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New Leaf Springs on my Galavan.


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Phase 2 of my rear axle change. Now that I'm running a GM 14 bolt , one ton, full float rear axle, I decided to update my 38 year old leaf springs. I was looking for a good blend of progressive and heavy load carry capacity. Started with a standard spring pack and added two additional leafs to each pack. I will attempt to upload in chronological order the project from start to finish.

 

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Got before and after photos of how it sits??

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Looks really good Fred.  That's the way I did mine (with seven leafs).  Or is it "leaves?"    Toyota trucks use an odd-ball leaf width and there is not much around to use to beef them up.  Getting new spring-stacks and then  adding pre-arched Toyota leafs is the way to go.

Mine is dirtier but looks pretty much the same as your's.  Look at the stack that was on the 1987 box truck I scrapped.

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@Linda,

The leafs? Were cut on a metal shear. The grinder is just to radius the cut ends.

@WME, pictures to follow.

(JD) they had a 7 stack premade but only measured 26" to the front. I need 26.5 or else the driveshaft wouldn't fit correctly.

Basic 5 spring packs with 4 additional leafs cost me $900.00 ? But your right, Toyota uses some weird springs.

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9 hours ago, fred heath said:

@Linda,

The leafs? Were cut on a metal shear. The grinder is just to radius the cut ends.

@WME, pictures to follow.

(JD) they had a 7 stack premade but only measured 26" to the front. I need 26.5 or else the driveshaft wouldn't fit correctly.

Basic 5 spring packs with 4 additional leafs cost me $900.00 ? But your right, Toyota uses some weird springs.

Was $900 just the parts or the parts and labor?

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I priced all new parts when I did mine and it came to around $350 total.  I did not  try to use those new parts though so cannot comment on how well they fit. I made my own spring stack.  Toyota is a pain since the leafs are odd-ball at 2 3/8" wide.

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JD, I was shocked by the price too. I used Donavan springs in NH. They've been around for almost 100 years. I was going to order the standard spring packs (much cheaper) but ended up bringing the actual springs in for a matchup. The spring packs alone were about $500.00 (very dusty too). Extra leaves were $100.00 each.

It was easier to do it this way then order online, and find out they wouldn't work. All said and done I'm very happy with the way they turned out. And the steel is all made in the USA.

Edited by fred heath
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I assume it is something you will only have to do once, so I guess the price is not a big deal in the long-run. I envy how clean your rig looks.  Never seen any road-salt I assume?

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23 minutes ago, jdemaris said:

I assume it is something you will only have to do once, so I guess the price is not a big deal in the long-run. I envy how clean your rig looks.  Never seen any road-salt I assume?

Spent the first 20 years in Georgia, next 10 in Maine, and then with me. The frame is in really good shape.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 3:21 PM, Jaunt said:

Nice... Why not top mount them though to get a little more clearance?

looked at that. Too radical of an incline. I'd be at 45 degrees.

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Fred, your working skill's are to be admired as well as your choice of the fine quality tool's that I am able to see...congratulations on a job well done !

                                                                                                                                                           ......................................donnie

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