lifting problems

[mothertrucker424]

i am going to be lifting my 72' 1/2 ton 4x4
i've been looking at kits and my truck rides a little bumpy now
what kit do ya'll recomend?
i want 4-6" lift for 33's then later on 35's
what do i need to complete lift what do ya'll recomend

thanks
--pete

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Everybodys got different opinions on lifts. I got skyjacker lifts on my Blazer and my Pickup. They are pretty good, good shocks will help too. Tuff country is pretty good to. Driveshaft and e-brake cables may need some work after the 4" lift maybe but I am not sure. Pretty positive they would after the 6" though. Never worked on anything in that age range.

[Yukon Jack]

I'm pleased with the two different sets of Tuff Country springs I have used on my 69 K20 and I would recommend them. However, I have not used any other brands so I can't knock the other brands. I agree with Hoods69BadBowTie that good shocks should be considered. I wasn't very impressed with the Tuff Country shocks that I initially purchased. I now run Rancho RS9000's and like them alot.

When I initially lifted my 69 4" it required the addition of a cv-joint for the front driveshaft. You will need to get a dropped pitman arm or otherwise address your steering when you do a 4" or 6" lift. Rear driveshaft probably will be okay, but you won't know until you do the lift.

I like the service offered by www.offroaddesign.com they know Chevy's pretty well and are willing to help answer questions. The offer greasable bushings which I used on my 69 K20 and the front axle of my 70 K5.

You will also need to keep an eye on your front rubber brake lines. You will need to lengthen them in some fashion.

Hope the above info helps ya.

[redz 1970 K5]

Good input from above.

My $0.02 (1/2 off sale now for $0.01)-


SPRINGS-
I have run Tuff Country 6" springs on my 71 K5, Skyjacker 4" springs on an old ford and now 6" BDS springs on my 88 Burb. I have been VERY happy with all three.

I would really only avoid any HD springs and you should be fine. If it says HD, you definitely don't want it. A stiffer ride of the HD springs just isn't worth it and is borderline bone jarring.

BRAKES
Most kits come with front brake line relocation kits, which moves the mount from the frame to below the frame. They work fine and are perfectly acceptable and safe, but you can also pick up extended stainless lines and keep the stock routing.

STEERING
For 4", the standard raised steering arm works fine. I tend to think that a raised steering arm is almost borderline for a 6" though, because it still keeps the drag link at a slight angle. If your drag link ends are pretty worn out, I would probably go ahead and do a 2" drop drag link along with the steering arm- that way you get steering correction AND new ends. I would go ahead and plan for a single steering stabilizer setup too. They work wonders with larger tires.

NOTE- Be prepared to take the driver side knuckle out and take it to a shop for the removal/replacement of the steering arm. It's worth paying $30 for a shop to do this. This can be the very hardest part of the lift, and I am not kidding. Those little tapered cones will NOT come out without a fight, and the older the truck the harder the fight. If I had to pass on ONE piece of advice, that would be it. I spent a good 6 hours with the help of a neighbor torching, cutting and hammering with no luck. The machine shop couldn't even press it out!!! They had to cut it off and replace the studs!

DRIVETRAIN
A good alternative to keeping everything happy (if it's available for your truck- I am pretty sure it is) is a transfer case drop kit if you need it. It will drop the transfer case down by around 1" to help with the angles. The rear driveshaft won't even be an issue. Even on my super short wheelbase K5, the rear shaft was fine. As a matter of fact, my 71 K5 didn't even need a thing when I put a 6" lift on it. This is a case by case basis I guess.

Hope it helps.

[Critter]

Originally Posted by redz 1970 K5

Good input from above.

My $0.02 (1/2 off sale now for $0.01)-


DRIVETRAIN
A good alternative to keeping everything happy (if it's available for your truck- I am pretty sure it is) is a transfer case drop kit if you need it. It will drop the transfer case down by around 1" to help with the angles. The rear driveshaft won't even be an issue. Even on my super short wheelbase K5, the rear shaft was fine. As a matter of fact, my 71 K5 didn't even need a thing when I put a 6" lift on it. This is a case by case basis I guess.

