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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Brakes, Frame, Steering & Suspension => The Highs (Raising/Lifts) => Topic started by: 85K10SB on March 13, 2016, 08:16:35 AM
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Good Morning All,
First, great forum I've been a lurking member for a long time and I've learned a ton from you guys. So for my first post I was hoping someone on here has experience with the the 4" rought country all sprint lift (SKU 245.20). I have one on the way for my 85' Short box and my main concern is going too high fpr my tires and having the "ran oUT of money" look ???. I just mounted 33x12.50 15 BFG/AT KO2's and they measure a true 33". I intended on only going up 2" but after looking at literally hundreds of pics on the internet 4" is the look I would prefer. Anyone in here ever run this lift on 33s? Wheelin and work are not a factor as this truck is my summer cruiser and occasional boat hauler...gasp, I know...lol. I'm trying to get a pic up of how my truck sits now, more to follow. Thanks for your input.
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Here's how it sits now.
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4" lift with 34s
(http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/ae92/Flyinhillbilly/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps7ndic7tq.jpg)
and
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31301.0;attach=32248;image)
Lift kit Q & A for those with lift kits for those that want lift kits (http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=31301.0)
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i run 33s and no lift. dont really go off road but i rub on my steps at least once a day when turning and hit a bump but this is with my k30 and cummins so shes a little heavier in the front than most truck would be. but you should be ok with 2" and definitely ok with 4"
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Thanks for the replies Irish. I've never rubbed with 33s on my truck but my previous set measured just under 32". Hence my desire to lift it with a true 33 on it now. That and it will flat out look sooooo much better 8) IMHO. The reason I posted my question was I red in one place that the rough country 4" was actually much closer to 6" than 4". But I haven't seen that anywhere but one review. The pics you posted give me confidence that 4" will look perfect with my tires. Maybe not 35 perfect, but still a good look none the less. Didn't plan on lifting it when I bought my tires, look at me now...lol
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lol yeah i hear you. sometimes you have to buy it all at once but sometimes you only have enough for tires and you have to work with them. but next time you need tires you will know. also the rough country is a rough ride the only good thing about them is price.
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So I guess they live up to their name...lol! I wonder if a Tough Country EZ ride would be the way to go then. Only reason I'm going all spring is if figure the rears are due for replacement being 31 years old. They flatten out pretty easy when loaded up for a camping trip with the boat in tow.
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The all spring EZ kit is out of my price range at the moment. Leaning toward block rear 3" kit. But it doesn't come with a drop steering arm. Seems to me that a 3" kit would need one...am I wrong on that?
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Brooke's truck had a 4" lift when she bought it, but the rear had broken leaves. We replaced the rear springs with BD springs. The rear rides nice, the front feels like I-beams. We'll eventually replace the front springs with BD's or Atlas springs. ( I think Atlas makes BD springs) She has the 33x12.50x15 BFG All Terrain KO2. We used Skyjacker shocks #H7058 and #H7073
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I'll echo what I tell lots of people who ask. Shackle flip in the rear... It will give you 4" of lift but depending on your springs maybe less. Then get a set of Tuff Country springs for the front.
But be warned anytime you add a lift you need a lot more equipment... You are going to need shocks, brake lines, steering arm etc etc.
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I'll echo what I tell lots of people who ask. Shackle flip in the rear... It will give you 4" of lift but depending on your springs maybe less. Then get a set of Tuff Country springs for the front.
But be warned anytime you add a lift you need a lot more equipment... You are going to need shocks, brake lines, steering arm etc etc.
I'm not all that familiar with the shackle flip so I will be going with 3" blocks for the rear and 3" Tuff country front springs. I am also ordering a steering drop for a 4" lift that should do the trick. Will also get extended brake lines just to be safe. Shocks are included in the kit. Might lower the Tcase a bit too, as long as the driveshaft doesn't hit the Y pipe.
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I don't believe the t-case needs lowering with a 3-4 inch kit. But I suppose you will know once it is lowered.
I have never used a shackle flip but I intend to soon (I think). It looks easy enough and since I need to get under the brackets anyway I might as well put them back on instead of the stock style.
As for buying tires, I was looking the other day for something in the 38 inch range and got serious sticker shock. :o When a set of tires costs more than the vehicle they are going on, there is something wrong in the world!
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I'll echo what I tell lots of people who ask. Shackle flip in the rear... It will give you 4" of lift but depending on your springs maybe less. Then get a set of Tuff Country springs for the front.
But be warned anytime you add a lift you need a lot more equipment... You are going to need shocks, brake lines, steering arm etc etc.
I'm not all that familiar with the shackle flip so I will be going with 3" blocks for the rear and 3" Tuff country front springs. I am also ordering a steering drop for a 4" lift that should do the trick. Will also get extended brake lines just to be safe. Shocks are included in the kit. Might lower the Tcase a bit too, as long as the driveshaft doesn't hit the Y pipe.
Shackle flip allows you use your stock springs and give you 4" of lift. All your doing is taking off the rear hangars and replacing them with the shackle flip brackets. Due to the design of the shackle brackets they give you the 4" of lift.
Lift blocks scare me especially anything over 2" and can lead to axle wrap very quickly.
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Well I tried to cancel an order I mistakenly placed for an all spring 2" lift from rough country over the weekend but it already shipped. The customer service rep was very helpful and said that I can either send it right back for a refund OR I could mount it and see if I like it. He assured me that installing the lift would not detract from my refund so long as I returned it within 90 days. I think I might give it a go to see if I like the look. Before on got on a 4" kick, my intent since I've owned the truck was to go with 2". I'll post up some pics once it's installed, he said it should be here by Wednesday (16 Mar).
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Well I hope you like the 2" kit bc I doubt you will be inclined to remove it and install another one if you are doing it by yourself. I got mine done in a steep sloped driveway with a few sets of jack stands and 2 Jacks. I still have the t-case drop sitting in the original box from 3 years ago. Either way the ride is gonna be rougher than factory springs so might as well just send the 2" back and only do bit once. If you plan to use the truck off road you won't be disappointed.
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Well I hope you like the 2" kit bc I doubt you will be inclined to remove it and install another one if you are doing it by yourself. I got mine done in a steep sloped driveway with a few sets of jack stands and 2 Jacks. I still have the t-case drop sitting in the original box from 3 years ago. Either way the ride is gonna be rougher than factory springs so might as well just send the 2" back and only do bit once. If you plan to use the truck off road you won't be disappointed.
Sound advice. Off roadin isn't a factor for me though, just want the truck to look right for my taste. This is the truck that makes me want to try it out.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z55/Drobb10/P6120375.jpg
JB
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Well I hope you like the 2" kit bc I doubt you will be inclined to remove it and install another one if you are doing it by yourself. I got mine done in a steep sloped driveway with a few sets of jack stands and 2 Jacks. I still have the t-case drop sitting in the original box from 3 years ago. Either way the ride is gonna be rougher than factory springs so might as well just send the 2" back and only do bit once. If you plan to use the truck off road you won't be disappointed.
Sound advice, however off roading isn't a factor for my truck this lift is just about making the truck look right for my taste. And I've help and a nice flat pole barn to work in. This truck
is why I want to give a try...
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Sorry about the double post
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when i got mine i was a bit confused cause it came in 5 pieces for some reason they sent me 5 springs. called them up and told them one of the center bolts broke in shipping so they sent me 4 new ones. they do have good C.S. but yeah you will have to remove it and if you need to drive your truck youll need to install the old springs. then once you get the new ones install them.
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I'll echo what I tell lots of people who ask. Shackle flip in the rear... It will give you 4" of lift but depending on your springs maybe less. Then get a set of Tuff Country springs for the front.
But be warned anytime you add a lift you need a lot more equipment... You are going to need shocks, brake lines, steering arm etc etc.
I'll definitely second the part about needing more stuff. I put a four inch rough country on mine and love it but I had to get new brake lines, front sway bar drop brackets, had to have the front and rear pinion angles set,etc. Not a huge deal but way more than just buy the kit and slap it on.
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Thanks. I'm prepared to make adjustments if needed. I've lifted a couple trucks over the years, just not my own ;)
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I got the front end done before I had to go to work today. I won't be returning the 2" kit, it's going to look exactly how I want it to. I'll post a pic tomorrow after I get the rear springs installed.
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Good! Waiting to see it!
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I couldn't be happier with how this lift turned out. Not only in how it looks, but also in how it rides and handles compared to the tired stock springs. :)
I'm trying to get pics to post...this size limit is frustrating me. I'll try to compress them later tonight on a laptop.
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(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/gallery/14869_19_03_16_9_51_16.jpeg)
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Looks good. Let us know how it rides
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Does that truck have a body lift? That looks far more than just 2"
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Looks good. Let us know how it rides
I am very impressed with the ride. To me it feels like it's the way supposed to ride. No teeth jarring stiffness at all.
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I think it's an optical illusion, with the 33's. A 4" looks very similar with 35's, but side by side comparison would probably be noticeable
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Does that truck have a body lift? That looks far more than just 2"
No it doesn't have a body lift. Before and after measurements showed that it went up 2 7/8". Guessing the factory springs were sagging pretty bad as I suspected.
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My brothers 78' has a 4" lift sitting on 35's for comparison
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/gallery/14869_20_03_16_6_36_07.jpeg)
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One more
(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/gallery/14869_20_03_16_6_42_30.jpeg)
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That is a beautiful truck.
I know the topic of this thread is settled but if it were mine I would only opt for a Skyjacker lift. Probably in the 6" range. Or maybe 8" and 35s. But I like a little more lift that most. Have smushed more than my share of fenders. The extra lift gives a little more margin for error when in the back country.
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Thanks I like it :) I hear ya on altitude preference and these trucks look great up that high. I just wanted mine to look "right" with 33s and this lift got me there. If I was into off roading I would've gone with bigger tires and a taller lift but my truck is a cruiser/boat hauler so I kept it down where it's at. I think I might do a partial transfer drop still. With my short wheelbase and the NP208's short driveshaft there is a slight angle at the pinion. Maybe I'm being OCD but I'd rather it was straight at the pinion.
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My particular preference is round lights but I will admit that your truck is very very nice! AND it's a SWB, that is so much better. ;D
I believe the lift on that truck is perfect!
(I still can't figure out why the pre-81 trucks are considered 'square bodies' I don't see anything square about them. They aren't as rounded the pre-73's it's true, but definitely not square either. Not square like after the square lights anyway)
OK Thread jack is over...carry on. ;)
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Ha ha! Thanks man, I think it's perfect too. Not too high for the tire size and not too low like nit was before.
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It looks just right. Nice truck !!!
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It looks just right. Nice truck !!!
Thanks! I'm still grinning about how it sits now :) next step is replacing the tired tranny with a raptor 700R4, gotta save up the coin first though :-\ once that is done I'll start getting more power out of that 350...one step at a time
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You don't want a straight pinion unless you change to a CV (constant velocity or double cardigan) driveshaft.
You need to have equal angles at both ends of a single ujoint driveshaft. at each end with an absolute max of 3 degrees difference otherwise you will have vibrations and premature ujoint wear.
Dropping your TC depends on your driveshaft angles.
Nice truck, looks great!
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Thanks for the info on driveshaft angles. I'm fairly certain my angle was greater than 3° before I put the lift in. As it sits now there are no vibrations or anything, and that was at 70mph. Time will tell if the u-joints are going to wear quicker
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Don't forget that under load/braking the pinion end angle changes. So even when cruising at part throttle the pinion will be a bit higher than static. Any load in the truck will compress the springs bringing the pinion angle up also. Braking drops the pinion end angle down.
Back in the day it was not uncommon for folks to set the pinion angle straight at the driveshaft. I won't say whether they had issues or not, but a lot of them were that way. Times change and more information becomes available though. If a traction aid of some sort is used set the pinion angle and forget it. If not all the things I mentioned will effect the way the driveshaft works. The softer the ride the more twist/wrap the springs will allow. Soft springs wrap up badly. If torque and horsepower are in the trucks future, keep this in mind.
I had a 6" Trailmaster lift on my shortbox. I don't remember if I there was a shim used on the blocks to set the angle or not or if the blocks had an angle built into them that was close enough. I had no driveline problems that I remember up to 125 MPH. YMMV
The best way to set it is cut and reweld the spring perchs, a wedge shim is so much easier and cheaper however and will do the job well as long as you re-torque the axle u-bolts every hundred miles or less until they will not move any more during a re-torque.
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Great post Greybeard...thanks for the info.
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I added a 3.5 spring lift to my early bronco and added the wedge shims
The wedges actually made the U joints wear out faster
So I removed them
Every truck is different so drive it and see what happens is the best way
But for a 2" lift. I really don't see any need for them
And your truck looks great !
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I added a 3.5 spring lift to my early bronco and added the wedge shims
The wedges actually made the U joints wear out faster
So I removed them
Every truck is different so drive it and see what happens is the best way
But for a 2" lift. I really don't see any need for them
And your truck looks great !
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Thanks for the info and the compliment! I'll drive it and see how it does. Might take a while though, I only drive it about 1500 miles per summer. Off topic but I found it interesting: it had a bad u joint when I got the truck in 07' and much to my surprise it still had the plastic injected for cap retention. Makes me wonder if the odometer never rolled over.
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5 or 6 digit odometer? if a 5 it has rolled at least once.
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5 or 6 digit odometer? if a 5 it has rolled at least once.
It's a 5 digit. I assumed it rolled over when I bought it but didn't think a factory u joint would last 148k.
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5 or 6 digit odometer? if a 5 it has rolled at least once.
It's a 5 digit. I assumed it rolled over when I bought it but didn't think a factory u joint would last 148k.
my dana44 had original ujoints and it's a 74
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Those factory u-joints were stout pieces. It is cheap aftermarket ones most replace them with that only last a year or two. A really good u-joint will cost much more than $20 dollars. Normally not necessary but if the truck sees a lot of crap go under it or high torque, maybe worth the money. But bigger is always better in my opinion. More bearing surface area reduces stress.
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Just like everything else, you can buy quality or buy cheap and repeat.
Pulled my intake tonight because it was leaking coolant. Wish I would've done this job before the lift. I don't envy you guys that have 6" lifts. That distibutor must feel like it's in another zip code! Lol
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Only after the age of forty LOL.
They make (or you can make one yourself) a tire step that greatly eases working in the engine compartment. I always just climbed in with the engine and sat on the fender or the inner fender. Don't think I could do that any more in my advanced stage of fattening (and age). :(
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200631961_200631961?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Automotive%20%3E%20Truck%20Hardware&utm_campaign=Ironton&utm_content=44946&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=44946&gclid=CJitlJfr2ssCFZKGaQodwOYMvw (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200631961_200631961?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Automotive%20%3E%20Truck%20Hardware&utm_campaign=Ironton&utm_content=44946&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=44946&gclid=CJitlJfr2ssCFZKGaQodwOYMvw)
This one would be iffy for me.
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http://ktperformance.net/i-6683206-traxion-foldable-topside-creeper.html?gclid=CKT6-qWT28sCFVUkgQodmm4OuA
At 52 with 5 inch lift and 35's been considering a top side creeper.
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At 35 it's not feeling all that great...lol. I like that top side creeper, reminds me of smaller maintenance stands I used when I worked on fighter jets. And it even has a gut pad! Ha ha ha!
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I like the topside creeper! Never seen one before. ??? Wouldn't work good for me unless I turned it into a 4 wheel drive unit. No solid space to work on around here, just mud (now), gravel (when mud season is over), or grass.