HMM... M1009's really do have an extra spring leaf in the front

[Barrman]

I have seen magazine or internet write ups for years that talk about how the M1009 has an extra spring leaf on the front making it a 3/4 truck compared to the 1/2 civilian K5 Blazer. I have treated them as most things on the internet or in magazines should be treated, blah, blah, blah. We all know the military weight catagory testing is different than what the truck manufacturers use.It wasn't until last night though that I had access to a K5 and thought about the spring difference claim. One of my former Scouts has a K5 that won't run and he wants my class to fix it up. I picked it up with my M715 and a trailer the other day and had it in the drive waiting for better weather to bring it to work. I came home from work in RED and just happened to think about how the K5 front end looked lower than it should. That got me thinking about springs and I started counting leaves. 1981 K5 Blazer has 2 front leaf springs per side. Both of my 1985 M1009 trucks have 3 front leaf springs per side.I have no idea how many people knew or didn't know this. I had never given it any thought. Now we know.

 

[rhinob]

That's what my plow-installer friend said to me about a year ago. First he said that it needed an extra leaf - then saw the three under the front-end and he said that I'd have no problem the way it was since it's a 3/4 ton. Awesome, huh.