Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

I've been wanting to do a 52" / 63" spring swap on the '63 for some time now. I have never really liked the way it rides and I constantly worry about the 5-1/2" blocks in the rear. To that end, I have spent ALOT of time on the internet reading, searching for information and trying to prebuild this swap in my head for years now. I have been able to come up with swap info for 1967 to present but very little on the '60 to '66 rigs.
I've been collecting parts for about 3 years now and recently have accelerated my parts gathering. My end goal is to have a suspension that can remain comfortable whether loaded or unloaded, towing or not. I'm not after huge articulation or crawling ability, just a newer vehicle type of ride.
Hopefully this thread can help someone else who has been a little obsessed with this swap but hasn't wanted to be the guinea pig. It may keep me motivated to finish as well (as if having the truck in pieces all over the garage isn't enough)
I will try to get as many pics as I can and I may need some help. If there's anything that you guys that are reading this want me to get pics of or information on, just ask. I'd like to make this a useful thread for the '60 - '66 crowd even though there may be some frame differences between the years. With that said, let's get cracking'.
Had to air the tires down to get it in the garage. Ended up popping a bead on the drivers rear tire. Gotta love the 16.5 wheels! Sure do hope that I don't end up with more lift than I already have!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Started off with getting the bed off for better access to the rear spring hangers. I ended up taking it down to the coin op wash to get the frame cleaner before I start. Might even paint the back half while I'm there.
You can kind of get a feel for how much longer the '63 are compared to the original springs which are closer to 50 - 1/2".
The old springs were pretty tired as can be seen.
Lately I have been trying to chase the source of a pretty bad driveline vibration that occurs whenever I take off from a stop, go up a hill or just simply putting some power to the rear. When I drove to the car wash, I looked through the back window at the rear axle several times as I accelerated (sounds real safe huh?) only to see that the axle wrap that occurred would allow not only rotation of the axle but also a 1-1/2" to 2" forward movement of the pinion / axle. I'm hoping this is minimized when I'm done.
I'm also aiming to move the axle rearward 1" to center it better within the wheel well.

Re: Long Leaf Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Initially, I was going to find OEM spring hangers, shackles and modify them to fit the '63 frame. The more I thought about it, the more realistic I became about the amount of time that I have available and my welding skills.
The option that I ended up going with DIY 4x4 B52 hanger set for the front and the DIY 4x4 Flip and Switch for the rear / rear spring hanger and the ORU shackle flip for the front / rear. Pics of both setups coming soon.
I have one of the front springs out right now which will give better access to the front hanger for removal.
The difference in length of the front springs can be seen here.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Nice progress so far, watching.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Awesome! I can't wait for your feedback on the 52" springs up front. I suspect since the main leaf is relatively long and thin that you will need a front sway bar to prevent excessive of body roll. but maybe not. I'm glad you are taking the plunge!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

I'm watching this.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Yeah Im pretty stoked Jason. I think you may be right about the sway bar. I just got the front passenger side done (still loosely fitted but resting on the axle). I tried pushing down on the bumper on both sides just to compare. I can push the passenger side down easily nearly 1-1/2". I can't move the driver's side at all. One thing I was really concerned about was the cab mounts. I've heard that on the '67 - '72s that the front cab mount needed to be cut with this kit. Im not sure what the shackle angle is supposed to be but it looks good to my expert trained eye. LOL! Ill try to get some pics on her tonight to prove it happened!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Ok. Got some parts porn here. The First Gen 52 kit from DIY4x4 is a pretty stout piece. It is a very complete kit and the quality is by far the best I've seen yet. Im sure it will take way more abuse than I would ever dare dish out on this truck. Here goes

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

So back to the dirt... I became reaquainted with my trusty 4" grinder, air chisel and cordless drill and got to work. I started by grinding slots into the rivets that held the front spring hanger and core support. At some time in the past, the core support was treated to the stick welder treatment. Needles to say, this was the hardest part to get off. The last pick was what was left of the support when I was done. Getting the core support was like the death of a thousand cuts. Not fun.

The sharpie line on the bumper bracket is where I had to cut to make room for a gusset on the front hanger.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Finally a little confidence boost! 1 bolt holding the front bracket in. I was pretty excited at this point. Almost made the kids walk home from school so I could keep going. I needed a break at this point anyway. I was out of grinder discs, needed paint and a couple drill bits. Oh yeah and I had to get the kids from school too!

