removing leaf springs?

[68_c10_on20s]

I just did a shackle and hanger job on a 93 swb did spindles and springs up front but truck has to much rake.Id like to drop the back about 1.5 or maybe 2 more inches in the back if possible.I guess I should have went with the flip kit but too late now.

Heres my question is it safe just to remove 1 or 2 leafs? I know it will lesson my payload capacity but im not gonna haul anything in it anyways.Also i only have about 3-4 inches from the bump stop on the frame so if I go any further am I gonna have to c-notch.And last what would it do if I just went ahead with the flip kit and left the drop shackles and hangers on?

[N2TRUX]

Does it have a thich overload leaf at the bottom of the pack? If so, you can easily gain almost an 1" by removing that leaf alone. Your on your own from there.

[68_c10_on20s]

Yeah Trux it has the thick overload then 3 more on top of that.I swore I saw a photo in your build of the back end with only 2 springs and bags did you remove 2?

[dieselarmy13]

I've got shackles, a flip kit, and I'm only sitting on three leafs, and I don't have any problems.

[hessian18]

I removed the heaviest leaf from my 1/2 ton, Im runnin 3 total now. So far so good, But I dont carry any loads and dont have any horsepower ahahhahaa

[Primer70]

If you go any lower than the 4" hanger / shackle kit you'll want to do a notch kit & get the tail pipes moved up higher at the rear axle. I installed a notch kit for a guy who had a 4" hanger / shackle kit in the rear after I removed one leaf spring. The front was done with 2" spindles & 2" coils, the truck had a little bit of a rake still, but looked good. I removed the shortest leaf spring from the spring pack, the one right above the overload spring. This was on a 1992 1/2 ton regular cab short bed. The truck rode great, but I would not use it to tow or haul any weight.

[68_c10_on20s]

Yeah i figured as much I should have just went ahead with the flip but owell live and learn.So if I do take 1 or 2 leafs out am I gonna have to get another set of u-bolts?

[dbmx66]

Originally Posted by 68_c10_on20s

Yeah i figured as much I should have just went ahead with the flip but owell live and learn.So if I do take 1 or 2 leafs out am I gonna have to get another set of u-bolts?

im pretty sure you can use the same u bolts after you take leafs out

[68_c10_on20s]

also guys im wondering if I take any springs out will that affect my hook up? I dont want any wheel hop.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by 68_c10_on20s

also guys im wondering if I take any springs out will that affect my hook up? I dont want any wheel hop.

Seems like alot of "negatives" to what you are trying to do.
Why not remove your shackle/hanger drop,... and sell it. Then buy the flip kit and enjoy your truck. Let the "lesson learned", be the amount of money you lose on the hanger kit, not making the truck you drive not exactly how you want it. Plus you're about to c-notch the frame anyway.

Put that hanger kit on Craigslist. I bet you'd be surprised what you could get for it!

[staggerd86c-10]

i wish i would of gotten the flip kit from the beginning now but im thinking of removing leafs too because i dont even have my stock hangers anymore so im kind of stuck with what i got and making it look the way i want it to. how come some trucks have only 3 leafs? i have 5 i think if i were to remove 2 leafs it shouldnt be that bad. come on guys help us out.

[68_c10_on20s]

From what I have found out so far is the big one on the bottum if your truck has one is the overload my truck has 5 leafs too.I would remove the hanger and shackle but I had to grind the rivets out for the hangers and bolt the new ones in.I also tossed all the factory stuff too.Im gonna try and removeatleast the overload one weekend when my honeydoo list is complete so it might be awhile....

[bigblock73]

I did a S/H drop on my 73 years ago...and pitched the stock hangers thinking I would never need them. Just recently, I said F it, I want a lower stance. I found a set of stock hangers, right here on the board (people are always parting trucks out), bought them and a new flip kit. I sold my drop hangers to re-coup some cost, and couldn't be happier.

I suggest biting the bullet, getting the flip kit, and not looking back.

You can remove leafs, sure...especially the overload...but I still doubt you will be completely happy...and will now have modified leafs to deal with WHEN you decide to do a flip kit.

It really doesn't cost that much to do a flip kit, they can be had, or even made, for fairly cheap.

[N2TRUX]

Since the stock front hanger can removed, trimmed and bolted on again in a higher location to gain drop, is it feasible to do the opposite?

Logic tells me that you should be able to move the "lowering hanger" down and do the flip.

Is there enough space to do this?