Which 4" susp lift

[Gusgusa1]

Tuff country, sky jacket, rough country
 Lifting 2 trucks

1986 silverado 305 soon to be 350 tbi for dd ( highway soupy log/skidder trails)
1984 scottsdale 305 quad jet for a bit of abuse.
Both are k10
Want 4" lift less parts to change less to break IMO.
Thoughts? I am leaning to rough country? 

[bake74]

     Rough Country is going to be the roughest (Hench the name), Tuff Country is going to be next, rough ride, Sky Jacker is a softer ride with more flex because of the softness, but will suffer in corners from body roll.
     So you have to decide what you are willing to give up and what you are willing to live with.  There are other companies out there that make kits, a lot of them.

[Gusgusa1]

I am wiling to give up some softer ride to be able to feel the truck. ( more control in my mind). These are bigger names so I wanted to go with that as a badge of quality. Definately open to what opinions are out there especially from experience. The more close to stock handling and feel the better.

[bake74]

     If you want close to stock, none of those 3 you listed are even going to be close.  Rough & tuff as I like to call them are going to bounce you to death.  You really have to love a rough ride to go with either of those.
     Rancho is pretty close to stock ride, it is not by for the best kit out there, but I do believe you will find more Rancho kits on our trucks then any other brand.

[rich weyand]

I did +2/+3, to get the fender cutouts the same height off the pavement plus a little body rake.  Level body with those uneven fender cutouts to me always looked like it was dragging tail.

I went with the Tuff Country EZ-Ride.  I like it a lot.  The stock front end rode like a brick with those negative-arch front springs.  2" lift was just enough to get some positive arch in the springs and it made a big difference.  The ride now is much better than the stock front end.  Enough better that even my wife noticed it enough to comment on it and she prefers it a lot.

The back is always going to ride like a brick if you are running empty with recommended tire pressures.  I run the backs 5psi less than the fronts when running light, and am getting even tire wear and a better ride.

Body lean is not a problem, and it tracks well -- doesn't wander -- so it's not loose in the rear end.  Rides well on the highway, too, even at interstate speeds.

I couldn't get a "mixed lift" kit from retailers.  Called Tuff Country direct and they set me up with all the right mix of parts.  Had a sale going on too, but I think they always do.

Here's the +2/+3 with 31s right after I put it on, about 18 months ago.

[Gusgusa1]

Bake74: I can't find a rancho kit for our trucks

[Gusgusa1]

Thanks rich. I have no plans to get rid of the rake because I haul fuel tanks, tires, parts, fluid drums and tools. Does yours bounce the crap out of you? Off road. How is highway? I travel  about 1000 k each weekend highway. Believe me the 86 will be a real dual purpose truck.

[bake74]

Bake74: I can't find a rancho kit for our trucks

     This is the page I found listing the Rancho lifts for our trucks.  Sometimes you have to call the manufacture because they do not have the room on the web browser to list everything.

http://www.gorancho.com/assets/catalog/2012catalog_pdf/2012-13_Rancho_suspension.pdf

     You have to scroll down to the trucks.

[rich weyand]

Thanks rich. I have no plans to get rid of the rake because I haul fuel tanks, tires, parts, fluid drums and tools. Does yours bounce the crap out of you? Off road. How is highway? I travel  about 1000 k each weekend highway. Believe me the 86 will be a real dual purpose truck.

You misunderstand.  I added 1" of rake by lifting the front 2" but the rear 3".  The uneven fender cutouts on these trucks always look to me like they are dragging in the rear, like the springs are shot or something.  So I lifted the rear an extra inch to get the same space between the tires and the fender cutouts.  You might consider a +3 in the front and a +4 in the rear.

No, it doesn't bounce at all.  It's a SWB, so you get the rocking motion going over bumps because of the short wheelbase, but no bouncing.  Tracks very well on the highway, no seeking that you would get from a loose rear.  Easy to drive at speed, which on the interstates around here is 70+.  Handles the twisty two lanes around here well also, and tracks well over bumps on curves at speed (55-60): keeps on track without jumping left or right on bumps on the curves.  I don't do any off-road, but I do a lot of crummy, deteriorating rural gravel roads through the woods, and have done some rough construction site stuff, and it does fine on the rough stuff as well.

I like the Tuff Country EZ-Ride a lot, and recommend it.

[Gusgusa1]

Major difference is rancho is blocks in the rear while tuff country is springs I believe. With hauling heavy loads would the blocks lead to a broken spring. I mean due to the preasure in the small area of the block slamming down.  Any thoughts on this?

[bake74]

     Just for clarification.  All kits can come with blocks or all spring lift, most lifts come with rear blocks and you pay extra for the addition of the rear spring.
     There should be no "slamming down" of the spring on the block. (the u-bolts should hold the spring firmly against the block).  The "flex" is spread out over the block area and then the rest of the spring.
     I do not want you to misunderstand me.  I prefer a all spring lift myself, I was just giving you options, I feel a person should look at all that is available and decide which is best for their situation. 

[VTK5Mudder]

I thought I had heard the new rough country's have a lot better ride then the old one's ?all new design along with new shocks made them better ? I know I will more then likely go with them on my budget I cant afford the others , I know they say you get what you pay for but I can get spring lift all around and still have money left . as always they all have there good and bad.