lift how too's

[midnite]

ok i have a 77 gmc 3/4 4x4 with dana44 front and dana60 posi rear both being solid axles, if i wanted a 4-6" lift what would my options be?

can i just add the 4"-6" spacerblocks between the leafs and the axles?
or is there more to it then that?

thanks in advance, also if i wanted to run 35" tires how much lift would i need to make them clear with out issues?

[tractor1963]

Originally Posted by midnite

ok i have a 77 gmc 3/4 4x4 with dana44 front and dana60 posi rear both being solid axles, if i wanted a 4-6" lift what would my options be?

can i just add the 4"-6" spacerblocks between the leafs and the axles?
or is there more to it then that?

thanks in advance, also if i wanted to run 35" tires how much lift would i need to make them clear with out issues?

Do not put blocks in the front springs.It will not be safe to drive on the highway.The front axle is subjected to side loads when rounding corners,so its not a good idea to put blocks in the front.You can buy lifts kits with front springs and rear blocks.Or on the rear you can do a shackle flip ,and get 4" with the stock spring.I hope this helps.

[midnite]

what do you mean by a shackle flip?

[Chevy1TonFun]

Originally Posted by midnite

what do you mean by a shackle flip?

http://www.coloradok5.com/reviewpics/ordflipmain.jpg

[special-K]

Srings up front is the way to go.You have choices between springs,blocks,and shackle flip or any combination of those.
What is you general use of the truck or purpose of the lift?

[midnite]

the truck will be my daily driver, its not a major off road rig by any means, i just want to go up to a set of 35" just a bigger look, off road a little but nothing extreme i have a highly modified grizzly for the bad stuff, i bought this mainly to haul my quad around

[BIGphillip79]

Dude, lifts for this truck are hella cheap and easy, just buy a complete kit from any major brand and you'll be set. If you can afford it get rear springs in your kit. That's the best way to go. Keep all your old parts though, just in case you sell the truck, some people will like the parts if they want to bring it back down.

[2tons of fun]

Originally Posted by midnite

dana60 posi rear

no you dont.

have you even looked for a lift kit yet?

[midnite]

no i haven't looked for a kit yet just looking for opinions, im picking up the truck on Friday

i may have gotten the dana60 and the 44 backwards but that what i was told was in it, ill look into it a little more when i pick it up

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 2tons of fun

no you dont.

have you even looked for a lift kit yet?

#1
Hey 2ton,have you even looked at his truck?I`m guessing no.I know I can`t honestly say what year he has.Do you think there`s a wild chance that perhaps sometime in the last 32-33 years the rear may have been relpaced?Once I get my Dana60 up front and an HO52 under my`72 K2500 are you going to say,"No you don`t"?

#2
He`s looking here for advise,first.Kinda what this place is about.Seems like a good idea to me.I`ve been lifting trucks since 1977 (not store-bought,none made for my truck) when I started running the first Armstrong 14.50/37-15s,but I posted a thread asking advise on my`72 a short while back.

Back to our regularly scheduled program...
The cheapest way to go would be the 4" lifts w/rear blocks and shocks included for about $400...done deal.You won`t have the nicest ride and the blocks can case rear wheel hop in most extreme uses (never had a problem,personally).Yet,my truck still isn`t lifted because in this recession that $400 keeps having to go to something else since I don`t have any extra $400s these days.If you want real cheap,I can instruct you on the caveman style lit that`s pretty much all labor.Got an anvil and sledgehammer?

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by special-K

#1

The cheapest way to go would be the 4" lifts w/rear blocks and shocks included for about $400...done deal.You won`t have the nicest ride and the blocks can case rear wheel hop in most extreme uses (never had a problem,personally).Yet,my truck still isn`t lifted because in this recession that $400 keeps having to go to something else since I don`t have any extra $400s these days.If you want real cheap,I can instruct you on the caveman style lit that`s pretty much all labor.Got an anvil and sledgehammer?

you da man its nice to see that there are others besides myself that think $400 is better in my wallet and there must be another way....I'm not a 4x4 guy but on my 66 f truck I had a new carrier leaf made and had the rest rearched...this gave me 4" of lift..parts for that truck are much harder to find aftermarket than our chevys I put 2" blocks in the rear it now rides level...just thought I would thow out there that the front springs on the FRONT are slipper style

[rwolf9653]

Springs and blocks will get you the most bang for your buck, but.......................

if you choose to do a burnout on 35's in front of a car full of girls , the rear axle could twist out from under your truck. Ask me how I know.


The rear has many options, but whatever you do please do not put blocks in the front.

