Mixing new and stock springs?

[adaml23]

I have a 1979 K10 with HD springs and was looking to lift it ~2 inches. The plan is to just do blocks in the rear and get a set of lift springs for the front. Has anyone ever put the softer, Tuff Country EZ ride (or some other brand's equivalent) springs up front and used their old stock HD springs in the rear?

If so, how's the ride/handling? Did it improve or make it worse than stock?

This vehicle will mostly be used on the road and don't want to make it ride and/or handle any worse than it already does...

 

[bucket]

All my trucks have the original rear springs and they ride fine. Well that's sort of a lie, a couple of them have stock rear springs from other trucks.

 

[adaml23]

Do any of them have a softer spring setup in the front? Particularly the Tuff Country EZ ride springs? That's the brand I'm looking at right now. Did they help the ride any (ie: make the ride any more tolerable?)?

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Ive heard a lot of good stuff about the ride quality with the Ez ride springs.

 

[bucket]

The softest lift springs are going to ride comparable to the stock springs. The higher rate springs will ride rougher than stock, but those are sometimes a good choice for long-term durability, especially if big blocks, diesels, or winch bumpers are involved.

Even if the front did ride a lot softer than the rear, it wouldn't cause any issues.

 

[77 K20]

I have a '77 K20 that had the camper special package on it. I was worried about load carrying ability so I ordered the Tuff Country HD front springs on it, and put blocks in the back. I also put on some Bilstein 5125 shocks on at the same time.

I thought it rode a bit rough and then I removed the front sway bar. Rides nice now!

Also keep in mind your rear springs have settled/sagged a bit. Quite often if you order lets say 2" front springs then 2" blocks in the back the front end of the truck might sit a bit higher than the rear. If you take measurements before and after it will confirm this. The new front springs often lift an inch higher than they say... but then might settle down a bit in a year or so.