Has anyone ever?

[rpenner54]

Tried to "flip" their rear spring back to front? I have read that these leaf springs have the center bolt two inches forward. If you were able to swing them the other way your rear axle would be 2" back which could help fit a slightly bigger tire without as much trimming up front by the door.

Or are the springs not going to like being run that way?

 

[BKennedy]

I don't know if the bushings would fit. The stock leaf has a large bushing up front and a smaller one at the shackle.

 

[rpenner54]

Agh! I didn't even think about that part of it. Darn....

 

[Kirby N.]

If you did that, wouldn't they be 4" further back than they already are? If they are 2" forward from center, the. They would be 2" backward from center, totally 4" from current location.
I put chevy 64" leafs on my ranger. One of the cheapest nicest mods I have done. It is soft and travels nice. That's a big deal for a ranger that is so light in the rear. Idk if anyone has ever don't that on an exploder, I have never seeen it.

One option is the spring mounts and plates that are drilled with different location mounting options. I used some ruff stuff ones on my truck. I can mount it center, 1" forward or 1" backward.

Nice to see you back in the saddle Ryan!

 

[rpenner54]

Hmmm... Now you got me thinking. You are correct 4 inches back would still be good for me though. I always wanted my rear axle to be further back on my old stuff. I felt like it would help with center of gravity and some of the weird moments like the pic under my name. I am not at this point yet for mine but at some point will be.

It's nice to be back even if it's just "restoring" my vehicle right now just to get it so it can run decent. Then it will be modding it more and more.

 

[Kirby N.]

Come to think of it I used the ruff stuff mounts on my explorer too to move the axle back 1". This was so that I could move the gas tank back an inch and not hit the axle for the doubler.

 

[fordpickupman]

I just finished putting 64" chevy springs under my '94 Ex while also doing a SOA. It rides better and feels less squirrelly in the corners. The bushings were gone in the factory leaves and I was running a shackle lift before.

 

[jdahl]

Any pics of the 64” Chevy spring?

Which hangers did you use?

Which shackles did you use?

Stock height or lift springs?

I’m considering this in a SUA set-up, hence the questions.

 

[BKennedy]

Do you know what years and which Chevy vehicle the 64" leafs are originally off of?

 

[jdahl]

I would be using 1988-98 lift springs. Based on my math, the standards Chevy springs on an Explorer, with flipped Ranger hangers, would lower the rear; I need some lift.

I’m thinking Chevy rear hangers - more drop than a flipped Ranger hanger (or than a Ranger drop hanger).

 

[Kirby N.]

I used diy4x shackles and stock ranger hangers. DIY4x makes their shackles in a ton of different lengths and they are made out of 1/4”- not like the bell techs that are made out of sheet metal. I have seen 2 sets of bell techs fold up.