How to Raise body/dropped Apache

[pa2000xxxx]

I did a quick thread search and I'm not seeing anything...I'm buying an Apache already swapped over to an S10 chassey. The builder chose to slam it. It almost looks like an air bagged truck in the deflated/slammed position. For clearance reasons including my angled driveway, I would like to lift it a couple of inches, but I don't want to re-fabricate all the mounts and I don't really want to put heavy duty coil springs in because I'm assuming it'll be rough. Any suggestions? I'm thinking body mount spacers like they use on 4x4s might work or maybe air shocks. Thanks.

[mr48chev]

Figure out how he "slammed" it and go from there. You might be able to get away with getting or making some "body lift" spacers that raise it up the desired amount.

[OrrieG]

I would figure out the suspension changes required. Since its not bagged probably low budget cut coils or ?? If the front a-arms are not parallel with the pavement in driving position you will have driving issues anyway that need corrected. Rear might be as easy as shackle mods. Raising the body will not solve any driveability issues and will expose more of the frame and suspension which is usually counter to the lowrider look.

[dsraven]

do you have some pics to go with that? it would be easier to figure out if we could see what you are working with. do you have wheel spacers etc to bring the wheels out to fit inside the fenders or is it wheel offset/back spacing that was used to "fill the fenders"? just wondering because the s10 is narrower than the apache and wheel spacers can cause you problems due to stud breakage as well as putting the front end geometry out of whack. punch this into google and check out what I am talking about
Automobile Ride, Handling, and Suspension Design
With Implications for Low-Mass Vehicles


you could use frame to body spacers to lift the body off the frame but I personally would recommend solid spacers, like steel pipe with large washers welded on top and bottom. if you use urethane or rubber spacers, like hockey pucks, the body may flex too much and cause issues with body gaps-fenders hitting doors-hoods that don't line up anymore etc. you could also look for some urethane or teflon sheet and cut your own "shims", then just stack them up till you get the body where you like it, then install longer bolts in all the mounting points. that way the spacer is a hard material but not as heavy as pipe or stacked washers. with a body lift you may run into issues if you still have some sort of pedal set up that goes through the floor. also you will need to work on the throttle linkage,remount the rad and shroud (if you have one) lower and/or use longer rad and heater hoses, you may have issues with wiring if it is run along the frame from the cab, check for brake line issues if firewall mounted brake booster, shift linkage may need to be lengthened if column shift or floor mounted shifter, or the hole in the floor may need to be resized if you have transmission mounted shifter, fuel filler hose if you have an under mount tank or if you have a cab fuel tank behind the seat the hose from the tank to the frame will need to be lengthened, you may need exhaust work as well depending on the look after the lift. am sure there are other items that I have overlooked. the good part is most of this stuff you could do yourself.

[dsraven]

I am with mr48 and orrieG, figure out what was done to get that stance and maybe you can just get a new set of springs and shackles.
post up some pics, you got us all curious now.

[pa2000xxxx]

My apologies for not clarifying. The '99 S10 chassis is totally stock (coils, leafs, shocks, spindles). The lowering was done with a body drop/shorter body mounts. The cab was tunneled to clear the driveshaft.

[1-ton of fun]

How many inches up are you trying to go? Might be able to use a body lift kit from another platform
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[mr48chev]

I'd say it comes down to figuring out how much you want to raise it and then making the "lift" spacers to lift it that amount.

I think I would build them as an extension of the mounts that were already installed on the frame and make them out of the same size material and weld them on top of the existing pieces. That should give you a mount that is as solid as if it was built that way to begin with.

One more thought, take a serious look at what they did and make sure it is up to par with the standards of what you have seen in the guys swap threads here. If it's questionable cut what they did off and start over.