4'' lift method 84 K10

[BallGroundk10]

As of now my truck sits with 33s and a 3'' lift consisting of 2 rear blocks and add a leafs in front and rear. I'm ready to purchase 35's and want a 4'' lift, a lot of my friends have been telling me not to spend $500 on a lift KIT. The yare telling me to block it in the rear and shackle the front.

Anyone have 4'' shackle lift experience

[Redcap]

$500 will buy you a 6" lift (shipped) from http://www.rockymountainsusp.com, which will require no cutting to clear 35s.

[BallGroundk10]

I'm not sure I want a 6'' lift, I want to keep a fairly "tough" looking stance. I know some cutting will be required to run 35s with a 4'' lift but add a leafs or simple body lifts will help

[lukefalls]

Keep your 2" rear block and go get a rear shackle flip from Off Road Design
www.offroaddesign.com
or
www.wfoconcepts.com (I really like these guys)
or
www.diy4x.com
or
many many others

Off Road Design also sell some awesome kits for the front.

Or

do a 52" front springs swap. Its super easy and almost bolt-on (have to drill some holes). There are a ba-zillion posts online about it. You can search on Google or go to:
www.ColoradoK5.com/forum
or
www.pirate4x4.com/forum

I would highly recommend a rear shackle flip for rear lift. Unless you make some changes to the front of the front leaf mount, you'll get some really bad caster problems in the front by only doing a shackle lift. This can lead to "death wobble" among other things.

[lukefalls]

I forgot, DON'T BODY LIFT.

You'll regret it! If you unwilling to head that advice, I have a set of 3" lift blocks you can have. Just pay for shipping and promise that when you hate them and take them out, you'll give them away so some else can learn. I took them out and I'll never lock back.

[BallGroundk10]

I've got 2'' blocks in the back now with an add a leaf. Your just saying you would get all new leafs for the front and rear?

[b454rat]

If you go with 52s up front, and a shackle flip for the rear, it should give you bout 4-6" of lift, depending on condition of the springs.

Putting 52s up front isn't hard, hardest part is getting the rivets out. You can run 35s on skinny wheels, but anything wider will rub and need fender trimming. I had 6" on my old truck, and with 10" wheels would run pretty good not even trying.

[Redcap]

Easiest way to get the rivets out is with an angle grinder, a punch and a big hammer. Or a torch.

[Altec]

I have to ask, what is this truck used for? Unless it is a hardcore trail rig, skip the 52" front.

My suggestion is buy 4" lift front springs, and do a shackle flip in the back with stock height springs. I like the DIY4X shackle flip. Their parts are made of USDA choice!

I hear good things about Tuff Country EZ-Ride springs.

Give DIY4X a call and tell them what you want to do, and ask what they recommend for a shackle length, and if any adjustments to your pinion angle will be needed.
http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?rout...product_id=125

Flip install guide.
http://diy4x.com/tips/shackle.html

4" of lift will clear 35's just fine as long as you aren't running over a 12.5" width. The main issue is not really stuff the tires, but stuffing with the wheel turned. The back spacing of your wheels plays a part in this as well. That is why some report they clear, and others do not.

[BallGroundk10]

The truck is used as primarily a daily driver with 2 to 3 days a week but it still has to be off road capable. When I do go off road I do a little flexin. The new front springs and rear shackle flip sounds interesting. I'm gonna look into that. Thanks

[b454rat]

I was saying 52s cause you go probly get them for dirt cheap or free. It will give you lift and a good ride. Get a 2wd rear spring front hanger for a poor man's shackle flip. Raised steering arm, new shocks/longer brake lines, have a very capable, very driveable truck.

[TheWhiteElephant]

I just put a 4" Rough Country all spring lift on my '73 K20. Priced in my budget. Easy to install, good customer service, comes complete. You will likely have to extend your e-brake cable, though.

Also, it seems pretty tall for a 4" lift but it looks great.

[79bonanza]

alot of people who lift these trucks dont remeber to add in how much spring sag they have with the springs already in there, so usually when you lift your old truck with a 4'' lift it looks more than 4'', because it probably is. they built the 4'' lift springs off of a spring that didnt have 20 plus years of sag in them lol

i know when i lifted my truck 79 scottsdale shortbed, it lifted my truck a total of about 5 1/2 inches but my truck use to pull plow duty up north and i hade some crazy negative arched front springs lol

[BallGroundk10]

So my next step is go grab some 56'' rear springs, 2wd rear spring front hanger for a poor man's shackle flip. Raised steering arm, new shocks/longer brake lines, plus hardware.

I think I'm much better off to replace the front springs instead of using a 2wd hear spring front hanger. I'm sure it would be efficient, and if cost keeps me from getting a new set of front springs then I will go that route.
Is there a way to put rear springs up front for a ride height increase?

[Altec]

Using stock 1/2 ton rear spring in the front of the truck automatically gains you roughly 4" of lift.

