relocation. I was able to knock that out over the weekend. Bilstein 14" 7100 Short bodies - with the 63s it looks like I can take advantage of the full length of the shock. I had 2 bed bolts that looked like the bottom pic so hopefully a few better pics once I get those tapped, a few new bed bolts and properly set the bumps. I had asked a few posts up about the measurement - ride height for me is just ~11.75 top of axle to bottom frame - no overload.

 

That’s the shit nightmares are made of. I put a 3” body lift on my old 73’ blazer and every bolt was like that. It was a wheeler so we ended up torching most of them out and using massive washers.

 

Ruff stuff bump stops finally on...thanks to my buddy Brian for the custom work

 

I did a double take on that, it looked like unistrut at first glance haha

 

3 leaf gang. Still have some rake with a full size spare in the bed. You'll probably sit "levelish" with a swing out and overload removed

 

14” 2.5 Fox DSC shocks with a Chevy 63” 3 leaf pack, ruffstuff swap kit with archive garage shock relocation kit, still haven’t installed limit straps or bumps stops so it’s not at full droop. At ride height I have 7” of up travel and 7” of droop.

 

63’s doing 63’s things. That’s about as loaded as I get. Also have two full 5 gallon Jerry cans on the swingout. I’m thinking I’m going to leave the overload in.

 

Hauled 1k lbs of scrap metal in the bed today, truck now identifies as an 88 silverado. No overloads so she was squatting quite a bit, hydro bumps were acting like air bags lol

 

Haha nice bro! I’ve only put in about 500lbs and the leafs barely flatten out. How do you like the hydros?

 

They are noisy, but its nice having a for-sure bump stop. My super bumps would fold in half/let the shock bottom out

 

Thank you good to know. I’m looking at the locked offroad hydro bump kit but it’s not designed for a u-bolt flip. I’m thinking of just welding a contact plate across the top of the u-bolt plate so the hydro can touch there.

 

Almost all 63s are 3" wide, current day truck ones are wider. Believe Toyota leafs are 2 3/4 or 2 7/8, so you'd probably have to spread the shackles apart or make new shackles