Wanting to install 8 inch Skyjacker 71 burb... Issues?

[Roadhog]

Hello due to running 16.5 rims, I was between a rock and a hard place and got some humvee 37 tires which I do like. I was hoping the 4-inch Rancho would be enough, but after the tires were mounted up, it is clear that I will need to step up my lift to accommodate the tires. Im trying to avoid trimming at all costs since all the body and paint work are already done.

The only lift kit I can find for my year is a Skyjacker kit. I'm thinking that the 8 inch kit will do the trick and keep me from rubbing even when going on mild trails (hunting). My question is, what modifications will be needed? Am I going to have to lengthen the drive shaft or will a transfer case drop kit do the trick? The Skyjacker web site any states modifications "may be necessary". Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated! I will be ordering and installing in about a month. I attached a pic of it with the tires installed on the rims, thanks!

[andrewmp6]

At 8 inches of lift you will need both driveshafts made,Cross over steering,Longer shocks and longer brake lines.And honestly i would skip the military 37s they are super hard to hold the weight of a armored hummer and ride rough on a 1ton truck.Have you looked at interco tires they make some for the 16.5 rims.

[GMC71k20]

I have the 8" skyjacker lift and I used a dropped pitman arm and a raised steering arm. This steering set up does limit the turning radius, but it is cheap and does not give me any bump steer. The factory e-brake cables reached no problem. My front driveshaft would not reach, however, I was able to keep my rear driveshaft without modifying the transfer case.

[Roadhog]

Thanks for the reply. Would installing a drop kit for the transfer case enable you to also use the front driveshaft? Skyjacker also sells one on their website.

[GMC71k20]

I don't know if the TC drop kit will allow the stock front driveshaft to reach, but I am definitely interested.
Are you looking at surplus humvee tires?

[gerfunken]

I ended up with a 6" Superlift system in mine, and it clears 35" tires (315/75r16) without any issues. I also ended up needing to extend my rear driveshaft, and got a new high-pinion front driveshaft since the original wasn't going to work for the application. I did have issues with my factory e-brake cable, but was able to move the rear brackets to get me the extra length without having to get new cables for the truck.

[Roadhog]

Already got the humvee tires due the rims I wanted to keep so I'm trying to figure things kinda after the fact. If a 6 inch kit would also work, I'm ok with that, just not too crazy about messing with the driveshafts. The drop kit seems like a pretty strait forward fix for the increases in driveshaft angles, or I could be completely wrong. Curious if anyone has tried this or if it could work, thanks.

[Roadhog]

Drunken, do you have any picks with the lift and tires. Curious about ride height and tire clearance.

[Roadhog]

Gerfunken sorry my kindle changed it to drunken

[gerfunken]

Originally Posted by Roadhog

Gerfunken sorry my kindle changed it to drunken

My build thread is in my signature if you want to go look... not sure if there'd be specific pictures you want to see. Or, it may be easier to just go to my photo gallery, so you don't have to weed through it as much.

[gerfunken]

I had 16.5" rims for a while, but had a difficult time on finding tires bigger than a 33" on that rim.

[andrewmp6]

Gerfunken interco makes tires for them up to a 44 i believe,But anything over a 35 will be more of a hard core off road tire tho.

[dieseldawg142]

one thing you might have to do if you drop your t-case, trim around your shifter. i had to hold mine in 4lo with my foot till i trimmed it after dropping my case.
i'm running 8" lift on my truck, but it's not a 67-72, the rear d-shaft i dropped the carrier bearing & it works fine. the front shaft is the stock shaft with ground stops on the cardon & a longer, hi angle slip yoke on the front of it.
if you go that high, be prepared to throw buckets of money at it....

[Roadhog]

Geesh, I never realized the extent 8 inches requires. I have been by a local shop and after talking with him, I will probably be swapping out the 4 inch lift for a new Skyjacker 6 inch kit with new leafs front and back. It may not give me full articulation, but it's not going to be a hard core off-roader. The kit said it will clear 38s on my kind of rig.

