Possible 2 inch Lift

[DBear]

Does anyone know how or know of a way to lift a '71 Burb about 2 inches only. Just want a little clearance. I have heard of re-arching the front springs??? But what about a small block for the rears?? Any suggestions???

[lowrollin70gmc]

An add a leaf could be added in the front for a little less money. A 2" block in the rear is acceptable but an add a leaf can do similar for the back, also help firm up older sagging leaves.

[Altec]

You might also consider going to a junk yard and swiping a set of factory front springs like your truck and adding some of the packs to your current springs. Like take each one and cut a inch off the end and stick underneath that corresponding leaf in your pack. Play with it until you like the height. This will obviously stiffen the ride a bit, but it will do the job better then a horrid re arch will. My kidneys hurt just thinking about re arching...

Anyway, that can be done front, and rear. The only thing I recommend is skipping the main leaf. Reason being you have to cut so much off that it'll make it the same as the second spring, and if you don't cut that much off it will bend the main spring beyond repair.

My Father's K10 was setup like this. He was running 4" of lift roughly in this fashion clearing 35x12.5's. Obviously you would just need less springs for 2".

The only other routes are Add-A-Leafs, combined with Zero-Rates, or going expensive and buying lift springs.

You may consider new shocks. I think 2" is right on the line of requiring new longer shocks..

[MrBeast]

Id sugjest cutting the rivets on your front spring hangers, running a piece of 2x4" box tube from side to side and bolting it in, with your spring perches bolted to it, it will space them down for very little cost, then get some 2" extended shackles and you will be good to go on the front.

Check out my build for how I did it, and I think you will get the idea even though I made my own hangers.

For the rear check out DIY4X or ORD and get a shackle flip kit for the rear and that will get you all the lift you need.

[DBear]

This might be a stupid question....how hard is the add a leafs, and where do you buy them?

[Altec]

Originally Posted by DBear

This might be a stupid question....how hard is the add a leafs, and where do you buy them?

you undo the U-bolts, drop the axle and you'll find a bolt dead center of the leaf pack. You take that off, and you add the leaf to the pack and replace the bolt with the longer one supplied. Same for my way, but you have to measure the final pack thickness and get the bolt that fits.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/add-a-leaf-kits/p2005974.jcwx

[MrBeast]

Keep in mind with an ad a leaf it will stiffen your suspension, thus doing so will make the truck ride rougher, and if you go off road with it much you will lose some articulation.

[DBear]

Originally Posted by Altec

you undo the U-bolts, drop the axle and you'll find a bolt dead center of the leaf pack. You take that off, and you add the leaf to the pack and replace the bolt with the longer one supplied. Same for my way, but you have to measure the final pack thickness and get the bolt that fits.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/add-a-leaf-kits/p2005974.jcwx

that looks pretty good....I looked at 4 wheel parts website, and they have the Skyjacker set,...front and rear for about 170.00. Not really worried about the rougher ride, just need a little clearance.

The factory springs that I am gonna use are actually off the vehicle....and with them off, is this an easy task to add the leafs?

Thanks guys for all the help.

[Altec]

Originally Posted by DBear

that looks pretty good....I looked at 4 wheel parts website, and they have the Skyjacker set,...front and rear for about 170.00. Not really worried about the rougher ride, just need a little clearance.

The factory springs that I am gonna use are actually off the vehicle....and with them off, is this an easy task to add the leafs?

Thanks guys for all the help.

If they are off then it simply makes a easy task easier. The only problem you really could run into is the factory bolt not wanting to come out. Grinder, hammer, punch, and some swearing solves that though.

No junkyard goodness?

[MrBeast]

the easiest way to add leafs is to use a piece of all thread to suck them back togeather and then use C clamps to hold them while you install a new bolt.

Also when tearing down the pack clamp it, cut the old bolt off with a grinder, and then use the allthread to unload the pack, if you dont bad things can happen.

[DBear]

well, I guess I will buy either the rough country or the Skyjacker kit....I am partial to Skyjacker. I am taking off a new 4 inch kit from skyjacker, all 4 leaf packs, and I am gonna sell the 4 inch kit. Just gonna down size a bit! Thanks for the help fellas....hopefully I will get this done in the next few weeks.

Also, I did put a 6.2L Diesel out of a CUCV, and these add a leafs should give the front a little more support>>

[MrBeast]

Yeah the addaleafs will help, I am having to do 1 ton springs on mine with an add a leaf to support the Cummins.

My .02 on the 6.2, they can live a long life if you dont ever even think about towing anything with them and keep up the maintanence on them. I have seen a lot of them grenade though with even a small trailer hooked up.

[DBear]

Yeah....if I would of thought about it, I would of spent more and got the Cummings....and I am crossing my fingers on the 6.2. Just looking for mileage right now, may eventually swap the 700R4 for a NV4500. I have heard a lot of Towing Horror Stories with the 6.2..

[Altec]

What sort of horror stories?

[DBear]

just stories about tearing up motors in towing situations....not sure how much I will be towing...but hopefully I dont have any issues.

[Altec]

Can't say I've really seen any issues that weren't operator error. Don't lug it, don't crank the pump without some premods, and make sure your cooling system, and your lift pump are in proper order. The only real stories I hear with the 6.2 involve "slow," and "2nd gear." haha.

I wouldn't worry much about it if you take care of your truck. Just enjoy the mileage, and stay in the right lane lol.

Good to see a fellow oil burner! I have a 6.5 that is going to be my summer project. Hoping to build a pretty mean example of a 6.5 to disprove a lot of the crap the Detroit's get...

[Mike C]

My stock springs were mostly whipped 20 years ago... I know we are all trying to pinch pennies, but with the age of the springs, the additional weight of the 6.2, if it were my truck, I would buy a complete 2 1/2" lift with front and rear springs.

I put 4" Rancho springs in the front of mine with 2 1/2" blocks and an add a leaf in the back. I wound up bending the stock rear spring perches and having to rebuild them. I then ordered 52" rear springs with 4" lift which have been on the truck since 1991 now.

If I had it to do over again, I would probably fab my own shackle flip for the rear. You could consider this as another option, or buy the ORD flip. This is what I plan for my '86 dually, but is has serious springs unlike the worn out 1/2 tonners that were in the Jimmy.

Because of the problems I had, I have been turned off by both blocks and add-a-leaves, but even then, I could see using either in the future depending on the project. Especially solid blocks versus the cast iron blocks I had that had hollow centers so load was not dispersed across entire surface of perch.

[rayfinseats]

Why not just make shorter or longer shackles?

[Altec]

Originally Posted by rayfinseats

Why not just make shorter or longer shackles?

Pinion angle. Your drive shafts will file for restraining orders.