CK5 - The Full-Size GM Off Road Community

ok i just read another post in a diff forum about 52" rear springs on the front. i really like this idea. seems much more simple and affordable than the 4-link w/ coilovers idea i originally had. but in the other post he moved the front hangers forward 4" thus elimintating the use of a stock front bumper. i already have plans to make a front stock bumper look and function good. (homemade winchplate/crossmember under the radiator for a winch with the fairlead sticking through the center of the bumper and a 6" hole on each side with lights inside the bumper) so wouldn't it be possible to move the shackle mounting point back and re-drill the springpacks? or could i move the front mounts and still keep the stock bumper? im sure its possible, this is minor stuff compared to the stuff some of you guys are doing.. /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif

Well, you could redrill the packs 2" forward to off set the longer spring, but then I think you would lose some of the things that I like about moving the hanger forward 4" I gained 2" of wheelbase and a lot of firewall clearance when i swapped the 52's in up front

hmmmmm true true.. but i already have 131" of wheelbase. would it be possible to fab some brackets to make the stock front bumper work? firewall clearance is a VERY good point... hmmm
maybe i could scrap the stock bumper idea and just breakdown and get some cool tube ones.

Look into some 6" wagoneer springs from rusty. I know the rancho 44044 springs (4" lift ones) are 47" long with a 300 lb/in spring rate but have 1" less free hieght than the 52s with 30 less lb/in. If you could find a slightly taller one they should work and mover your front end forward an inch.

Thats if you still want to use the factory bumper.

I have 52's on the front of my 73, And still have the stock front bumper. I made my own front mount though. 2x3 box steel. ran across front, tied into both frame rails. Even with the front mount moved foward, and still using the stock rear shackle mount, My axel was still in stock location. My front mount moved 3" foward to under rad support, and is tied into the rad support mounts on frame. I used a 1" offset z-rate to move axel.