[bmchevy1979]

The military 36" tires are actually only 34" tall so maybe you could trade them out for your 37s
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/chevy...urban-cut.html
This Sub is wrong body style but your truck seams taller and the trimming was done before the lift

[GU3]

Here's mine with the same tires you got. It's got 6" Tuff Country springs in the front. I used to have add-a-leaf's and blocks in the back but I have since replaced the rear springs with the longer 63" springs. I moved the front spring hanger forward 6" and the rear I used the ORD shackle flip and moved it back 6". I also have an add-a-leaf and zero rate block in the rear. It nets about 6" of lift in the rear and rides soooo much better than before.

The first picture is with the old rear springs and the second picture is with the longer springs and shackle flip. It sits a lot more level the way it is now.

The 37's still rub a bit at full articulation but for road driving and casual trails there's no rubbing at all. Both the front and the rear driveshafts were fine. I just did the dropped steering arm but after doing a bit of off road I'm definitely doing the crossover steering. Hard to move those 37's around sometimes off-road. I did do longer brakes lines on the front.

I would think the 8" lift you're talking about would prevent the rubbing all together as long as the tires don't stick out off the body too far. I've got factory 16.5" steelies so they are tucked in pretty tight to the body.

[GU3]

Second picture with shackle flip.

[snj8198]

GU3,

Are the 63" springs just stock '88-'98 year take offs or an aftermarket lift spring? What length shackles did you use with the ORD shackle flip? I'm guessing the shackle flip added to the overall height, but do you know what stock 63's would net you without the flip?

[GU3]

The springs are actually off of an 05' 2500HD Silverado. The 3/4 ton spring packs have 4 leaf's and an overload. I've heard of some guys removing the overload and even taking out one of the leaf's for better flex but I figured with a suburban I could use all 4 leaf's because of the weight. I don't ever plan on towing anything super heavy with my suburban but I left the overloads just in case and it adds about 1" of height. I tried it without the add-a-leaf and it wasn't quite enough lift to match the front with the 6" springs. I did the zero rate as well mostly just for the extra 1" of lift.

To answer your question I think the 63" springs would be similar to the factory springs as far as height goes. They might even be a little bit lower because they are such long and flat springs.

I actually currently still have the factory shackles installed because I ordered the wrong bushings with the HD shackles from ORD. I got the shorter shackles from ORD (4" I think). They are suppose to be the best for the kind of driving that I do which is around town and trails (no serious rock crawling). The longer shackles that they have (6" if I remember right) are suppose to only be used on vehicles that are mostly offroad. I called ORD and they told me I should stick with the shorter ones.

Hopefully that answer some or all of your questions.

[snj8198]

Thank you for the info sir!

[Roadhog]

Thanks a tone GU3. Your info is a huge help!!!

[Roadhog]

Update, purchased 6inch all spring Skyjacker lift from autoanything.com, best price by far. Got the hydro 7000's with it total as of Oct 2015 $1100 all said and done. Now installing seems really straight forward however if you DIY your going to have your work cut out for you. Long story short was a b#tch to install. Skyjacker doesn't provide very good instructions and no diagrams of how to's. Used tuff country download pdf for better walk through as well as torque specifications which is absolutely crucial. All said and done it sits a lot better, and will give me the clearance I was looking for. down side is I will have to get both drivelines lengthened which is what I was trying to avoid. No turning back now. Front drive shaft is about 2 inches short and the rear about and inch or so. E brake cable will also have to be redone as I had to disconnect it from the frame mount. Will post pics when daylight is better. Oh, it took me 2 1/2 weekends of 8-10 hour days to complete both front and back. Glad it's done. Pain in the a$$ though!

[RedRoad]

all that work and no pics???

[Roadhog]

Yeah sorry one man job dirty to boot. I will take some of the finished product.

[Roadhog]

6inch skyjacker. Actually added 3 inchesbof additional lift. All the way around.