Reverse eye leaf springs

[RandyinRenton]

78-79 used weaker springs? And here I thought mine were just messed up.

 

If that's the case, I have a set of 79 Springs I'm willing to trade for a set of 73 Springs.

 

Stiffness is a good thing... in some cases ;)

[damon]

be careful when messing with spring packs ( moving leafs around) as they are designed to be the way they are.

You could take the pack apart and turn the main upside down to reverse the eyes But the arch in that leaf would be wrong, It would need to be re-arched

and the #2 leaf would have to be shortened on each end to clear the eyes.

This is really the job of pro's.

[Cuts metal like mad]

I lost an inch in the 620 taking out the overload, and gained it back putting it back in

[datsunaholic]

I lost an inch in the 620 taking out the overload, and gained it back putting it back in

 

But was that with only the overload removed, or with more leaves already removed? One of my 4X4s has leaves removed (why I don't know) and so it hits the overload very easily. My stock '74 didn't even hit the overload with 17 sheets of 5/8" drywall in the bed.

[ariascarlos1990]

Removing the overload doesn't do anything until you have over 700lbs or so in the bed. Its purpose is to keep the main springs from bending past the point of no return (at around 2000lbs in the bed, hitting a speed bump could concieveably bend the springs permanently).

 

Just running the one main leaf is a recipe for disaster- there's nothing to prevent them from twisting, and you''ll end up with the axle out of alignment. Just taking a corner at 40MPH could do it. What you really need to do is get rid of the 1973 springs- they're rated at 1Ton, and a FAR stiffer than what was used in '75-on. There are various versions, but the ones used in '78-79 are the weakest. The best thing to use is 3 leaves from the trucks that had 5 leaves (the leaves themselves are much thinner).

 

Fortunately I don't have that problem...

 

Need a bigger overload, though.

 

you say that '78-'79 where the weakest? Mine is a '78 and there stiff ass heck. I only have two leafs in also. the truck came stock with three leafs the normal long ones and the over load leafs..........

[datsunaholic]

You've evidently never been in a stock '73-74. At 5MPH the rear end of my '74 BOUNCES off speed bumps. I need at least 200# in the bed just to get some spring play.

 

 

That's what stock '73-74 springs look like. Later ones are thinner, and sometimes come in packs of 5 (the 5-pack ones actually have a smoother ride, and were stock on Longbeds at least).

 

Minimum number of "true leaves" was 3 for any Datsun, PLUS the overload. I have 4 and 5 as well, but none are as harsh as the '73-74 springs.

[ariascarlos1990]

ok? Mine is a '78 and it only had three...

[Cuts metal like mad]

no other springs removed... I have a 75, 5 spring pack and its pretty darn smooth with or without the overload (smoother without though :D )

[sanitys]

my 73 has a 5 leaf pack. With the #2 flipped around and on top its gonna ride pretty rough.

[datsunaholic]

I have a set of the 5-leaf '73 packs (that's what I'm going to replace the de-arched, spring removed set on my 4X4 with). What IS common with both the 3 and 5-pack '73-74 sets is the overload is huge compared to the later ones.

[rat tail dragger]

ok on my 620 i left the main leaf and then the next largest leaf and then did a 6 inch blocks low as i think you can go without baggin or dragging leaf perches on the ground

[ariascarlos1990]

ok on my 620 i left the main leaf and then the next largest leaf and then did a 6 inch blocks low as i think you can go without baggin or dragging leaf perches on the ground

 

Yeah I have 4 inches in the back of mine.