Front Suspension Upgrade

[PJ 3]

I ordered new front springs for my truck from Custom Suspension and they arrived today so I tore into it and completed the install. This is how the truck stance was before I removed the old junk........

As you can see my front end was pretty much sagged out. The bottom of my oil pan was level with the top of the front axle.

The old spring pack was 2 1/4 inches thick........ 6 ply

The new parabolic spring is also 2 1/4 inches thick.......3 ply

I checked the yoke angle with a protractor before and after the install and there was no change......

Final installation with the axle hanging.......

And the final result at sundown........

The installation went very well and bolted up nice. The oil pan now sits 3 1/2 inches above the axle so my total gain was 3 1/2. They are a soft ride spring so my ride will improve drastically. I was told that the lift would be 2 inches above stock so I guess my stock springs were bagged out 1 1/2 inches. I complimented the install with a new pair of bilstien shocks. After 20 years I finally have my truck sitting on the level.

[BILTIT]

Looks great, thanks for the pics!

[PJ 3]

Thanks Derek...........I watched your thread over on DTR concerning the Alcan set up and was leaning towards them also " considering reviews " and also past installs by other truck owners but decided to take the plunge and order the parabolic design. I have only ever seen them once but from what Tyler told me at Custom Suspension they will improve my ride over stock similar to a coil over and hold up well with the weighted front end . The ride will be a bonus for me because all I wanted was to get the sag out of the front end. It's a pretty heavy duty system compared to what I had and I am very pleased with the service and over all fit.

[Tacoclaw]

Cool stuff.

I'd like to do something with my springs, but I like how my truck sits and don't want to change it any.

[m880cummins]

Would love to know the price and the ride quality!!!!

Charlie

[CumminsPower59]

Would love to know the price and the ride quality!!!!

Charlie

Same here please and thank you!

[PJ 3]

Total cost including bushings, rear shackle arms, u bolts, grade 8 bollts and washers......$ 607.00. Shipping was $120.00......one end of the country to the other, UPS ground.
As far as ride, there has been a considerable improvement to where I was before. My springs and shocks were done. I seem to have more travel in my front end than before. When I hit a bump it seemed to bottom out and felt like the front end was going to fall of the truck with the original OEM front end.. The reaction to a bump on the front of the truck never acted like it does now, meaning that there seems to be more movement up and down, not just the one way like it was before the upgrade. It is a totally different ride now and does not drive like when I bought the truck new.

I measured under the front bumper to the ground before the mod and I was exactly 21 inches. After the install I now sit at 24 1/8 so my total gain to the front end was 3 1/8 inches. I was told that the springs would lift my front end 2 inches above stock which I assume is pretty close because my old springs that I tore out were close to an inch or a little more sagged. All I know is that when I bought my truck new the springs were never bent the opposite way on my truck and I never did take any measurements when it was new off the lot so where the truck sat stock new of the lot.......I don't know. But the inch or a little more seems right. I got longer shackles shipped with my kit also but I would have never installed the old originals as they were bent and not as strong as the new ones supplied so that was a bonus. The OEM springs were hitting the frame with the old shackles on. My ride has improved drastically since the change and my steering has seemed to improve.

As far as drive shaft concerns, I was short by 3/4 of an inch after the upgrade so my shaft had to be modified. I now have a more rugged piece with a spline travel of 3 inches so the movement on my front end will not be affecting the shaft limits. My free play distance on the original was 1 1/4 inches which I felt was not enough.

[PJ 3]

As my rear springs are original , I am going to get new ones built also when money allows. The next ply down from my main on the passenger side has been replaced and now the truck sits uneven. It seems a little lower on the drivers side now. To much weight over the years and the age is there. Once the back end is re-built I should be sitting pretty well where I want to be. Here is a picture of the stance now...........

[91bluecummins]

looks great

[cougar]

Glad you checked your drive shaft. Longer travel shocks was enough to kill mine.

[PJ 3]

looks great

Thanks !

[PJ 3]

Glad you checked your drive shaft. Longer travel shocks was enough to kill mine.

The main reason why i caught it was that I took it off before I installed the springs. Once the springs were in I tried to bolt the shaft back up and found it to be to short.
It's not like me to do something completely right the first time......especially when I don't have a clue...... .........

[bmoeller]

With the angle of the driveshaft, be careful about the 4x4 being disengaged and on the interstate. The 92 I had, has a 4" lift. and the idiot light on the dash doesn't work. Found out shortly after I bought it, and was doing 80 on the interstate when all hell broke loose up front. CV joint took a crap on on me.

[cougar]

Glad you checked your drive shaft. Longer travel shocks was enough to kill mine.

The main reason why i caught it was that I took it off before I installed the springs. Once the springs were in I tried to bolt the shaft back up and found it to be to short.
It's not like me to do something completely right the first time......especially when I don't have a clue...... .........

I had recently put on new stock springs. I wanted a little more stiff in the front end so I installed some overload springs that had 2 1/2 inches more travel. Looked fine weight on wheels. I thought I just had a bad rebuilt drive shaft, then again, and then again. Kick me enough times and I'll figure out someone is kicking me.That's when I checked it with the weight off the wheels I went back to the stock length shocks.

[PJ 3]

With the angle of the driveshaft, be careful about the 4x4 being disengaged and on the interstate. The 92 I had, has a 4" lift. and the idiot light on the dash doesn't work. Found out shortly after I bought it, and was doing 80 on the interstate when all hell broke loose up front. CV joint took a crap on on me.

Thanks for the heads up. Ya I run the protractor on it and it is sitting at 18 degrees. It's a little to extreme for my liking but I should be fine since the truck is never highway driven in 4 x 4 and never sees ice or snow anymore. My hubs are only locked to get out of the camp yard and maybe a little log hauling with cables and pullies, all slow speed stuff.