homemade lift

[77chev]

I was wondering if anyone has made a homemade lift besides a body lift. What if you took some 1/4'' plate and make a deal were you dropped all the shackles the same height and welded in some supports to the frame. There is a picture of something like that on the front cover of september 2006 issue of Petersons 4Wheel and Offroad, it don't have very big pictures or goes much into detail about it. If anyone has any info or other ideas please let me know.

[beastie_3]

Why bother?

[Chevalade]

If you have free steel, and free welding equip, and the skills, it would be worth it. But the kits that avail are usually a dang good fit and price is very affordable. How much is your time worth? Personally I would buy the kit.

[77chev]

For one i think that it would be fun and a lot cheaper since i have all the metal and i can do a decent welding job.

[Donut]

Yes, it would be a fun project.  Is this truck going to be road driven?  If so then engineering and liability come into the equation.  I could have easily made new spring mounts for my truck, but I needed to have them certified to make them road legal.  It was far less hassle just buying new ones.

(btw, I used to weld for a living)

[77chev]

Thanks so what all did you do and how much lift was it? I have a 77 K10 swb and it will not be on the road very often at all. I am new to this iam only 18.

[Donut]

Believe it or not, No lift.  I was looking to replace the factory spring mounts with ones built out of 1/4" plate. (mine were severely rotted and I had the plate) I didn't want a lift for my truck, up here lift kits are like belly buttons and Flowmasters, everybody has 'em.

We have yearly inspections up here.  It was cheaper (and a LOT less hassle) to just buy new ones.  Inspection mechanics wouldn't even talk to me if I did it, they pointed me straight to the State Police (they're in charge of inspections)  SP told me to bring the completed brackets, a current copy of my welding certs, and if I had it, and an engineered blueprint.  Way too many hoops.  (the person on the phone might have been having a bad day too)

[Chevalade]

Thanks so what all did you do and how much lift was it? I have a 77 K10 swb and it will not be on the road very often at all. I am new to this iam only 18.

You gotta remember, if something you do on the truck fails, then you can be held responsible for the damage/lives you take if/when it fails. Please do yourself a favor and buy the kit.

Scenario:

If you are out in a field bashing your truck, you may damage what you have "built", and on your way home on the highway, your axle drops out, and you swerve in front of a minivan with a family in it and you kill the parents? What do you do?

[Irish_Alley]

by time your done making the shackles you could of just forked over money for front springs and put blocks in the rear. then eatherway you have to buy brake lines shocks maybe new drive shafts depends on how much you lift. then if you do make your own i would also make some ladder bars to try and help out with the sway if its used on the road so i would say in materials you could buy one for cheaper i think you can find springs for the front and blocks for the rear for 300 or even make the blocks for the rear if you want

[joesgarage71]

 You can make the rear/rear spring hangers and do a shackle flip, That will get ya 4-6 inches. for the front just buy the springs.

[77chev]

For one thing it will be taken to places on a trailer because there is no way it is going to be street legal (besides the soon to be homemade lift) so i won't have to worry about my axle falling off and hit a bus load of kids or something. All i asked was if any body has did this or something similar so i could get some ideas on how to do it.I have all the metal i need it is 3/8'' thick, I plan to reienforce the crap out of it and if it breaks, it breaks I only plan to lift it 6''.




                                                Live life on the edge!

[Engineer]

Look at the want ads. You can find 73-87/91 Chevy lifts cheap.

I wouldn't move the frame brackets for a couple of reasons.

1) The rearched front lift springs will have a heftier feel about them. Lowering the stock softies will give you a squishy ride.....Not a comfortable feeling when you are up in the air.

2) The factory spring brackets are riveted onto the frame. These rivets never break.....Frame welds? I for one have seen too many welds to factory frames break.

JMHO.

[Irish_Alley]

2) The factory spring brackets are riveted onto the frame. These rivets never break.....Frame welds? I for one have seen too many welds to factory frames break.

i'm with him on that but i would never weld to the frame if i could bolt it back in place

[77chev]

So what if I got lift springs for the front, and fliped the shackles in the back then if needed make longer shackle brckets or whatever you call it. I was going for a 6'' lift but if I got the springs for the front then I think I might go with a 8'' lift and do a skackle flip and blocks. What kind of opinions do you guys have about that?

[4x4orbust]

if you are really interested in taking the shackle hangers off the frame and putting a lift on, then i would suggest looking into longer springs in the front/rear.   you can upgrade to 52" springs in the front, (http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?route=product/product&path=24&product_id=120)  and 56" springs in the rear using the diy flip and switch.  (http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?route=product/product&path=24&product_id=112)   i am not sure how much lift this gains you, and you might have to get some zero rates to recenter the axle afterwards.