So I have a problem. After 10 years and 3 kids, my Blazer's *** end aint what it used to be. That being said, I still love her and want the best for her (and the best ride I can get). Wow, all that is missing is a anyway...

So, for Valentine's day, I'm getting her some light surgery to turn back the clock a few years. I was thinking a pair of leaf springs would be just the ticket. While rock auto has them for an extremely respectable $158 each before s&h, I was thinking of going a bit off the beaten path here...

So I was wondering if it is possible to Frankenstein a leaf pack that will be better/stronger/faster/smarter than the OEM....

OEM's are 3/1 = 4 leaf springs. they are rated at 1300LB. They are 2 1/2" Wide, 24 1/2" X 27 1/2" Long (I'm not tracking that number, I guess I am kind of dumb when it comes to numberness mathiology) with a 1 1/2" Pack Thickness, 7 1/4" Free Arch.

Rock auto sell the same spec springs (as mentioned above) but at a 1 5/8" pack for a 1400 lb rating.

If I replaced 1 or even 2 of the pack springs, for more heavy duty springs, would i gain anything? Slightly taller, slightly stiffer, slightly dumber, etc.

I was thinking swapping out the first pack spring for a 2500 PU pack spring, or swapping the whole pack for some off of a Dakota (1 3/4" pack rated at 2250 lbs for the whole thing)

Can this be done? So long as the main spring is the same (or equal length) and the pack springs are not too wide to fit, it SHOULD work right?

let me know if I will kill myself trying this, or if it's even worth a JY trip to scout out possible donor springs....

BTW i dont think mine are salvageable with a leaf helper or add-a-leaf as the are bowed down now

Thanks

 

i know my buddy, to gain lift in his sfa ranger, just adds leafs to each pack.
you could always go to a junkyard grab a set of blazer leafs cheap and make your own packs

 

its also going to be a harsher ride since this will also stiffen the spring pack

 

so instead of beefing up the pack by adding a different vehicle's pack in it's place, just take another blazer set and drop in another matching pack spring?
Like main, 1, 2, 2, 3 for a 4/1 spring?

 

yea that should help

 

awesome. that will make the search a bit easier

 

I have the same problem with my 96, this spring I am going to replace the main leafs with a set of Z85's they are a bit stiffer and should hold the back up to where it should be.

 

Found this on another site (via googled) through www.mys10.com

anyway, thought it could prove useful at some point...
Here is a list of the leaf springs your truck could be riding on:
NOTE: this differs a bit from the suspension packages (so dont confuse them with the shock RPOs)

Blazer, BlaZeR2, Jimmy, Bravada, Envoy and the like
2 Door RPO code
ZR2 (off-road package, more arch to the leafs, comes in 3-4 leaf packs)
Z87 (least amount of arch, low rider 1.5" drop, 3 leaf pack with no overload bar, Xtreme)
Z83 (smooth ride, 3 leaf pack usually found on GMC's or special order Chevy)
Z85 (increased capacity 3-4 leaf pack, usually found on Chevy's or special order GMC)
ZM6 (off road 4 leaf pack found on 4x4 models only)

4 Door, RPO code
Z83 (smooth ride, 3 leaf pack usually found on GMC's or special order Chevy)
Z85 (increased capacity 3-4 leaf pack, usually found on Chevy's or special order GMC)
ZM6 (off road 4 leaf pack found on 4x4 models only)
ZW7 (premium smooth ride found on Envoy and Bravada or special order Jimmy)

again, found else where, so if it's off a bit don't freak out....

i have my eye on a set of ZM6's for $240 shipped....

any ZM6's out there that wish they had Z85's instead

LASTLY: i found these guys on the cheap and was wondering: is this like a cheap coil over shock option? I.e. instead of coil assisted springs, could these guys increase the load capacity (twice what the shocks do) w/o replacing the shocks?