I also picked up some core support mounts for a '67 c series truck. Wasn't sure if they would fit at this point.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

So I got the kids home and bribed them to do my chores before the wife came home ;). I painted the front hanger, rear shackle eyes and all of the non zinc coated hardware. At this point, it went together pretty fast.

The '67 core support bushing worked great and I didn't think that I needed to cut the front cab mount so I didn't. Let me hear your thoughts on the shackle angle. Im not real sure what it's supposed to be.

BTW, using the 2nd bolt hole in the front hanger moved the front axle forward about 3/4 of an inch FWIW.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Looks good! Can't wait to hear how well it works.:metal:

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Aww man! It looks great! Now I want to do it too!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

What hole is the spring in in the front mount? leaves me wondering why they give the 4 hole option... I cant tell you if it really matters if the shackle is leaning more forward or rearward. Like your stock shackle in a prior pic my aftermarket shackles lean forward a little. I think I'd install the tire and see how well centered it is.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

With no weight on the axle, I like the shackle kicking back a little bit. Gives it room to move like it should. The reason for the holes in the front is adjustability, whole reason for the kit. I like your truck, makes me want to get one.....

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

What is the measurement between the front eye bolt and the shackle hanger bolt?

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Got the other side done last night, everything tightened up. Gonna air down the tires here in an hour or so to get it out of the garage. Air it back up and take her for a spin. Im thinking that the first trip will be to the wrecking yard for a sway bar and mounts. Thanks Jason, Im kinda stressing over that now! LOL.
This brings me to a question that I have; I've searched around trying to find pics of the factory front sway bar for a '73 up front axle. Im just looking for a reference for mounting points and how the bar lays out under the truck. I also want to make sure that the spring clamp plates that the bar attaches to are on correctly.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

I used the second hole from the rear. My goal was to keep the axle in the existing location or move it forward a little. I didn't want it moving backwards and giving me driveshaft issues. (I just had a new shaft built and didn't want to buy or shorten another one). The rear hole would have moved the axle back farther than I wanted forcing me to shorten the DS and I was ok with the 3/4" that the axle moved forward with the second hole.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

It was actually a little easier than I expected Jason. The only exception being that the P.O. used a stick welder to reinforce the front core support frame mounts. Each of those took the better part of 4 hours to grind / chip down. I really like the later style core support bushing (just think it looks a little less hokey than the original) and I was really relieved to not have had to cut the front cab mounts!
Quite honestly, the mounts could probably be scavenged off of a '67 - '72 and be made to work for our trucks. It seems that there wasn't much change in the frames until after '72.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Sorry, didn't see this one. It's 50-1/2" center to center.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

That sounds about right. From my measurements it seems most of these trucks had a bolt spacing similar to the spring length or maybe an inch shorter. Seems 1-2 iches shorter is what most people end up with when doing shackle flips and such.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Here's another build with a 2.5" lift spring lift and sway bar from a 73-78 truck, might help you determine how to set yours up. he starts on the second post.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...259859&page=12

I haven't been able to find it but somebody sells brackets for the axle end of the sway bar that allow for a lift and keep the sway bar in the same position, the brackets have pins in them so off roaders can disconnect them for more articulation.. somebody here posted pictures in their thread..

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

ORD sells the sway bar links with quick release pins.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Thanks!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Just drove it around. All I can say is that I have to hurry up and do the rears now. It is like night and day. Not a lot of body roll either. Gonna go drive it some more!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Thanks for the link Swamp! That is exactly what I'm looking for. Although there isn't a lot of body roll right now, I suspect that when I get the 63's in the back, the bed on it and am carrying firewood, it may get uncomfortably loose. Im working on finding someone on CL that's parting a 73 up K series truck as I write this. I really like how that sway bar looks like it came with the truck!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Awesome! That is good to hear that the body roll isn't terrible. You're making me wish I had gone with 52s up front when I built big ugly, but I wussed out.

Did you buy the 5 leaf 52" springs new? Did they come with the plastic sliders on the leaf tips like the factory springs? Did you remove the overload leaf or leave it on?

