Chevy Astro and GMC Safari Forum banner

Lifting coils in a Silverado (I know this is an Astro site)

7K views 31 replies 5 participants last post by  2001texastruck 
#1 ·
Hi guys I have been looking all over for info on lifting a two wheel drive Silverado and I came past your site. It's awesome to see what you guys do to your Astro Vans. I am posting here because you all seem so knowledgeable. You guys are putting 3500 coil front springs into your van which I think is phenomenal.
I am hoping someone here can chime in and tell me from past experience whether or not a set of 3500 springs from a 2005 3500 2WD Silverado will work in a 2001 1500 2WD Silverado. I am hoping to firm the ride up a bit and also lift it an inch or two. Please don't flame me too bad for posting this here. This site is pretty good at sharing info, and that is the main reason I read it. Alot of this car stuff just kind of goes together. Thanks to anyone who has input. Great site!
 
#2 ·
I haven't worked on a Silverado, but my coil spring notes suggest your 3500 to 1500 replacement will work. I see coils from the half, 3/4 and 1 ton pickups that will all fit my Astro. My Astro coils are 1 ton coils.

What I did (several of us did similar) was go to all the spring maker websites I could find and compile notes about the dimensions of their springs for all three weight rating trucks. Then as long as the OD and ID of the coil is somewhere close to the recipient truck, they will theoretically fit.

Sometimes the hunt will take a twist. When you look up some springs on places like RockAuto, they will list several makes and models of vehicles that fit the same spring. So then you look up that OTHER vehicle and that leads you to dimensions and alternatives etc. For example, 1970 Lincoln Continental springs fit Chevy front ends. Look up OEM, Moog and other aftermarket springs. All will suggest different bits of evidence about fit.

Coils that are significantly TALLER than stock will do well with ball joint spacers.

As the lift gets higher and higher, the coil tends to get tweaked toward the outboard side. That makes the ID of the coil a little smaller. Shocks mounted inside the coil may begin to have a clearance problem.

Rent or buy both INside and OUTside coil spring compressors, put a safety chain through them while they're compressed and use a big impact gun to crank 'em down. Make sure all your jackstands and wheel chocks are sturdy. Keep your cellphone in your pocket (to call 911 if the coils explode and rip your arm off) and work either with someone else or while someone else is home or nearby who can see if something goes wrong.

Lump
 
#3 ·
Thanks Lumpy, I swapped the coils in out of a GMC Vandura 3500, it ended up lifting it about 2 inches, the ride is so much better. The rear needs to swapped over now. (one thing at a time) I'll get there. I sure am glad to found this site. The other sites like to ask "why would you do this? Buy a one ton, it will ride like poo, etc etc." This site is welcoming and non critical and that's what the whole car hobby should be about. The shocks should probably be replaced, they don't dampen the ride enough with these coils, maybe you could chime in on this. It isn't nearly as rough as everyone said it would be. I would like to build on the leaf springs that are in the back, it seems you guys do that on this site as well. That is where I got that idea too. Thanks for the help.
 
#4 ·
2001texastruck said:
...The shocks should probably be replaced, they don't dampen the ride enough with these coils, maybe you could chime in on this...

...I would like to build on the leaf springs that are in the back...
Shocks -
viewtopic.php?f=40&t=12933&p=137440&hilit=myride#p137440

Leaf Springs -
viewtopic.php?f=40&t=12783

The leaf spring thread is lenghty, but there's a lot of information from several sources. In particular, take note that the leaf spring clamps come in several different OEM sizes. They aren't all automatically interchangable.

Toward the end of the leaf spring thread there's a bit about how I modified the lower shock mounts to get them up out of the way for ground clearance AND to allow for more stock length shocks.

Generally my lift situation is -
FRONT: GM 1 ton coils, ball joint spacers

REAR: 4+1 Frankenleaf springs assembled from several Astros and S-10s, raised shock mounts, aftermarket spring mount plates and U bolts, rear shackles

ALL ROUND:

Fenders and fender wells cut and relieved front and rear.

Rancho MyRide shocks usually set to ZERO to tolerate road bumps. 31x10.50 Dunlop Mud tires on 15x8 wheels, set to 35 lbs, also for smooth ride factor. So the shocks could have been fine just as MyRide shocks, individually adjustable at each shock, without the remote controller gizmo. With the shocks set much stiffer, and with the tires up closer to 60 PSI, the ride is pretty unbearable.

Total lift, about 9 inches -

Image uploading. Refresh page to view


Image uploading. Refresh page to view


Lump
 
#5 ·
Buy a 1 ton! This is too much work! it'll ride like poo!,,,,, oh yeah,, that's not an astro!!

did I miss any?

:violence-torch:

I almost forgot the flame. :D

TT, you came to the right place. With astros you can't run to the speed shop and but a lift or heavier suspension, it ain't there so we use what we have and what can be modified. When someone says why lift that buy this I say because this is what I want. Around here you don't need to justify yourself.
welcome to the site.

We want pics!

rule 6b
:angry-tappingfoot:

:text-worthless:
 
#8 ·
Yeah you just about covered it WoodButcher, I get more respect on this site than the truck sites. To Lump, your van is great. It reminds me of an S10 I did an SAS swap to, its alot of work to do to anything, let alone an Astrovan, there is no aftermarket support for those to speak of. Nine or ten inches on an Astro is nearly unheard of. Good job. I will post pics, but my phone doesnt like to. I scored a set of wheels and tires off of a newer Chevy for 150.00, I didnt have the money for it yet, but couldnt pass the deal up. It is coming together rather quickly. Up to this point I hadnt even changed the oil in this truck myself. But the bug has me now and I highly doubt it will stop now. I will look more into the leaf spring thing. But I wanted to reply before I lost this post. Again, thanks for the positive feedback guys. Its a shame I cant get this off of the truck sites.
 
