GM D44 WITH 60MM LEAF SPRINGS?

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B2-Bomber

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for argument's sake here, lets discuss this.

ok, so the gm D44 that came on all of the various trucks for so long up front. It has the passenger side leaf-perch cast into the pumpkin area. It uses 3" wide springs.

if a person were to want to run a 60mm wide spring on it, how would they accomplish this? 60mm is roughly 2-3/8". and normally a person would cut off the leaf perches, and weld on the correct size of perch. which on the driver's side will work fine. but on the passenger side it is cast in, and also the u-bolts are pretty well set in place where they can be because the casting is only relieved to hold each u-bolt in one specific place.

what could be done to simply make these work?

I know that I could spend several hundred dollars, and have custom springs made in 3" width so I won't need to change the diff

I also know that a person could do a link-suspension instead of leaf-springs

I also know that a person could have the entire housing chucked up in a lathe and have the original perch lathed off

but I don't want to take the whole housing apart to do this, and I don't want to spend a ton of time. or cash on it
 
Cut the outside of the perch down with a cutoff wheel to fit a u bolt at your desired width seems to be the common avenue for your Toyota 6 bolt PS dana 44 swap.

or

Make a "captured" leaf spring plate on top with a shoulder to compensate for the narrower leaf spring.
 
both things I considered, I just didn't know if that was a crazy thing to do or not

I was thinking of making spacers that would go between the edge of the leaf spring, and the u-bolts, that had hooks on them to keep them captured by the u-bolts.

any links to how some 'yota guys did it?
 
I used 2 1/4 inch springs or whatever was on the CJ2A and used just a regular plate and u-bolt without any issues except the bottom leaf fanning out a little because I cut the strap off. This is the best picture I have since I don't own it anymore.

 
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so if I understand you, you just put the narrower spring in place of the wider one, and did nothing? so there is essentially a 3/8" gap between the u-bolt, and the edge of the leaves on each side?
 
B2-Bomber said:
so if I understand you, you just put the narrower spring in place of the wider one, and did nothing? so there is essentially a 3/8" gap between the u-bolt, and the edge of the leaves on each side?
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Yes. The bottom leaf fanned out and touched the u-bolt but was still more than half the leaf still under the pack. Never had it move around but might be an issue if the center pin broke.
 
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It looks like you did the same on the drivers side? I can see the bottom-leaf fanned against that u-bolt too

I feel like I need to put something between the edges of the leaves, and the u-bolts. it just seems like a lot of stress on the centering pin of the leaf pack to hold it all on the front axle
 
B2-Bomber said:
It looks like you did the same on the drivers side? I can see the bottom-leaf fanned against that u-bolt too

I feel like I need to put something between the edges of the leaves, and the u-bolts. it just seems like a lot of stress on the centering pin of the leaf pack to hold it all on the front axle
Click to expand...

You can use tube or round stock that is drilled with 1/4" wall to slide over the u-bolts and cut them to be slightly less height than the pack to take up the space. I never had any issues but it was a 2,500 pound Jeep.
 
mbryson said:
How hard would it be to modify the hanger side and run the right width leaf spring?
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there is no such leaf spring, I need to run the Toyota pickup rear leaf springs, with the A/B of 20 1/2 x 26 3/4

my front axle needs to come forward about 2-3" to avoid my swampers catching on my firewall at full stuff. it is all chevy frame/suspension with the stock 47" chevy leaf springs with the A/B of 23-1/2"/23-1/2"

if there was a leaf spring that was the correct width (3.00") and allowed the axle to be centered 20" back from the front eyelet. I would totally run it
anything with one of the A/B numbers being more than 20" means I would need to move my front leaf mount out front of the truck further, hurting approach angle, and also requiring tons of fab work to add onto the front of the frame rails.

I priced out custom springs, they all got pretty pricey, pretty quick
 
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B2-Bomber said:
there is no such leaf spring, I need to run the Toyota pickup rear leaf springs, with the A/B of 20 1/2 x 26 3/4

my front axle needs to come forward about 2-3" to avoid my swampers catching on my firewall at full stuff. it is all chevy frame/suspension with the stock 47" chevy leaf springs with the A/B of 23-1/2"/23-1/2"

if there was a leaf spring that was the correct width (3.00") and allowed the axle to be centered 20" back from the front eyelet. I would totally run it
anything with one of the A/B numbers being more than 20" means I would need to move my front leaf mount out front of the truck further, hurting approach angle, and also requiring tons of fab work to add onto the front of the frame rails.

I priced out custom springs, they all got pretty pricey, pretty quick
Click to expand...



XJ springs have about a 6" (?) offset and are about 50" long? (I can measure when I get home)..... Not that I'd suggest running an XJ spring or anything. :D They do have some limitations. Something about that long (maybe an S10 or something?) with an offset pin. Just checked and according to the site below, an XJ spring isn't any different than what you're dealing with on a full size spring.

This might lead somewhere?
http://www.generalspringkc.com/Leaf_Springs_s/1817.htm

Cool site with stock dimensions. Maybe you've already done that and the Toyota's are what you're after?


FWIW, I've been running XJ springs (2.5") on a Chev 60 (assume it's the same 3" pad you have on your D44?) for the past 8 years.
 
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I already searched all the fitments to find this route

the only springs in this width are the chevy fronts. so no matter what it, if it is a junkyard spring. width-wise it won't be a correct fit.

and the only springs I could find when searching a similar site with and A/B measurement of the 20" that I need is the Toyota rears.
 
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Just cut the housing a little. Weld it back to the tube with pre and post heat if you're worried.
As long as you're not cutting back to the plug weld, it's a non issue.
I've had to do the same thing to fit a coil bucket/ LCA bracket on a post 79 Ford 60 front.
 
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