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

I got the springs for 50$ used off of a '74. Didn't even notice that there were no sliders like the rears of the ones that I have on the truck now. I may try and get those. All in all, these springs make a world of difference. The rear springs in the truck used to be the softer part of the suspension. Now I hit speed bumps and wait for the rear to knock a kidney out. I can't wait to put the 63's in and really smooth the ride out! Just waiting on the flip kit which should be here on Wednesday. By the time I'm done, I should have the 31 gallon Blazer tank and the 63" springs in the rear. I'm thinking it will be a drastic difference.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

This is great info. I'm planning on converting my '63 C10 to 4wd this summer, and I've been agonizing over the spring choices out there. I'm excited to hear how it drives and see how it looks.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Just looked at my last post and noticed that it did not have very much valuable info for anybody here. The leafs that I got were seemingly good used rear 5 leaf units from a 1974 Chevy K10. The guy that I got them from had them powder coated and installed new poly bushings in the eyes. There are no end sliders or sliders where the pack center pin runs through. The original rear springs had the sliders on the ends and the sliders (spacers) between the leafs at the center pin. I may try to find out if the new springs may have had the sliders. Possibly they were removed for the powder coat?
I also just spoke with a guy who is close by and he has the sway bar, minus the frame mount for $20. I think I will pick that up this week.
Im really hoping that the hangers for the rears show up Wednesday. I'd like to have that done this weekend so I can get the fuel tank in and get the bed back on.
One more thing that I noticed. Some of you may have heard me mention that the truck sits anywhere from 1 to 1-1/4" lower on the passenger side. I never knew if it was frame or spring related. Well... I just realized that it is frame related. It is still leaning. I guess its time to start looking for a good frame shop :(.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Chris, did you compare the springs, side by side before installing them? I ask this because I had a set of front springs I pulled off of my suburban and when I set them side by side, upside down on the ground I could easily see that one was about and inch lower than the other. Not sure why that would happen but I put in different front springs anyway.

How can you tell that your frame is tweaked?

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Jason,
I did pull the overloads off BUT, I did scavenge the two smallest leafs off of the original 45" front packs. I did use the smallest leaf on the bottom of the new pack (which I guess means that they are 6 leaf packs now, lol) and am saving the slightly longer one in case I need it later.

On another side note, be a little wary of C clamps made in China. I used 2 of them to hold the old front packs together when I was trying to get the smaller leafs off. One of the clamps let go sending a 2-1/2" chunk of metal whizzing past my head. It happened so fast, I didn't see it - just heard it whiz past my ear. I couldn't find the piece until today. It had ricocheted off of the work bench and landed 40' up the driveway. Lesson learned.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

I noted you replaced the radiator core mount bushings, have you done the cab bushings yet? i'm curious if the cab bushings could be contributing to the truck leaning to one side a little?

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Good call Swamp. It wouldn't hurt right? I did notice that the passenger side bushings were squished more than the drivers side. I wouldn't think that it would affect the frame that way but what do I know? I seem to learn something new almost everytime I work on this thing. I'll probably do the bushings before finding a frame shop. Thanks for catching that!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Hey Jason, Yeah I put them side by side originally and didn't notice a difference and TBH, I really have no idea if the frame is tweaked or not. I'm just kind of wired to go to worst case scenario right away. Swamp just reminded me that I may need to replace the cab bushings as they may be contributing to the lean. I will try and work through the small things first. I appreciate you guys talking me off of the ledge!

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Here's the pick of the C clamp. Not sure how it made it past my head, my Wife's bug and the Denali without messing something up! I'm chalking it up to free tuition.
I also burned up my trusty Dewalt XRP while drilling holes in the frame for the hangers. I should have started with the corded Makita drill motor that I ended up using in the end.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Do you have a set of calipers? If so, could you do me a favor and measure the thickness of your main leaf, when you get a chance? I'm curious if it is thicker, thinner or the same as a 7 leaf pack.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

Old main = .336. New main = .305. Give or take a little grime. New ones are definitely thinner. Not by much but you can see it.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

OK guys, serious question. When I was measuring the leaf thickness, I noticed that the original front springs have a military wrap on the front eye. The new ones do not. I know they are there for an extra margin of safety should the main leaf break. While I have seen a few mono leaf trailer springs break in the past, I have yet to see a multi leaf let go. I really don't want to experience this firsthand on the front of the truck. Has anyone seen any issues with running a non double wrap on the front of any trucks before? If so, does anyone know where I could find some stock 52's with the military wrap? Im kinda tripping on this. Ive never heard of it being a problem but really wasn't looking at this point / issue in the planning stages of this.

Re: Spring Swap Thread - 1963 K15
 

I wouldn't worry about it. Non of the aftermarket front springs have that secind leaf overwrap.