Travelall all rear lift kit

7

72Travelex

New member
The 2” lift springs, when using the factory shackles are several inches away from being able to match up with the holes, even if the shackles are pointing straight out away from the springs. Does this need longer shackles or is there some thing else that I am missing?
 
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Sometimes they take some effort to get to reach but they will reach. I haven't had to do one in awhile so I honestly forget the trick to get them in there but they do go together.
 
Even if I could flatten them to reach, at near full droop, the shackle would be under tension pointing straight forward.. with the front lined up, and the rear shackle stretched out horizontal, the holes are 1-1.5” away from lining up
 
Once you put weight on it it will all settle into place. Try reading through my Travelall build I did years ago. They were six inch lift springs but basically the same otherwise. I'm trying to jog my memory on what I did to get them to reach. Sorry wish I could be of more help but what you are doing has been done before.

1 Ton Travelall Build
 
ihpartsjeff said:
Once you put weight on it it will all settle into place. Try reading through my Travelall build I did years ago. They were six inch lift springs but basically the same otherwise. I'm trying to jog my memory on what I did to get them to reach. Sorry wish I could be of more help but what you are doing has been done before.

1 Ton Travelall Build
Click to expand...
See this photo,

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72Travelex said:
Even if I could flatten them to reach, at near full droop, the shackle would be under tension pointing straight forward.. with the front lined up, and the rear shackle stretched out horizontal, the holes are 1-1.5” away from lining up
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That is a tension style shackle set up to begin with.
 
When I say tension, I mean the shackle would be pointing straight forward towards the front of the truck not upwards like it was with the original springs
 
Is there any possibility that there could be two different mounting points possible for the rear shackle hanger? I cannot get see how to get enough weight onto them to flatten that spring pack and still be able to lineup bolt holes.
 
When you put weight on it, the spring will compress, and that shackle will no longer be pointing to the front.
 
If there is some trick to installing, it would definitely be good to include with the kit or document in the instructions page. If you can recall how you did yours that would help a great deal. Getting a couple hundred pounds of weight onto them to be able flatten enough to add length, and also leaving enough movement to line up bolt holes is going to be a little outside the definition of a simple “bolt on”.
 
If I were there I know I could get them in with a floor jack, a block of wood, a hammer, and a pry bar. We have sold these springs many times before and I don't recall having someone not figure out a way. They are Chevy springs and the dimensions on a Chevy truck are identical so maybe a video on YouTube to help show you the way. If I were doing this job today, I would put a floor jack under the leafspring (front of leafspring bolted in). You might need a block of wood between the jack and spring. Jack up spring dang near as high as you can, yet leaving enough room towards the shackle end to fit a prybar between it and the frame. Use prybar to flatten spring until shackle reaches. Repeat on other side. Hope that gets you going.
 
72Travelex said:
If there is some trick to installing, it would definitely be good to include with the kit or document in the instructions page. If you can recall how you did yours that would help a great deal. Getting a couple hundred pounds of weight onto them to be able flatten enough to add length, and also leaving enough movement to line up bolt holes is going to be a little outside the definition of a simple “bolt on”.
Click to expand...
If you bring the eye of the spring down level with the hanger bolt hole it should easily reach. Once you have weight on it, it will push the shackle up.

There's only 1.5" difference in the spring lengths.

View attachment 1000012197.jpg
 
Shackle pointed straight back, essentially extending the spring length as far as possible did not reach. Was 1-1.5” too short. The original spring, when fully unloaded, had the shackle rotated forward past vertical. I’d need a 4-4.5” shackle to make up the distance with the 8028. Going to try something when I’m back in the shop and will get photos to show how far it has to move on my truck. Watched several Chevy 3/4 ton videos and the only thing mentioned about a difficult install was when they incorrectly bought 52” versus 56” springs..
 
72Travelex said:
Shackle pointed straight back, essentially extending the spring length as far as possible did not reach. Was 1-1.5” too short. The original spring, when fully unloaded, had the shackle rotated forward past vertical. I’d need a 4-4.5” shackle to make up the distance with the 8028. Going to try something when I’m back in the shop and will get photos to show how far it has to move on my truck. Watched several Chevy 3/4 ton videos and the only thing mentioned about a difficult install was when they incorrectly bought 52” versus 56” springs..
Click to expand...
Ah okay, I see what youre saying now. Can you put a 4" block under the floor and slowly let the weight down to push the spring out toward the shackle hanger?

If not, can c clamp the pack, remove the center pin and just deal with the main leaf, then c clamp it back together and put the pin and lower leafs back in.
 
The 8028's are the same leafspring in my personal Travelall which was referenced above. Unless you got springs that were mislabeled, I can assure you they bolt in and no different length shackle is needed.
 
They are not a centered leaf spring, the long side goes towards the front. I installed the same springs with my bare hands on the floor of the shop with a floor jack and leverage when I was 18 years old. If I can do it, you can too. The shackle won't be straight up and down like the OE spring because of the arch. They aren't easy to install.
 
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I modified a center link from a tractor to push the springs out to the same length as the originals. Putting the long side forward would have required flipping the shim and would have put the driveshaft out quite a bit. Here’s what they looked like after taking the spreader out:
 
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