Leaf springs from Pick n Pull

I do but I dont think KYB does cause the P/N for both sides are the same.

thanks for the link hetkind!

The springs are at least 40 to 50 percent thicker than the Toyota's so they should keep a great arch. The U-bolts are only 2 years old so they ought to be good so long as they have enough threads. I might ditch the OL as well.

 

Hey Terry can you send me or post up exact thickness & length of your Dodge springs you intend to use I wanna do some calculations on what you can expect & are you using 2 or 3 of the stock springs ?? thanks buddy

 

I'm working till 5pm today so when I get home I plan on tearing the Dodge leafs apart so I'll do the measurements then. While falling asleep lastnight I decided to just ditch the overload. So I think my center bolts will be long enough.
I plan on leaving the main leaf and the longest leaf on and using the 2 smallest leafs from the Dodge. I think the leafs are 47" and 33" will need to double check that and will have to see what the thickness is. Also will measure the arch.

 

OK took the measurements for the springs. The long spring which is the one next to the main spring is 47.5" long and 3/8" thick. The arch (which I measured by flipping it upside down on the ground and measuring from the ground to the spring in line with the highest point) is 5.25". The smaller spring is 38" long, 3/8" thick and the arch is 3-3/8".
Is there another measurement I'm missing?

 

Cant you just buy grade 8 bolts from ACE , or are the pins something specific?

 

sure even grade 5 is fine. but in order to get the head into the hole on the plate you will either drill a bigger hole to fit the head or use a smaller than stock bolt with a small enough head to fit the plate.

 

Sitting here on the couch watching Wow Wow Wubbsy and wondering if it would be a good ideal to also use the main leaf from the Dodge by simply cutting the ends off where the bolt wraps are and using them as well? So basically mounting the whole Dodge set-up to the belly of the Tacos main leaf.....Things that make you go hum......

 

Dang i was about to order an AAL for my sagging springs, but i have been looking at these and thinking i could put together a nice set.

 

You should always use regular axle pins,You guys out in the sticks ? How far to a Walmart super store, I'm serious, they have an automotive center & can get them for you if nothing else is around, mojo'ing the very head on that pin is not the place to fuck up, besides they're not straight stock hardend steel with a fine thread stud & a "head" thats pretty much gotta be a matched fit with the axle.

We don't drill bigger holes in anything, takes away the integrity & makes the springs prone to break

My God I've created a monster !!!!

Terry , I'm pretty sure you'll be waaaaaay over sprung

I don't mean to sound negative about your ideas at all, but this is how you go about it, alot of objective self criticism, I've pondered the whole junkyard spring/rebuild a long time before I just got tired of hitting the fucking bump stops on shit that wouldn't phase my Hyundai.

Don't forget that the stiffness of the dodge springs is going to be more than the Toyota, add to that the increased thickness & you've got a potential pogo stick to drive down the road & the ride will suck on road & offroad (there won't be much spring compression , only bounce,harsh)

Don't drill the springs, but you need to cut them . Are you using the 3 toyota springs & adding 2 Dodge or ??

but your def. on the right track

 

& get an angle grinder w/some cut off wheels...

 

believe it or not Doug...one of my 2 springs I bought was held together by a regular bolt from a hardware store!!!!! I knew the truck had aftermarket U bolts when I pulled them and now I know why. I think the owner had to repair one side?
As far as what I think I need for my truck is just removing the AAL Over load, smallest, and middle leafs. Then putting the Dodge smallest and middle leaf in their place. should be MORE than enough.
since I really don't off road but instead carry large loads at times I'm looking for a strong set-up that won't be like riding in a school bus. Doug you know how school buses ride? LOL there aren't any school buses up here in the bay area! Parents drop the kids off!
I wish I had a garage where I could play around with an angle grinder. I do have my Dad's Saws all........

 

That sounds like a good fit Terry, remember the cut lengths ? 40.5" & 33.5" . another thing is if you notice, our stock springs are slightly offset, meaning the hole where the pin goes thru is off center (measure from the center of hole to end of leaf. Cut your new leafs so they're equal distances from center of hole to the ends of the new leaf) You can use a sawzall, get some blades & some good thread cutting oil to use while cutting it'll help a ton. I like your design dude, & remember I'm here to help ya wherever I can, I want you to be successful with this & sounds like you will be....

 

A recip saw won't cut so well, the steel in the leaf is high carbon AND hardened. So you can't flame cut either. Shearing works very well, as does abrasive cutting (high speed cut off wheel), but don't let it get too hot. Heat above say 700 degrees with remove the temper.

 

Yeah but a sawzall is what he has to work with & I already covered the torch cutting I think.....

cut off wheels work best for me since my shear is down......j/k

 

yep I recall the hole being off center. Doug if you don't mind, how did you come up with these measurements? Only asking because I wasn't even thinking about this too seriously. I also didn't measure my stock springs yet either. will the 47 and 38 of the Dodge just be too long?
Just bought a wire wheel for my drill to clean the rust off and a can of gloss black spray paint. I have Friday off and plan using most of that day prepping the springs. Since I live in a Condo the springs are lying in the bed of the truck and sliding all over the place. can't wait to put them on!
Oh, I fired off and email to KYB in reguards to shock lengths and what I am expecting to achieve. I looked over their parts catalog and can't tell which Monomax will be long enough since I can only find a chart that reads the p/n and the vehicle they fit. I need more than that. Like workable lengths and which mounting style they are. Hopefully I hear back from them.

 

Nice, good call on getting(trying) the info on the kyb's, yeah you have to have upgraded shocks (longer) or this whole thing goes out the window, I mean you could do it but at huge (& probable) risk for damage to shocks & yeah if your stock springs are like mine (pretty sure they are)

Honestly ? on the lengths, it was looking at the stock setup & made them (new leafs) accordingly (roughly 7" difference in lengths, so 3.5" off each end or whatever makes them equal distance in regards to the center

 

I'm wondering if the fact that you shorten their lengths was a big factor in their ability to give you the 3"? I'm thinking this cause it would seem to me that a longer spring would flatten more due to the length. Applying more of a torque to the leaf center and thus spreading the load out and lowering them down a bit more than if they where shorter. Am I making any sense? LOL!
I'll take some measurements myself tomorrow and shoot some ideals your way.

 

finally someone gets it......................

Heres a set that went on a 2nd gen couple weeks ago

 

Yep looks just like what I'm shooting for!

Oh, what did you come up with on the measurements I've given you so far? Just curious to know what I'm starting here with.

 

These were built for firmer,minimal lift, dumped the OL & now he (RecklessTaCo)mem. raves about his on/offroad ride now PM him & get his opinion..

About 2 hrs after I did mine (R&D test rat) just wanted to see how a little flex would be like, ya can't tell but wheel is off ground maybe 6" which is nothing of course, its been 2-3ft off since with excellent results