[midnite]

ok so i will stay away from the blocks in the front, i think i might check with a local spring shop and see how much they will want to build me a set of springs....

thanks special-k , your right no it isnt the original rear end that was with the truck, it is a full floating dana60 under the back

and 2 ton , don't be so quick to jump on a guy because you think you know what a person has, maybe stock it wouldn't be a 60 but it isn't stock. questioning a guy is one thing but telling them whats is under their truck? if u had seen it then ok but you havent

i will definitely stay away from the blocks in the front, this will be my first solid axle front lift ,

thanks for the input,

[midnite]

so i just called the spring shop and he said about 300/side..... ouch so i think im going to end up buying a kit

[84 400]

Solid axles is one of the easyest and cheapest to lift. You can get a kit from any of the major brands or get a set of front springs and do a shjackle flip in the rear. I went that route. With shocks and all I am around 600 into it. I wanted the shackle flip for better offroad flex since my truck sees alot of trail time.

If your going more for look and a bigger tire get a 4 inch kit with rear blocks. I neve liked blocks but for a street rig on a budget they get the job done. I would stay away from any large blocks tho.

[1lowdiesel]

check out your local craigslist. i just picked up a brand new set of 8" springs this weekend for $150

[onlyifihadachevy]

But if your a fair welder you could build a rear shackle flip, from a few pieces of steel, at least 1/4in. And run 56 in chevy springs, and in the front run 52in springs which net about 4inches of lift.


forgot that you may need stuff for steering and the front driveline with a 4in kit, It could be the 6in not too sure.

[2tons of fun]

dont need to see it.

since chevy very rarely used d60 rears at all, never after 72, and any one that swaps one in just down graded thier truck since it has a 14bff. and on top of all that 99% of the time some one claims to have a d60 rear, they dont.

he doesnt even have the truck yet so he is being told what it has by the seller and when was the last time you could count on the seller for the best info

i would have thought with you vast experience oyu would have know about the $50 shackle flip!?

befor you get upset here comes the tech.

get on down to the junkyard and chisle off a set of rear spring front hanger brackets.

then use you tape measure to find a set of 52" rear springs and shackles.

if you bolt the hanger on to the spring they usualy wont charge for the hangers

now you have everything you will need suspension wise fo rthe lift.

remove you front leafs and grab that chisle from earlier, you did remember to bring it back from the junk yard right?

anyways, chisle off the front leaf spring cup and L bracket. knock out all of the old riviots and seperate the L from the lower portion.

swap the cups from side to side. you are going to move the cups 4" forwards wich so happens to be the front of the body mount. loosely bolt the cup to the body mount and the L in front of the the body mount. clamp and drill the cup to the bottom of the frame and bolt it all together.

install the 52" leafs in the front, you will need to make some b.s custom shackles out of .25 or thicker because the bolt is bigger than the 7/16 stock front pos.

front is done.




rear time.

remove the rear leaf shackle and chisle of the rear leaf rear spring hanger.

FLIP the SHACKLE on the spring so that it now points up. attatch the new hanger to the shackel and but it up to the frame.

put the hanger so that the shackle is vertical and tach weld or drill and install 1 bolt. set the full weight back on the suspension and the shackle should lean back to about 20*, if you go more you will gain more flex but start to lose a little bit in height.

now you have just installed the cheapest and by far superior flexing lift kit.

you will still need to do many small things like the steering arm, shocks, your brake lines will now need to be 10-14" longer because of you increased FLEX and ride height, you will probably need to cut and reweld you rear spring perches but you would have had to with any shackel flip since you have a long bed.

that is a rough out line, pm me if you have any details you need hammered out.

[midnite]

doing the rear with just the shackle flip i had someone mention i had to watch my pinion angle? is that going to be an issue with doing the shackle flip?

a 52" leafspring, what size/type of truck should i be looking for to find these leaf springs?

anyone have any pics of the front leaf setup with the cups swapped?

[2tons of fun]

52" can be found on ANY fullsize chevy truck, burb, or blazer from 60-87 and 88-91 blaze,r burb, or crew cab truck. as will 56" its jsut a matter of finding one that does have them, they at random installed 52 or 56 on any truck. some will say XXXX truck will have them or dddd truck doesnt, i have seen every possible combo of truck and found both sizes under them.

yes you will have to watch your pinion angle because you have a long bed, thats why i said you might have to cut the perchs off and reweld them.

ill get you some pics soon.

[midnite]

Cool thanks, would I be better off going with 4"blocks in the back then I
don't have to worry about the pinion angle? And just the 52"spring in the front?

How big of a difference in ride would there be going with blocks or shackle flip?

All I would have to figure out how to do is cut the rivvots off of the spring brackets, the junkyard here doesn't give access to air or electricity....

[2tons of fun]

thats why i said chisle.

the 52"s will ride nice.

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

I would just break down and buy a 4" lift with blocks in the rear. Install that and run it just my .02 cents. So do you have the truck yet or?

[Rollinsqrbdy]

Can someone please tell me where to get a shackle flip kit for a 84 swb. Thanks. Dont mean to hi-jack. I already got a 6'' lift but want more.

[midnite]

i think i might hold off till spring that way i can get rims and tires at the same time but i think im going to go with the 6" leafs all around