George v4.0
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2009
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George v4.0
against my better judgement Im posting some pics of the progress I made on George this week.
4" SD spring swap, zero rates, u-bolt flip and highsteer
Before pic - 4" 77.5-79 springs
Axle in stock location
Remember kids, safety first. Dont forget good quality jackstands
Best to get that junk out the way
Drill out your front hangers to 3/4". I used 18x130mm grade 10.9 (metric grade 8 equivalent) bolts
You can also use 3/4 x 5 grade 8 bolts if you can mangage to drill out the spring eye bushings without smoking them. Luckily I needed beer and the hardware store was on the way.
Get/make some 6" shackles. I bought all 4 from Ballistic for $11 so it really wasnt worth my time to do it myself. Top (frame end) hole is 9/16" and bottom (leaf spring end) is 5/8" I used 9/16 x 5" and 5/8 x 5 1/2" grade 8 bolts
Stock shackles are 4.5"
4" SD spring swap, zero rates, u-bolt flip and highsteer
Before pic - 4" 77.5-79 springs
Axle in stock location
Remember kids, safety first. Dont forget good quality jackstands
Best to get that junk out the way
Drill out your front hangers to 3/4". I used 18x130mm grade 10.9 (metric grade 8 equivalent) bolts
You can also use 3/4 x 5 grade 8 bolts if you can mangage to drill out the spring eye bushings without smoking them. Luckily I needed beer and the hardware store was on the way.
Get/make some 6" shackles. I bought all 4 from Ballistic for $11 so it really wasnt worth my time to do it myself. Top (frame end) hole is 9/16" and bottom (leaf spring end) is 5/8" I used 9/16 x 5" and 5/8 x 5 1/2" grade 8 bolts
Stock shackles are 4.5"
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2009
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Moving right along...
Remove spring center pin
Bolt the new center pin to the zero rates and cut the excess off.
Bolt the zero rates to the leaf springs. I used the 1.5" forward position. Grade 5 bolts are included but later my obsessive compulsive kicked in and I went to buy 3/8 x 3" grade 8 bolts/more beer.
Side by side comparison of the 4" SD springs and the 4" 77.5-79 springs
Bolt that shat up!
Make some u-bolt plates out of 1/2" x 6 flat stock. I used 3- 5/8" x 3.250" x 8" and 1- 5/8" x 4" x 10" u-bolts
Mark the housing webbing for the 4" u-bolt. I drilled a 5/8" hole and then back cut it with a cutoff wheel.
Remove spring center pin
Bolt the new center pin to the zero rates and cut the excess off.
Bolt the zero rates to the leaf springs. I used the 1.5" forward position. Grade 5 bolts are included but later my obsessive compulsive kicked in and I went to buy 3/8 x 3" grade 8 bolts/more beer.
Side by side comparison of the 4" SD springs and the 4" 77.5-79 springs
Bolt that shat up!
Make some u-bolt plates out of 1/2" x 6 flat stock. I used 3- 5/8" x 3.250" x 8" and 1- 5/8" x 4" x 10" u-bolts
Mark the housing webbing for the 4" u-bolt. I drilled a 5/8" hole and then back cut it with a cutoff wheel.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2009
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See these? Yeah you dont need these. 
Notice the passenger side shock mount was on the rear side of the axle tube. The crossover arm would not work with the shock in the stock location.
For reference, here is the pic when I installed the 60/crossover and the passenger side shock problems
Bolt that shat up! Along with the drag link and highsteer tie rod. Both are 1.5x.250 DOM and use Chevy 1 ton (MOOG #2026R and #2027L) tie rod ends
Hey Paul...I need my steering arm back *****er!
Notice the passenger side shock mount was on the rear side of the axle tube. The crossover arm would not work with the shock in the stock location. For reference, here is the pic when I installed the 60/crossover and the passenger side shock problems
Bolt that shat up! Along with the drag link and highsteer tie rod. Both are 1.5x.250 DOM and use Chevy 1 ton (MOOG #2026R and #2027L) tie rod ends
Hey Paul...I need my steering arm back *****er!
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2009
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I think I could use a front receiver hitch. I used 4- 1/2 x 5 grade 8 bolts and to bolt the hitch all the way through the frame also using the 18x130 spring eye bolt.
Make 2 plates that match the front spring hangers
Respect the license plate biznatches!
clearance between hitch and radiator/support
Bolt on big boy tires and have yourself a tall Crown and cigar
The combination of SD springs and zero rates gained me 2.25" of lift and moved the front axle forward about the same. This also fixed the issue I had several years ago with the highsteer and crossover
Everything worked out perfectly and was quite easy to do. Not pictured- I had to grind .015 off the spring eye bushing to clear the front spring hangers with a 36grit flap wheel.
Make 2 plates that match the front spring hangers
Respect the license plate biznatches!
clearance between hitch and radiator/support
Bolt on big boy tires and have yourself a tall Crown and cigar
The combination of SD springs and zero rates gained me 2.25" of lift and moved the front axle forward about the same. This also fixed the issue I had several years ago with the highsteer and crossover
Everything worked out perfectly and was quite easy to do. Not pictured- I had to grind .015 off the spring eye bushing to clear the front spring hangers with a 36grit flap wheel.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2009
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This is probably useless to most of you but here is the motor plate mock up.
1/4" aluminum front plate
with the mock up 460
Mid plate
Kind of hard to tell in this pic but I fully welded the portions of the mid plate I added on both front and back and then ground it smooth.
Mounts. You will also notice the stock engine towers/motor mounts have been removed.
Pictured are some grade 2 bolts for mock up. I will be using 7- 3/8 x 1 1/4 grade 8 bolts lock nuts and lock washers
1/4" aluminum front plate
with the mock up 460
Mid plate
Kind of hard to tell in this pic but I fully welded the portions of the mid plate I added on both front and back and then ground it smooth.
Mounts. You will also notice the stock engine towers/motor mounts have been removed.
Pictured are some grade 2 bolts for mock up. I will be using 7- 3/8 x 1 1/4 grade 8 bolts lock nuts and lock washers
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2009
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Post Fiend
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sorry boo boo. 
6" of lift and 38-40s wont really make a good grocery getter/kid hauler/wife to work transporter.
Im pretty happy with the amount of lift the springs gave me. I was really expecting more based on post Ive read which I did not want. They are also pretty spongey so Im hoping once I drop the motor in they will squat a little to get me closer to the original lift height. The rough country springs they replaced did not move even 1/4" with the engine in or out.
6" of lift and 38-40s wont really make a good grocery getter/kid hauler/wife to work transporter.
Im pretty happy with the amount of lift the springs gave me. I was really expecting more based on post Ive read which I did not want. They are also pretty spongey so Im hoping once I drop the motor in they will squat a little to get me closer to the original lift height. The rough country springs they replaced did not move even 1/4" with the engine in or out.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: utica il
chit happens. 4'' springs aren't enough to get me into bgtl anyways..........8''s or more! and a body lift! and stacks! thornbirds? hell yes! it will be the envy of all the highschool parking lots and trailer parks for miles!!!!1!!