#9 ·
2001texastruck said:
. Its a shame I cant get this off of the truck sites.
LOL, what do you think an astro is??

Our vans develop their own characters Of my 2 plilomena thinks she's a sports car but the white wench has been working so hard for so long she makes one ton pick-ups cry.



Unsplit that was a "face cord" laid in on top of my tools,,,

 
#11 ·
I think Lorena's preggers an just sits a little lower,,,,

Nope, phil is all stock w/ extra wide sneakers. 245/60 15. Speedo reads a hair fast so that tells me they are a little smaller diameter. I want 295/50 for the rear but I need to pull a lumpy an hack my slider first, these rub so I'll want an extra 1 1/2 - 2".
How much did you gain?

Hey,
TT,,,
Where's the pics??? :poke:
We don't charge at the door but this foolish entertainment ain't free ya know. :snooty:
PICS!!!

:rolling:
 
#12 ·
WoodButcher said:
I think Lorena's preggers an just sits a little lower,,,,

Nope, phil is all stock w/ extra wide sneakers. 245/60 15. Speedo reads a hair fast so that tells me they are a little smaller diameter. I want 295/50 for the rear but I need to pull a lumpy an hack my slider first, these rub so I'll want an extra 1 1/2 - 2".
How much did you gain?
295/50's fit and my slider opens fine. Maybe a different rim backspacing.
 
#13 ·
WoodButcher said:
... I need to pull a lumpy an hack my slider first, these rub so I'll want an extra 1 1/2 - 2".
How much did you gain?
On a GenI, 1/2 inch from the plastic trim, another 1/2 from the inside part of the metal door. Total just about one inch.

Raise the van high enough and the door is not a factor. But that's $uperjoe high. Mine's not that high.

Cargo's wider than me. Last I heard he said "I have interference problems".

Lump
 
#14 ·
Wider rim than yours too CM. I have Cragar Soft Eights so the PO claimed. Generic caps and no cragar marking on the wheel so who knows? I didn't measure the backspace but I did have the beads all broke and cleaned when I replaced the valve stems. Every one dryrotted.

Hmmm, 1",,, I may need to think about rims or a slider extension that actually works.
If you remember the pic Jasen posted, I looked at it every which way from Sunday and there was no way it could've worked.
 
#16 ·
Ok guys here's a picture. I had to have my sister upload it. I am technically challenged. I hope it worked, because she walked away muttering something under her breath. This is with the 3500 coils up front. I had two alignment shops tell me they won't align it because the coils are under too much stress. Kind of in a "C" shape and they think the shock is too close on one side to the coil spring. I cannot get a camera in there to show it though.
I did find a shop that will look into aligning it on Thursday, but they told me I had to have the right springs in the rear before they would guarantee the alignment. Long story short it is going into the spring shop tomorrow to have the rear leaf springs installed. :banghead: :screaming: :shrug:

Would cutting it slightly lower it? The coils seem like they are under alot of stress, but maybe one of you guys can tell me one way or another. I like the stance, but it seems to leave the ground sometimes when it hits bumps. Maybe it's all in my head. The spring shop tells me it will ride better when I have the rear leaf springs installed. I hope they are right. Because right now it seems like it's hard in the front and rolls in the rear. A See-saw type of motion.
 

Attachments

#18 ·
Yep, you get the *** up so she is level it will make a big difference. Coil springs can be cut to shorten and soften the ride. If the truck will be in the garage for the rear frankenleaf ask about the front as well. If the front are heavy compression with no load they will ride like a buckboard, you need to find the right balance. One of the goodies the A/S guys o to allow more travel in the front is to move the upper ball joint to the underside of the control arm. Stock the all joint goes through the top and is riveted in place
If needed longer shocks may be in order, but you need to find that "balance" before it is worth alignment.
 
#19 ·
I had the rear springs installed today. They are a 5 over one, huge, but ride very nice. I am going to cut a little off of the coils tonight to alleviate some of the stress. Hopefully it doesnt lower it too much. Ill keep you posted.
Ok, I just got home, it is 2:43 am. I cut 3.5 inches off, which is maybe a quarter of a coil. With the cut front coils and new rear leaf springs it is driving great. Overall I am very happy with the results. Without this site, I dont know how I would have approached this situation. Even better, it only lowered it 7/16ths of an inch. This has stopped the upper A arms from hitting when I hit larger bumps or potholes. Goodnight guys.
 
#22 ·
The ride is great, a little rough at times, but it IS a truck. Your Astro vans are more truck than any other minivan out there. I sure am glad this site exists, it is so informative. I put 2,460 pounds in the back and didnt know it was back there. It was well worth it. So much more useable. The rear springs were designed for a 1998 3500 HD Chevy chassis cab if I remember correctly. They went right in after the bushings were swapped out. I have more leaf springs than F-350's now. Five plus a massive overload.
 

Attachments

#23 ·
Nice TT,
Unless you ay extra for it any new truck you get from a dealer today is meant to be a Saturday hauler for the flowers and a passenger car the rest of the week.

One day I loaded 12 ft 8"x8" PT timbers to move around the jobsite, my partner had a just bought a used ferd 1 ton and was loading it side by side w/ me. He loaded in the bed and had the bumper dragging before my safari sagged.
:confused:
I pointed out to him the fact that the timber was more centrally loaded on my van and he felt a little better, :(

at the end of the day I told him the truth about my spring pack... :rofl:

Mine are a junkyard stack, 5+1
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top