Re: Lift blocks & my spring-over

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Twmart@domain.elided wrote:
> 
> Tom I thought that a spring over should net around 5"+ lift??
> Is this front or rear??

It should, Tom.  *IF* you use the same springs.  This is ONLY in the
rear.  My front is still 4" Skyjacker hardware.

My "stock" measurement is 4.5" from axle to bump stop bracket (~ 5" to
frame).  That's stock 1977 XLC, probably with a bit less "junk" in the
back than I do now.

I went to 4" Skyjackers and got 6.5", and then 2" shackles for 7.5". 
That's what I measured Monday before I started this project.  7.5" w/
soft-top, 33" spare, 5gal gas can, half tank of gas, couple gallons of
AF, some oil, tools, air tools, driveshaft, axle shaft, and other
assorted junk in the back.

A year ago I traded a local highschool kid my XLC rear springs for his
very shot n' sagged '73 non-HD springs.  He received a few inches "lift"
in the deal, and I got a set of very flexy rear leaves.

New bushings in the spring, removed the 4th (shortest) leaf, and put a
new (3/8") center pin in upside down.

I then made "low profile" seriously stout spring perches, welded 'em on
top, put the leaves in, and sat back and looked.  At the time, I thought
I got 4" of lift.. until I removed the shocks, and the frame dropped
more, until I was measuring just 7" (or 7.5) of clearance on the axle
housing!

The springs are *FLAT* at-rest.

I pulled 'em out and put the 4th leaf (arched) back in.  This isn't an
"overload" like the XLC springs have.  This leaf is curved, and 3/8"
thick.  The overload on another set of XLCs I have is 5/8" thick and
VERY flat, though the ends are tapered to a wide "point" (like a chisel)

I then took a piece of 6"x2"x3/8" strap, and drilled for the center
pin.  I put the 4th leaf on, and then under the 4th leaf I put this 3/8"
thick "lift block" and cinched the pin down and put things back
together.

The 4th leaf didn't lift it.  The springs are *still* flat at-rest. 
However, the 3/8" thick leaf and the 3/8" thick lift block did yield
lift just from their own thickness.  I now measure 8" on one side and
7.5" on the other (late last night, anyhow.. I'll re-measure this
weekend)

So first I had a "three inch" spring-over.  Now I'm more like 3 or 3.5"
of lift.  I didn't really gain any lift out of this... I wanted to gain
a *little*, but I was afraid I'd gain too much!  

I can take *some* consolation that I won't break my spring perches off
again, and now my U-bolts, shocks, and U-bolt plates are all up higher
and not rock-fodder any longer.  The U-bolt plates were mangled pretty
badly.. so were the lower shock mounts... and the shocks all have dents
n' dings in them, too.

If I did it again, I'd make my shock mounts (that are part of the
perches) a little lower, but not lower than the axle housing.  I'd
probably try using some 3-leaf XLCs, too instead of these VERY shot
springs (I'd pull the overload from the XLCs)

I need to move my exhaust a little.. the U-bolt plate is catching the
exhaust and pushing it against the frame, limiting up-travel.

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout