73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 4 Wheel Drives => Topic started by: BIG CHEVY on September 17, 2011, 07:53:51 pm
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i need a taller truck. if i get a 10 to 12 inch lift kit what would be involved extra that im not thinking of?
what will lengthening driveshafts consist of? buying new ones? at what height will i need to drop trans case? any and all input will be helpful. throw you input at me. i need to know drawbacks.....catches....problems...all before i go up. and i will do what i have to do but it has to drive like a normal truck. im sure that includes more stuff i havent thought about. i appreciate ya guys!!!!!!!!!
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10-12" wont be anything close to the drive of a normal truck even with only 6" you see big differences.
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Extended brake lines, pinion wedges to get the angle, lengthened drive shafts, longer shocks, might need to clock the tcase for the front shaft angle, idk about dropping the tcase. But like irish said, the ride of a lifted truck will be very different. You may want to look into sway bars front and rear, anti wrap bars, steering stabilizers, and high streering.
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also traction bars or what ever they call them for lifted trucks. why 12". Will it be functional (mudding) or a pretty boys truck (just cause i have the money/show truck)?
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My brother in law had an 84 with 12" in high school, you will need custom cross over steering for sure, as 79c20 said, brake lines will have to be addressed, pinion angles, way longer driveshafts, if I remember right there is a kit for the trans/transfer case to drop, upgraded axles for sure (your k10 axles if that is what you have will not last long), and as irish said, if you plan to drive on road, it will not feel nothing like your truck now, but on the other side of things, you will always be looking down on other people in cars and looking straight across at the semi's.
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I mud at bogs like the dickens.but i also clean it up every time and its my every use truck.
I have 4 inches. And need to buy tires. My logic is...to mud i would like bigger tires. So lets do it now.
I need more than 4 to clear any tire big enough to earn georgia muds respect. So for lifting i dont see that much difference in each 2 inch increase per lift. Why not go for a good gain than just get 6 or 8 and turn right around and be limited again. Only really got one shot at this. Im goin for it.
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Keep us informed, I am sure everyone would love pics to see what and how it turned out.
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You don't need giant tires for mud bogging. what you need is wheel speed!! With a 10-12" lift you are going to be challenged to get the front driveshaft to work. You will need a custom high-angle front driveshaft. A transfer-case drop is usually used on 6" and above, but it makes theangle on the front driveshaft worse. I wouldn't use one unless I absolutely had to. You need cross-over steering and longer shocks and brake lines like already mentioned. Not sure what rig this is going on, but you will also want beefier king-pin bushings and springs or you are going to get the death wobble. Mud-bogging is going to be hard on your axles so you will want to upgrade those if you don't already have a 14BFF and D60. Lengthening the driveshafts consists of re-tubing the shaft (cutting off the tube and welding a new one to the yokes). This can get expensive all by itself. If I was doing it I would probably trim the wheel-wells for more tire before going up that high, but that depends on what you will use the truck for. I wouldn't hack-up a nice rig that isn't going to be relegated only to the trail (IMHO).
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To be competive at the boggs the guys have purpose built trucks. Dana 60's and 2.5 ton axles with 5.13-up gears. Big motors, Big tires and divorsed transfurs. Just look and talk to the competion. If you ain't got close to what they are running your pissing in the wind!
Go Big or Stay Home!!
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the kind of bogs we have are free rides with a bounty hole type competition at the end. the free riding part is for anyone/everyone. its not competetive at all. i know all the big guys. grew up with most of em. (you tube dirt pro......mud pro.....and air mundy if interested). something will come up. we are all fans of each other and plenty of encouragement goes on friendly and liquid.....you are dead on about what they run. but i dont want a monster....i want the baddest truck i can build that i still use every day. i have the respect of others from motor alone. just wont enter the bounty holes. i think ive settled on 8" susp and possibly body. any higher and it seems like im beginning to take away from the every day use of the truck. longer d-shafts......driveline issues.....steering. what a headache. it shouldnt be that serious. this truck is my friend. it aint gettin rockwells. ill do that on some other project.
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I used to go to unsanctioned mud bogs years ago. There were about 20 of us with all different kinds of trucks. We never went to same mud holes every week so you never used to know what to expect. We didn't do it for speed or anything...they were always deep and nasty enough that if you got thru you did good. I can tell you from experience that the bigger the lift and tires the more you will break it. If this is your daily driver I would go with a 6" lift and some cut out flares. The only thing you need lift for is to fit bigger tires under it so your axles are higher up. The key is good tires that clean the mud out of the tread so it can take another good bite, which leads you to a strong motor that can do that on demand. Be careful of tires with too big of a lug unless you know what is in the mudholes. When those tires like superswampers grab ahold of something solid when they are really spinning they don't break, axles do first.
The truck I ran I also drove on the street. My set up was 79', 6" lift, 35" mud brutes, 350 that was worked over some but still streetable, turbo 350 rebuilt from a great tranny shop, custom driveshafts, locker in the rear. Over the years that I did that I broke everything except for the front differential and the 203. I could have used more tire most of the time but to me it wasn't worth it on the street.
Just my $.02 from the been there done that peanut gallery.
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no lift 53s"
(http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii183/mopar_big_block/53sandnolift.gif)
4" lift and a sawzaw will clear 39.5 easily
(http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=626745&stc=1&d=1318812359)
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no lift no fender triming
37x1250
(http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=626846&stc=1&d=1318840929)
with finder triming
(http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=626919&stc=1&d=1318842498)
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If your going to do it do it right. Buy the proper kit and i'd stay away from using blocks if your going to wheel it. Keep in mind the higher you go your changing your center of gravity so you will want to upgrade your wheels for a set that is offset. I had a Blazer with 8" suspension and 3" body on 38's that was good on and off road. If I was to build it again I would go more suspension and no body lift. You might also want to look into the reinforcement braces for the frame that weld behind your steering box cause larger tires can cause the frame to brake. Here's a pic of the Blazer on 38's and a picture of my buddy's short box. The short box is a 87, it has Dana 60's front & rear, 12" spring lift and sits on 44's. It's a very capable truck on and off road.
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My truck had a 12" lift with 44" swampers. It ran a divorced transfer case, dropping your stock case wont cleared the front driveshaft. Don't forget about gearing, my truck had 5.13's to turn the 44's. When it was all said and done the truck looked great but rode horrible, I hated to drive it. I put in a 6" lift and 35's, it's much better to drive now.
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My truck had a 12" lift with 44" swampers. It ran a divorced transfer case, dropping your stock case wont cleared the front driveshaft. Don't forget about gearing, my truck had 5.13's to turn the 44's. When it was all said and done the truck looked great but rode horrible, I hated to drive it. I put in a 6" lift and 35's, it's much better to drive now.
When I was in high school, my brother in law had a 85 black step side truck with 12" lift and 44's. I thought it was the coolest and used to drive it to school all the time, now I think back,if I was to drive the truck now it would beat me to death.
They do ride rough when they are that tall for sure.
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Actually I personally think that if the truck is going to be more of a daily driver i wouldn't go more than 6" on 35's. If it's going to see more mud than road you can go as big as you are legally able to.
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this is just under 4" of lift measure its 3.75" on suspension and 35x1250 on a 17x9 with 5" BS
nothing rubs and what i would to for a DD plus keep your nose more out of the wind which would help for mpg of said DD
(http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/302049_2352515885895_1040072946_2669460_2642281_n.jpg)
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this is just under 4" of lift measure its 3.75" on suspension and 35x1250 on a 17x9 with 5" BS
nothing rubs
You have 35's on a 4" kit and nothing rubs?
I just put a 4" on my 1976 4x4 and I thought I had to stay with 33's. I want 35's !! I don't have the fenders back on yet.
Are your front fenders trimmed at all at the rear of the wheelwell? That's usually where they hit.
P.S. what is a DD?
