Moving hangers back

[Potter147]

Has anyone ever moved the hangers back on a Chevy 1500?

Was chatting with Motiracer the other night and it occurred to me that maybe that's why I feel like my spring rate is so high in the rear.

Granted I probably need new shocks so I did order some, but curious if moving the hanger back could help at all. It worked wonders on my Mazda Ranger and it cycled REAL well after that considering the Mazda had a stock leaf pack and even leaf springs to begin with at all.

 

[Giant Geoff]

I only move the rear mount back on a spring under with the shackle facing up to pre-load the spring.

 

[Potter147]

Why only when leaf under?

 

[Giant Geoff]

You can pre-load a spring over or any shackle facing up, but it doesn't help with very little arch, it may make it worse.
Shackles facing down cannot be pre-loaded.

 

[Potter147]

Huh. I didn't realize you could preload the leaves by moving the hanger.

I thought the purpose, and in my experience, was to help the rear suspension as a whole cycle SMOOTHER and also benefit from the shackle absorbing most of the little bumps (as intended) but only MORE SO due to the more lateral angle after moving the hangers backwards.

Help me understand. How do you create preload?

We definitely are on the same page as far as downward hanger, upward shackle go though.

 

[Giant Geoff]

64” preload instructions:

With the spring complete, drooped out and the shackle all the way forward, bring the shackle frame out up to the frame and draw a line in the front of the bracket and then take the frame out off the shackle and drill, new holes and inch and half back that way you have to Force the shackle into the frame mount to set the preload. The preload helps keep the leads from separating and allows the suspension to droop out faster.