So here's the list I have:

V8 coil springs- $60 from junkyard (They had 2 sets a year ago when I queried)

Lift shackles: (actually not sure if I'll do this or not, see how the front looks with the V8 springs and new tires)

Front shocks: Monroe Sensatrac 37137 $90

Rear Shocks: Monroe Spring-assist Sensatrac 58630 $121

LCA Bushings: (Energy Susp not aval) Moog K7164 $16/pair

Front sway bar bushings: Moog K7351 (28mm bar) $20

So for $300 in parts I'll have a whole new suspension set except sway bar links and upper control arm bushings. Add $250 in tires and hopefully no more then $500 in labor, and I'll have another small fortune in my truck.....but hopefully I won't have to work on anything else for awhile. We've done 1 of the 4 freeze plugs, trans is fresh, rear gears are fresh (axle/pinion seals are not, tho)...Not much else to really go wrong. Putting the 1.7 rockers on in a couple weeks, already have a 93 tune in it, everything is sound. -crosses fingers for another 20,000+ city miles-

 

Dad doesn't want to do it in the driveway. The rack has to come out to get the LCA bolt to come out the front, compress the spring, ect. Me being a college student taking summer school + 2 jobs, on bald tires, with parents leaving in a couple weeks, best to just have somebody do it in 1 day quick.

 

magnethead

I noticed you are buying 28mm swaybar bushings the 28 is a very whimpy swaybar try and see if you can snag a larger used swaybar from the junkyard I think they go as big in OEM size as a 33mm.

The 28mm is on my 2.5 and I want a better one

 

I decided not to do those for now....they looked good..and I want to measure which one I have....supposed to be the 28 but I'd love to have the 33 if that's not what's on there. I need to stick a pair of calipers on there...not sure what size bars came on which trucks to get a bigger one from...Would love a bigger rear bar as well (and maybe some Disco's for when I leave the pavement).

Got the coil springs from the junkyard..$54...off a 360 durango (so going from the next-to-lightest to the stiffest). Same 4.5 coils as my V6 springs but I forgot the calipers to make sure the wire size is bigger. I'm not going to mind the stiffer ride, it's a truck, trucks are supposed to ride like trucks, not sedans.

Orielly has the front shocks and bushings, going to hold off on doing anything in back till after the front is done, so I can see how much I need to go in lift shackles and shocks. I'm hoping the nose will lift 1" and I can go up 1" in back using C1500 shackles from junkyard to keep the rake the same.

Lost my idler pulley today so that and new belt was $70, put a small damper in things budget wise. 2 tires are $250 plus tax and mounting ($290), alignment is like $65, hoping the guy can do my bushings for $550 or less. I have a $1050 budget.

$1050 - $550 (labor) - $65 (alignment) - $290 (tires) = $145

$145 - $54 (springs) = $91

$91 - $90 (shocks) = $1

$1 - $32 (bushings) = -$31

 

So, spent $54 on springs and $132.02 on front shocks and bushings. $186.02 total.

Just ~$550 in labor, $65 alignment, and $290 in tires to go3

Going to put the 1.7 rockers on Aug 5th after parents leave, dismantle the radiator shroud the 6th before class, put the new fan (hopefully a Mark8, else a 3.8 taurus) on the 7th, get it wired up the 7th and 8th morning, then class, and button stuff up the 9th before parents get back.

 

For those looking:

360 Durango springs are 4.5 active coils, 5" on center, 0.750 wire, 14" seat to seat. this says that amounts to 790 pounds per inch

V6 dakota ext cab springs are 4.5 active coils, ??? on center, 0.720 wire, ???? seat to seat. (These numbers will get filled in tomorrow)

assuming same otherwise values, it says 671 pounds per inch. 120 pound difference.

If the V6 spring, at assumes values, is compressed 1.5", then it has 1000 pounds on it.

Put 1000 pounds on the 360Dur spring, compresses 1.25". 1/4" of clearance gained.

Part 2:

V6 spring with 1000 pounds on it: compressed 1.5".

I've got 4" of air between tires and fender, and they still hit. Total of 5.5" of compression (1.5" load 4" bump). Loading of 3600 pounds.

Transfer that 3600 pounds to the 360Dur spring, 4.5" of compression (1.25" load, 3.25" bump).

Full inch of extra headroom.

Going to a 1/2" larger radius tire = 1/2" of new headroom to play with.

Also, my rear hangers are 4" on center. I forgot to measure spring pack width, but believe it's 2.5". Supposed to be the same as a C1500, so I can always scout the junkyard to see what tools I need, and hijack the hangers right off another truck. Since the front pivot point doesn't change, lift isn't proportional. A 1.5" length in hole spacing will probably make a 1" vehicle lift.

 

Here's how bad they are.

IMG_1413.jpg

IMG_1414.jpg

 

He's charging me $500 for labor, straight cash. Firestone wants 365 for tires and alignment. $186 for parts. So for $1,051 basically have a whole new front end. My budget was $1,050. I think I can deal with a dollar over.

He said the durango springs were a PITA to shove in there. I'll measure the old ones and see if they don't weigh in at a lesser rate than I thought.

 

That's about how my bushings look which is why I went poly and ditched the rubber ones.

 

I couldn't get the poly's. OR and AZ said they existed but nobody had stock within 100 miles.

The new spring+shock package lifted the nose a full inch or so. Before, I had 4" of clearance between tire and fender sitting on the slightly angled driveway. Now, in the same spot, I have 5" of clearance. Sitting on level ground, I have 4.5" of clearance (don't have a stock number).

IMG_1429.jpg