64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I want to put 64" rear springs from a 88-98 Chevy 2500, on the rear of my 72 Blazer. Anybody have any experience doing this? I also want to do the shackle flip.
I got the springs and the front hanger off the 95ish chevy. They are 4/1 and I am gonna remove the 1 (over load). I have them all apart and am wire brushing them and painting. Have new bushings, stock shackle, center bolts (they were metric) and am trying to get the correct wear pads. The spring shop sent me 3 different kinds and all of them were incorrect. Mine are square with a 9/16 nub.

Anyway, how many leaves should I run? Should I find a 5/1 pack?
How far foreward, or backward do I have to move the hangers? It looks like a body mount is gonna be in the way of the front hanger. I want a 20-30 degree angle back for the rear shackle. The rear cross member might need to be relocated.

The 95 spring hanger will have to be spaced out to match the stock front hanger. I dont have a exact measurement yet, but looks like about a 1/2 inch.

I want to keep the axle in the exact same location and have the same 2.5" lift.

Soooo, does anybody have any tech to post up?? Some pictures would be even better.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I don't know. I hope this helps.:lol:

^^^TTT^^^

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

It does help Tim. All I was hearing was......crickets. Are you gonna make the race?

Looks like I will forge ahead and put the info here.
I'm gonna go do my favorite thing. Cut rivets!:cuss:

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I have read about it on other sites but never experienced it myself. Looks like your paving the way for others who would like to do the same. If you can would you mind snapping some conversion pics and a before and after? I have considered the 63" spring swap on my '71 long box along with 52"s on the front for ride quality with an eye towards load ability.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I just spent $500 on new 52"ers on my '85 Jimmy where the plan was to simply swap the lift and axles from my dead '91 Suburban. I laid under there and pondered dropping the tank,pulling the bumper and hitch,then those pesky rivets started laughing at me. As I crawled out from under there I even heard "And,don't forget about drilling those 12 holes" followed by more laughter. My money's tight,but I can only take so much. So I went inside and called Suspension Connection with tears of humility still in my eyes.
Yes,I plan on being there for sure!

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

:lol:

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I will post some pictures.
I did 52's on the front last year.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I have drilled out several hundred rivets in my time. And I hated every single one. I have it down to a science, but its still not fun. I had this project on the back burner for months, but the hot weather delayed me from starting.

Your coming to the race! Excellent! You guys should throw something together, I will drag you out if it dosent make it.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

Haven't run 64 inch springs on aything, but getting rid of rivets has become a recent favorite passtime. I cut two wedges out of the large side with a cutoff wheel and push the body of the rivet through with my air hammer and pointed tip.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I got the hangers off with the help of my buddy Jeff. I did the pass side, he did the driver side.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I hate rivets.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I might have to relocate the body mount. Or modify the stock hanger. Or make a new hanger. Or.....

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

Congrats on your riveting battle!

Where's the center pin sit on the 64's? Who did you go with for the shackle flip?

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

The one on the left is the front hanger from the 95ish pickup. The one on the right is the 72 Blazer rear hanger. I need to space the 95 out 1/4 to match the 72.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

Here are the springs from the 95. They came from a 2wd 2500 and were 4/1. I eliminated the over load. No firewood hauling here.
I still need the correct wear pads, and its proving to be difficult.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

Here are the wear pads. The ones with the sides are no longer available. They go where the band is on the bottom spring. So i cut some UHMW at work and glued them onto the paper thin old ones. The glue to bond UHMW is $70 for a little bottle. My boss said "take a bottle home." We will see if it works.
The spring shop sent me wear pads 3 different times. None of them are correct. I will have to comprise on what ever fits snug in the spring hole, the round ones with the 9/16 pin I think will have to work.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

Here are the old 2.5" lift springs. When I converted to 52" front springs I had to add the small lift block to help level it out. This will be eliminated now.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

It looks kind of empty.
I took height measurements and marked the frame and the top of the axle with a plumb bob. So that I can get the axle in the exact same spot, at the same angle.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

The center pin is in the center of the springs, 32".
For the shackle flip I hope to use the 95 hanger in the rear and a stock 4.5" shackle.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I put a spring in to eye things up and right away the plan has changed.
I think I will have to fab a front hanger and reuse the rear hanger, only invert it.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

Dang,that's about right under the body mount,huh? Will you plate the inside of the frame to run your spring mount support up the inside? Or,make one to straddle the body mount? Or...? I know you have a plan. Just a minor set-back,right?:rolleyes:

We'd get a rig together but you'd lose you whole Maryland fan club. And,we wouldn't have any fans. Just a bunch of Pennsylvanians hollering,"Get that broke down junk outta da way. These ain't no DC potholes here and we ain't got no AAA!" :lol:

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

Have you looked at a square body hanger ? Tim has some on his burb that he's parting. Whats the date for the race ?

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

I'm still scratchin my head on the front mount. I think I can squeeze a "Davidson Machine" hanger in there and leave the body mount.

Tim, I'm conifident that your junk would be much better than some of the other junk there. And when your broke down on the track, now your just another obstacle, yelling profanity woulnt do any good. Just smile and wave.:lol:

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

Hey James! Whats this square body mount look like??
The race is Sept 17th, I will probley leave Thursday morning.

Re: 64" springs in a 72 Blazer
 

When I took my springs apart to clean and paint them I researched for days trying to find new wear pads. The only place I could find that had them was Skyjacker and they were a nightmare to deal with. Since you can't order directly from Skyjacker, I placed my order through Summitt and instead of just drop shipping the items from Skyjacker, the idiots at Skyjacker send them to Summitt then Summitt has to process them and then send them back out to the customer which wouldn't be all that bad if the idiots at Skyjacker could get an order right the first time. After eventually receiving my full order of about a dozen wear pads in three different shipments over about a 1 month period I was able to put my springs back together.