leafs to coils?
 

hello all I'm sorry if it has already been posted but!!!!!!!!

how hard would it be to convert leafs to coils.Parts list anything would help.
Also would it be worth it? I'm not bagging or laying frame. just would like it to hook up a little better without buying slapbars. Any advice would be great.


thanks, steve

Re: leafs to coils?
 

I would think it would be easier to find a truck that already had the suspension you wanted. It's a whole lot more than springs. There's the trailing arms, and the crossmember that need to be installed. Nothing is impossible if you have the time and the money, though.


Take some digital pix of a coil spring vehicle, as well of yours, making sure the angles at which the pix are taken are the same on both trucks. When you compare the photos, you'll see what you need to have to make it happen.

Re: leafs to coils?
 

I had thought about this too....I ended up getting a SWB coil frame truck and I'm selling my LWB leaf truck.

the cross members are the same. So you just bolt on a set of arms and springs, and arm brackets from a donor vehicle.

Where it may get tricky is with the rearend. The coil spring trucks have a hole in the housing for the panhard bar....I don't remember if the leaf trucks do. Not an issue if you lower the truck and use a longer panhard bar (like ECEs). The other concern is the pad that the trailing arms bolt to, vs the pad the leafs bolt to. You'll have to cut the pad off, and weld on a new one. Or I guess you could just find a coil rearend.

Re: leafs to coils?
 

You will need,,,,
crossmember, trailing arms, springs, spring reinforcement plates for the frame where the spring mounts to the frame, panhard bar, both panhard bar mounts and have to at the least move the spring perches on the rear end housing all for sure.

I'm not sure if the leaf spring trucks have the same carrier bearing placement or not, not sure if the ebrake cables are interchangable or not and not sure if the leaf spring trucks have the same shock mounting locations or not.

You might be money ahead if you find a frame and swap your parts onto it or find another truck. With out a doubt time ahead.

If you are really set on useing your frame I would suggest on finding another frame to cut right between the rear cab mounts and the crossmember and then you would have ALL the parts you need. Strip the cut frame and mount everything on your frame, or you could always start ordering aftermarket parts ,,,,it's only money!

Hope this helps
Frank

LOL Ackattack got his posted while I was typing!

Re: leafs to coils?
 

Man, I must be way behind on the lingo stuff. Bagging, laying, hook up??? :confused:

I think I know what bagging means and think I know what you mean by laying, but what do you mean by "hook up a little better?"

I've got a GMC with leaf springs and a 69 Chevy with coils. Both have advangages and disadvantages. But I wouldn't change it. The difference in the ride wouldn't justify the cost in my opinion.

Re: leafs to coils?
 

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE INPUT.

68gmsee:

BAGGING: AIR BAG SUSPENSION
LAYING FRAM: LOWERING SO THE FRAME SITS ON THE GRAOUND
HOOK UP: TRACTION

Re: leafs to coils?
 

Thanks for definition.

Being an old shade tree mechanic from waaaay back I don't keep up with the lingo (language :lol: ) young folks/mechanics are using.

I need to listen to my nephews more. Especially the tire size lingo that's being thrown around these days.

Good luck...