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Homemade Mini-Spring Pack Leveling Kit

43K views 61 replies 20 participants last post by  ayrn 
#1 ·
Hey guys. Had this idea after hearing so many people bad-mouth the use of the mini-spring packs on ebay. But there's not much to these, and if some of them aren't even made of spring steel (if someone could explain the difference to me, I'd really appreciate it), what's stopping me from throwing some plates together drilling a hole through them, and slapping them under my spring? So I'm looking for reasons and answers to the following questions.

Is there any support added to the existing leafs by going with some official DR pack as opposed to an ebay spring pack? Do the ebay types (plate steel from what I've heard) have any arch to them at all? If not, and I could fab some up on my own, what thickness steel do they utilize? Thanks in advance. And to please all the professionals out there, the $100 saved from building them myself would be put towards an adjustable track bar. Looking forward to the info in the professionally done VS. home made spring pack debate that is to come.
 
#2 ·
im interested to, if they could save me money by helping me assemble a set of my own id for sure end up spending the 100$ elsewhere with a sponsor here, after u guys got me started modifying my pickup farther than i already had it became an addiciton, now i wana build a race truck
 
#3 ·
In utah it is illegal to put a block in the front butt stacking metal to look like a taller leaf peal is legal it would be the same as putting a bock in the rear.i built my own just using flat steel anit worked great, all you need is steel new center bolt and u bolts.
 
#5 ·
so you its not necessary to use spring steel? cuz i have some junk spring packs i could cut up, but if i can just use flat steel ill go that route, we have a machine shop next door
 
#6 ·
i measured the gap between the top of the tire and the fender directly above, on my truck there was a 3" gap so i built a stack of cold steel that was the same width as the spring and cut them 1.5 inches longer than the one below it, depending on the thickness of steel you can get and the amount of sag in the front is how many peices you need. i drilled a hole through the center of them for the centering pin using a drill press, trust me drill press is the only way to go dont try drilling using a hand drill you will be there for hours! Then all you need is new center bolts and U-bolts. the nice thing about all of this is that the shock is mounted above the leaf springs and the distance between the that and the shock mount will not change, so you will not need to buy new shocks. lifting your truck this way will not change the ride of your truck becuase the spring rate will stay the same, using an add-a-leaf will arch your springs more and cause it to ride a little stiffer, how much? i dont know. but i did not have to get a longer track bar but i would recommend getting an adjustable one so that the truck tracks straight down the road. not having one will pull your axle more toward the passenger side of the truck and will make it dog track but its not noticeable. i was in the whole project minus the track bar less than 100 dollars little cheaper than buying but more fun to build!
 
#7 ·
The key difference between a block and a mini spring pack is the way they are mounted. A mini pack is bolted to the main leaf pack before the whole assembly is bolted together with u-bolts. A block is only held in place the locating pins and the u-bolts.
 
#8 ·
i have a 2.5 in leveling kit on my truck i just added a solid steel 1 1/2 in. steel block to get a total of 4inchs of lift the block is welded to the axle
 
#9 ·
Hey guys - thanks for the response so far. I posted this thread on a couple other forums, and apparently they're a little more "by the book" then guys around here. I honestly haven't seen too much pointing out there would be anything wrong with this, so I'm willing to consider it a little more.

dadozer - what size plate steel did you use? How long was the smallest leaf that you cut? Just wondering what caused the price to be that much... you said close to $100 - that's about what the maxx-lift ones are on ebay?
 
#11 ·
On my last truck....

add-a-leaf I stole off of some extra leaf springs we had laying around and a 1" thk block. I ran new centering bolts through everything so there wouldn't be a chance of anything sliding out. Flame all you want on using a block, but i ran it for 50k miles, and its still on the truck working great. I know its cheap, but I was a freshman in college @ the time...:doh:
 
#14 ·
I did cut one the next day. That picture was when I mocked up the front end straps.


ive thought about doing a steel block and welding it in place so it wouldnt come out, did you ahve to get a new track bar with your set up farm boy
Did I? No.
Should I had? Probably.
 
#16 ·
Well I used 5/8 thick steel and it was a little more money 100 includes u bolts and center pins, the bottom leaf is two inches longer than the mount on than the axle i also made my kit a little more than three inches tall and I probably should of shopped better for the steel
 
#17 ·
Well I used 5/8 thick steel and it was a little more money 100 includes u bolts and center pins, the bottom leaf is two inches longer than the mount on than the axle i also made my kit a little more than three inches tall and I probably should of shopped better for the steel
 
#21 ·
Farm Boy - read your other thread, and I was just wondering what all you've had to do to run that 5" of front lift. You said add-a-leaf and shackle kit, and 1" block. You would have had to get longer shocks, right? What other modifications have you done to the front to run that 5" of lift? What do you have in the rear too? Thanks in advance.
 
#23 ·
3" hanger, add-a-leaf (1" approx.) 1" block. That's how I estimated the 5" of lift, give or take. Maybe it was closer to 4", IDK. It fit 35's with plenty of room. Prolly could have went 37's w/ some trimming.

I added a block in the back with some u bolts I had made locally. I also ran bags in the rear.

On the shocks, I went up to 4 wheel parts and just told them I needed new shocks for XX" amount of lift. They handle shocks for any amount of lift.

RS5000 Series Shocks
You just choose your amount of lift from the list.
Or call the sponsors, im sure they can get your extended shocks. 4 wheel parts is only 20 min down the road from me.
 
#24 ·
Any track bar adjustments new adjustable one or drop bracket for it? Any other longer components brake lines, etc? Or did basically all you do is new shocks all the way around from the added lift of the hanger, add-a-leaf, and blocks front and rear? By the way - what size blocks (and type of blocks) did you use in the rear? Thanks again for you help.

Last thing - if that was all you've done (shocks and nothing else with the lift), how long has it been on your truck, and have you noticed any adverse effects from it. Thanks in advance for your wonderful help you've been providing.
 
#26 ·
I dont remember the rear block size. I have since sold that truck. I ran it that was for around 50k miles and I see it around town all the time w/ the same set-up I sold it with.

No adverse affects that I saw. I would deffinatly do a trac bar relocate bracket this time around though.
 
#27 ·
So nothing but ~5" lift and shocks, huh, and it ran for 50K with no problems? I just wanted to make double sure. One more question for you though - you said you would definitely do a trac bar relocate bracket this time around though. Why is that - what makes this time around different than before? Thanks again. Do you remember where you got the rear block?
 
#28 ·
Steering Wheel was not completely straight after the lift. I think the trac bar bracket fixes some of that. I'm not sure though. I'm no expert on lifts. I F stuff up and then learn from my mistakes. I don't recall on the rear block. I cant find any pictures of it.
 
#30 ·
I cut up my stock worn out front springs and added them to my 6in deavers as a mini pack.I took 2 of them and it added roughly 1 1/2 inches to the 6in spring packs.Just put a longer bolt through it and got longer u bolts made.Had a local shop bend me up 8 u bolts with nuts and washers for $35 bucks.
 
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