The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Lower rear leaf springs (47-53 burb)

I was wondering if anyone knows of an late model vehicle leaf springs that work well on 47-54 suburbans. The lower sitting the better.

Some guys have used late '80's Dodge Caravan rear leaf springs on the AD trucks.You'll need the spring mounts from the Caravan. Chassis Engineering and Total Cost Involved make a rear spring kit. I've used two kits from Chassis Emgineering. Be prepared to" make" the Chassis Engineering springs and mounts fit. Their "bolt-in" kit are not exact in their measurements. You'll have to do a lot of measuring and slotting of holes etc. If you are a fabricator , then no problem. If you've never done any modifying before then get someone to help you.

You might look around. Most large cities have shops who do mostly commer cial trucks who can build a spring to your specifcation and would match the geometry of the existing springs.

I recently took my rear springs to a spring shop and had them "de-arch" them. That, with lowering blocks and my truck sits right where i want it.

I was wanting to go the "de-arching" and lowering block method, but was told that my original springs were too rusty to de-arch. Would getting reproduction original springs and having them re-arched to my own specs be the way to go, or would lowering springs be less expensive and less hassel? I've been told that lowering springs don't really get these trucks all that low and that I would need to de-arch and use lowering blocks even with lowering springs.

Yeah,,,for most people the "lowering springs" dont get the truck where they want it. Thats why i used my orig. springs(de-arched) w/lowering blocks,,,on my panel.
WOW,your springs must be pretty rusty to not be able to use. You can take them apart and wire wheel them and they should clean up pretty well,unless theyve sat at the bottom of the ocean for a few years. Ive seen some pretty bad ones cleaned up and re-used. Just yesterday on my suburban, i removed 3 leaves from the front,each side and that brought it down considerably.
Looks alot better and not so top heavy.

Another consideration is that springs fatigue over time and lose some of thier flexibility. Buying new springs for your drop would not only yeild the drop but should result in a better ride as well.