The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Rear Coil Springs

Some douche (the previous owner) heated up the rear coils on my C10 to lower it. I'd like to return it to it's stock height (or close to it). I considered using coil "helpers". Does anyone have any suggestions or direct feedback about any of those things?

If I decide to replace the springs, would it be better to go with the constant or variable style? Aside from occasionally having to haul my 750cc motorcycle, I won't be carrying much of significant weight.

Thanks in advance!

people will do anything to fit in with the lower craze. if they have been heated you think they would be more prone to breaking since the spring steel has lost it's spring! i would replace them. 1/2 ton stock springs aren't too bad a ride anyway so stock replacements should be fine. a pet peve of mine is truck that can no longer function as truck be it too tall or too low, but to each his own.

I would replace the coils rather than using helper springs, simply because they are so easy to install and carry the load between the frame and control arms as in the original design.

Before purchasing any replacement springs it might be prudent to ask the size of the spring wire and compare it to the size of your originals. Most of the stock replacement rear coils I’ve seen are made of wire that is far too heavy and the springs are severely stiff. In theory the variable rate springs should be preferable, but I installed a pair of new aftermarket variable rate coils and the wire was so thick they basically couldn't be compressed no matter how much weight was added in the bed. The truck rode like it had no springs at all. As a person with back problems the truck became too painful to drive. I had to toss out the new springs and go back to the old originals.

BigWeb,

My truck also had flame lowered rear coils. I replaced them with new rear coil springs from CPP and they are made from much smaller round stock than the originals. The result is a very smooth ride, much more like a car than a truck.

I plan to add air-lift bags (they install inside the rear leaf springs) for extra hauling capacity. I contacted Air-Lift and they suggested kit number 60812 for my truck ('65 SWB with 5" lowering springs). http://shop.airliftcompany.com/dyn_search?k=0&q=60812

Hope this helps.

John