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This is my '77 K30:
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1X-zaEfNoAQ/Sl6MGwf24sI/AAAAAAAAACU/vasKA7zyLck/s576/44s.jpg)
8" all spring, no block suspension, 3" body. 18.5/44-16.5 mudders with slight fender trimming.
Daily driver, or mud toy. This truck filled both roles perfectly.
Tires were balanced on an 18 wheeler balancer. Would do 100+ mph when I was feeling like doing something stupid.
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this is just under 4" of lift measure its 3.75" on suspension and 35x1250 on a 17x9 with 5" BS
nothing rubs
You have 35's on a 4" kit and nothing rubs?
I just put a 4" on my 1976 4x4 and I thought I had to stay with 33's. I want 35's !! I don't have the fenders back on yet.
Are your front fenders trimmed at all at the rear of the wheelwell? That's usually where they hit.
P.S. what is a DD?
I believe he is saying daily driver
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yes DD is daily driver. and yes nothing rubbs when daily driving.
now when i do this i rubb the back lower part of the fender but that aint DDing enviroment..lol this is a 5' dirt pile
(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/315497_2405861779509_1040072946_2713890_1935896125_n.jpg)
stock lift 315/75/16 on stock 16x6.5" rims with 5.125" backspacing wont be able to do this with a 4" or 4.5"bs wheel which is the majority of rims out there in 16" and 15" wheels.
(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5808_1202203008792_1040072946_619578_385050_n.jpg)
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5808_1202203048793_1040072946_619579_834581_n.jpg)
(http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5808_1202203088794_1040072946_619580_7722058_n.jpg[img])http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5808_1202203128795_1040072946_619581_3227105_n.jpg[/img]
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We lifted my buddys c30 17". We built his steering with round tube and heim joints and a pitman arm for a 12" lift. For the suspension, we built 9" lift hangers, relocated the shackles down, used 6" lift springs, and fabricated 2" angled lift blocks. It sits on 44" TSLs and clears them with no problems. We used the smaller springs to get away from the really tall arch; which causes the rough ride. We ran new brake lines, built our own shock mounts, and I think his drive shafts were about $300 each. It was on the road about a month and a half from the start date. We never had any issues with the steering, or anything else for that matter. I'll see if he will email me some pics to post
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yes DD is daily driver. and yes nothing rubbs when daily driving.
now when i do this i rubb the back lower part of the fender but that aint DDing enviroment..lol this is a 5' dirt pile
(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/315497_2405861779509_1040072946_2713890_1935896125_n.jpg)
stock lift 315/75/16 on stock 16x6.5" rims with 5.125" backspacing wont be able to do this with a 4" or 4.5"bs wheel which is the majority of rims out there in 16" and 15" wheels.
(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5808_1202203008792_1040072946_619578_385050_n.jpg)
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5808_1202203048793_1040072946_619579_834581_n.jpg)
(http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5808_1202203088794_1040072946_619580_7722058_n.jpg[img])http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5808_1202203128795_1040072946_619581_3227105_n.jpg[/img]
Gotta say, love the orange strap, reminds me of home. ::)
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lol
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Here's a pic I took off his fb page... I snagged the only one I could find that show any suspension...warning: it's not the best...lol
(http://img.tapatalk.com/a6cd0b52-e4d3-c511.jpg)
The box tubing between the giant hanger and the frame runs from frame rail to frame rail. The hanger is actually a 10 ton trailer spring hanger. That with the 3" box tubing, 6" lift spring, and 2" fabricated angle blocks give him a total of 17" of lift. The same thing was done on the front side. In all honesty, the truck rides and handles great for as big as it is. At 80 mph on the highway, you can let go of the wheel and it's straight as an arrow... Here's a couple pics of how it sits on the 44s...
(http://img.tapatalk.com/a6cd0b52-e676-30a0.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/a6cd0b52-e699-5345.jpg)
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offroaddesign.com has a transfer case clocking ring that allows you to rotate your transfer case down 16 to 32 degrees.