Hope it helps.

I've been wondering, what do the Tcase drop kits do to the front driveshaft? Wouldn't it cause the output shaft to point slightly towards the cab floor?

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by redz 1970 K5

NOTE- Be prepared to take the driver side knuckle out and take it to a shop for the removal/replacement of the steering arm. It's worth paying $30 for a shop to do this. This can be the very hardest part of the lift, and I am not kidding. Those little tapered cones will NOT come out without a fight, and the older the truck the harder the fight. If I had to pass on ONE piece of advice, that would be it. I spent a good 6 hours with the help of a neighbor torching, cutting and hammering with no luck. The machine shop couldn't even press it out!!! They had to cut it off and replace the studs!

It's all in where you hit the arm. My 30 year old original steering arm came off in 20 minutes. soak the snot out of the studs up to a week before you start. Soak them every day. Then on lift day, remove the nuts, break out the BFH. Strike DOWN on the curved section where the numbers are cast in. doing so will shock the cones and start forcing them up. Once you can grab onto a cone with some pliers, turn them until the come off the stud. Repeat for the next two studs and the arm will pop off.

I'd at least try this technique before sending the whole knuckle out to a machine shop. It's much easier to do with the knuckle attached to the axle/truck.

Granted, done wrong, you better pack a lunch. I watched my nieghbor fight one on a 91 k5 for an entire weekend. Sounded like a blacksmith's shop from outside the garage with all that banging going on. (it was before I knew the trick or else I would have told them)

[redz 1970 K5]

After liberal soaking of the studs for days before and during, and continuous hits with VERY large BFH's on the numbered part of the arm (which I picked up here before I tried), mine just never let go.

This is a total luck of the draw thing... You are right though, it is worth trying on the knuckle first.

[see ten]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

It's all in where you hit the arm. My 30 year old original steering arm came off in 20 minutes. soak the snot out of the studs up to a week before you start. Soak them every day. Then on lift day, remove the nuts, break out the BFH. Strike DOWN on the curved section where the numbers are cast in. doing so will shock the cones and start forcing them up. Once you can grab onto a cone with some pliers, turn them until the come off the stud. Repeat for the next two studs and the arm will pop off.

I'd at least try this technique before sending the whole knuckle out to a machine shop. It's much easier to do with the knuckle attached to the axle/truck.

Granted, done wrong, you better pack a lunch. I watched my nieghbor fight one on a 91 k5 for an entire weekend. Sounded like a blacksmith's shop from outside the garage with all that banging going on. (it was before I knew the trick or else I would have told them)

Right on brother! A socket that's larger than the cone washer can be used to shock it out. The socket is held against the arm over one washer at a time. Then contact is made with the BFH! A couple strikes per washer will usually do it. The guy who showed me this trick dropped my steering arm in less than 5 min.

[mothertrucker424]

ok so tuff country makes a decent lift?
but what shocks are recomended
and a drop pitman arm is required
t case lowering kit required
longer front d-shaft
steel brake lines frt&rear
draglink
steering stabilizer dual or single?
do i need to extend the breather tubes?
and raer d-shaft will be ok right?

ok all kits i looked at had front leafs
but rear blocks are they ok?

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Rear block are not ideal but they are ok, just don't put them up front. I got rear blocks on mine and don't have the money to change them out for no blocks. Procomp and Ranch have excellent shocks from what I have heard. I was not even thinking about everything else when I posted last nite. Some very good info in the above posts though. Dual steering stabilizers are better but not really needed till u get to huge tires. My rear driveshaft had to get shortened but I think that was PO of the trucks fault. I had thought it needed get lenghting but I fixed that up. Transfer case lowering helps but is not required, it will help the angles of the driveshafts. I had the brakes mounted in stock location and got longer lines for them.
-Later