about changing suburban leaf springs onto the express awd

[akskiffer]

O.K For it's first birthday the GMC got a little boost, 3" in the back and 2 1/4" in the front empty, "Fully" loaded about 2" in the back.
I went with a new set of rear springs for a 93-99 3/4 ton suburban, #22-907 rated at 2900lbs vs 2200 stock, the spring pack provides 1 7/8" lift just due to it's thickness. A set of 3/4-1 ton Van bilstein rear shocks #24-025706 (New # 24-221948) went on, they are 2.34" longer than stock AWD 1500 van rear shocks...

I need new leafs. options a plenty. Can anyone say if the ""fully" loaded about 2"" 86 cj mentioned equates to the rebound leaf or helper spring being loaded? I am trying to assimilate some differing opinions about sag, ride, then with tongue weight.

opinions range from "tapered are better and more (HD?) than higher number stacks" from a truck spring shop calling the extra sbrbn leaf a rebound. other suggestion is that tounge weight will cause SAG unless I use something like Firestone adj airbags .

I have not gotten to any scales yet but I bet I am close to the original weight .+ camperstuff - what was gutted out. I know I'll want a bigger payload at times.

Any word from experienced spring switchers out there?

Thanks TK

 

[jkam]

I'd go to a good spring shop, one that can make a set of springs for you and give you advise on which
way is best to do it.
In Tucson, many years ago I used Arizona Spring, Ivan was very knowledgeable and helped get my
van back to better than stock and ready for more weight.
Re arced the rears and added a leaf was the solution for me.

 

[45Kevin]

I put 2500 suburban springs on mine. They were used from the pick-n-pull.
They gave a 2-3" lift and even fully loaded it sits level with the 2" lift on the front.My truck weighs in at 3530KG. That's about 7800#s.
I can't say what would happen if I loaded another 500#s of a trailer tongue as I haven't towed for several years.

 

[86cj]

My van is getting close to Gvw most of the time, it touches the lower leaf when lowered off the jack. It rides great, that also eliminated wheel hop in sand but i have taken a case of liquid out and seen it rise, it has compliance. The pack does a great job at everything. A similar multi leaf magic spring pack really is great like deaver etc... The high quality 2500/3500 3 leaf taper spring pack rides like a one ton when empty my buddys van is brutal, but when hauling a monster airstream they work well but his one ton van does not squat much either.
My van changes with its daily expectation, and now I ask alot with my short and heavy toyhauler. It settles down onto that fat lower leaf and is a joy to drive in wind or curvey roads it dominates the trailer. The skinny petal is dead and it is not enough motor for anything but flat on a cool day, it gets hot on freeway. I no longer tow my trailer with it but only because of power, the springs are perfect way over ratings. 6500 trailer max rating, it is 6300lb in the pic van is a little over 7000lb in pic... BTW it pulled it through alot of sugar sand great van...........
.The stock 1500 3 leave spring will invert and kill the spring, if you just put a block in and dont lower bumpstop then really work it hard, it has no rebound leave. That big thick bottom leave on my springs does flex a bit and springs now have around 70,00 hard miles no issues. I can only guess numbers but there are alot of AWD 1500 vans running the springs your guys are unsure of.........

I bought a new HD Ram 6.4...A new quigley van with 6.6 engine would have been fine but I lost patience with GM
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