The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Are HD front spring necessary?

I have got a '63 c-20, stock running gear except the '68 327 SBC. Front left sags a bit, my gut and "head" scratching points to bad springs up front. It is a 2wd truck... and no plowing is done. so do I really need the HD up front, or will the ride/steering suffer needlessly...'cuz its Cadillac smooth now

If it's sagging then something isn't the same left to right. Obviously. Have you done some measuring while on a flat surface? Could the cab mounts or the body be to blame? Are the springs arched the same in the rear? Has the suspension taken some damage somewhere along the line? Set up a laser level and use that to create some reference points. I don't think that changing to a different suspension is the answer. But correcting what you already have is. Some investigation is in order.

I'm with K10. Look it over real good. The a-arm bushings & ball joints. Look up in the spring pocket to make sure the spring is not broken. If it does need new springs I wouldn't use HD unless I planed on some heavy hauling.

Those are all good points, Thank you. I am going to give it another good look over. Don't want to buy new parts before I know which ones are broken. I can say it is on a flat surface, that the cab mounts are all relatively new, & I have measured the distance between the garage floor and the front of the frame and the driver's side C-channel sits lower. The tires are the same size and of relatively equal pressure. I have been unable to seperate it further to determine if it is bent frame, a busted coil spring, or worn suspension parts. These old trucks have often times been through more than they let on.

I finally got around to looking closer at my 63's front suspension and the side in question does have a spring that is broken in 2 spots. It compresses 1.25" more than the non-broken side. This may also explain the scary "popping" sound I hear when I turn a corner that puts this spring to the outside position. I will probably get the HD springs 'cuz its a 3/4ton and already rides like a hay wagon, lol! Anybody out here ever replace the front springs? What will it take to separate the lower control arm ball stud? I see my manual calls for torque specs of 175-250 ft.LBS for the lower stud nut, wow! Looks like I better eats me spinach

I wouldn't put HD springs in anything in the front, unless you carry a winch up front-every time I've had the customer complain they are too stiff.

I use a hammer to separate ball joints, a pickle fork(ball joint separator) may help you also.

My '64 C-30 came with regular stock springs that were a little old and sagged a little too much to my liking. I replaced them with new GM HD springs. It rode a little rough, sure, but that how it like them to ride. It put the front end up pretty nice, even when fully loaded with 5000 lbs of weight.

Funny thing is though, when I took the stock springs out and match them up to the new springs, the old springs were actually longer. After tripe checking the application, I learned that the HD springs length wasn't what was important, but the stout-ness of the springs themselves is what will raise up and strenghten the front end of the truck.

Bill