[BallGroundk10]

So thats my plan, move my rear springs to front, relocate hangers. Put 56'' springs on rear, eliminate 2'' block, and I should have 4'' of lift? I'm hearing lots of talk about shackles from a company Im not really familiar with. I've never had prior experience with leafs, my jeep has coils (TJ)

[liftlawssuck]

I personally would keep it simple. Buy a 4" lift kit with blocks for rear and new springs up front. New shocks, lengthen brake lines, lengthen driveshafts and be done with it in a half a day. The other ways could end up being a project. If you're just want it for a daily driver with light wheelin. That's the way I'd go. Hell I've had my trucks and all my friends trucks like that for years with serious wheelin with no major problems other than twisting up driveshafts or knuckle joints! Unless you want to a project and to do something different have at it. Not everything we do to our trucks makes much sense anyways. We work on them even if they're not broken

[TheWhiteElephant]

Originally Posted by liftlawssuck

I personally would keep it simple. Buy a 4" lift kit with blocks for rear and new springs up front. New shocks, lengthen brake lines, lengthen driveshafts and be done with it in a half a day. The other ways could end up being a project. If you're just want it for a daily driver with light wheelin. That's the way I'd go. Hell I've had my trucks and all my friends trucks like that for years with serious wheelin with no major problems other than twisting up driveshafts or knuckle joints! Unless you want to a project and to do something different have at it. Not everything we do to our trucks makes much sense anyways. We work on them even if they're not broken

Yep, that's what I'm thinking.

[Altec]

Originally Posted by liftlawssuck

I personally would keep it simple. Buy a 4" lift kit with blocks for rear and new springs up front. New shocks, lengthen brake lines, lengthen driveshafts and be done with it in a half a day. The other ways could end up being a project. If you're just want it for a daily driver with light wheelin. That's the way I'd go. Hell I've had my trucks and all my friends trucks like that for years with serious wheelin with no major problems other than twisting up driveshafts or knuckle joints! Unless you want to a project and to do something different have at it. Not everything we do to our trucks makes much sense anyways. We work on them even if they're not broken

The drive shaft lengths are fine for 4". Even at full droop they fit fine. The rear brake line is easy to drop down with a piece of flat iron. The fronts can be relocated as well, but it isn't as easy.

[BallGroundk10]

Yeah I understanding what yall are saying. That was my first choice, I had plan on purchasing a complete lift with shocks, ex brake lines, drop arm, etc for about 400 bucks give or take 30 or 40.

Rather than spend the money on that lift, I went ahead and took care of what really needed to be done. got new doors off a c10 with WORKING motors, regulators, nicer door panels the whole 9 yards, fixed the aged interior with dash pad, headliner, sprayed cap with bedliner etc. etc. Its a daily driver for me but I still have a 91 chrysler or the f150 my wife drives so it wont be like i dont have a vehicle when I have a project to do. Then I started hearing talk regarding the spring swaps. I've read alot about it lately just adding up costs right now.

[TheWhiteElephant]

Originally Posted by BallGroundk10

Yeah I understanding what yall are saying. That was my first choice, I had plan on purchasing a complete lift with shocks, ex brake lines, drop arm, etc for about 400 bucks give or take 30 or 40.

Rather than spend the money on that lift, I went ahead and took care of what really needed to be done. got new doors off a c10 with WORKING motors, regulators, nicer door panels the whole 9 yards, fixed the aged interior with dash pad, headliner, sprayed cap with bedliner etc. etc. Its a daily driver for me but I still have a 91 chrysler or the f150 my wife drives so it wont be like i dont have a vehicle when I have a project to do. Then I started hearing talk regarding the spring swaps. I've read alot about it lately just adding up costs right now.

Great choice, and way to use your head. Gotta take care of the important stuff first and if you have time/money for the lift in the future, go for it. Truck looks really nice as it is.

[csa daddy]

ok you dont have to worry about height laws in ga correct. well its my experience that once you start crossing ditches an ruts while hunting or fourwheeling a 4 inch lift is going to bind a full lock an if you like your front fenders then i would get a set of springs for the front. you live near some of the biggest trucks on the eastern sea board. an there is always someone going bigger look around an you can get probly get a 6 or 8 inch lift for pretty cheap. check out chucks trucks alot of deals to be had there
http://chuckstrucks.iforumer.com/vie...m=chuckstrucks
but the 4 is going to get ya in trouble an waste your money. ya do a 4 for 33s to have good flex trust me i will load a pic in a few min of my 91 sub with 6 on the front a 15x14 bart wheels with 35x15.50x15 sxs on it an i can turn lock to lock on flat ground but when i twist it its probly going to contact the fenders some where in the back near the cab. an using the front rear spring hanger for a shackle flip is not a bad idea or you can do like i did on my jimmy an just cut the bottom out of the orginal an box it in a reinforce it. like this




an this is a 6 inch front spring an shackle flipped as shown above with a two inch block, tires are 38 swampers on 15x12 but the rubbed inner fenders an would have rubbed the front fenders if they the hadnt been cut .

with a 4 inch lift an 35x16x15 boggers truck would bind with just a small amount of flex an keep in mind fenders are cut an 15x12 wheel

[Altec]

CSA- The thing is, not everyone is running that wide of a tire. I know I wouldn't dare run anything that wide on 1/2 ton axles. Most are running 35x12.5 tires. Which I know that a solid 4" lift will stuff, and if you run into issues with clearance, or wheel centering a zero-rate allows correction in both of those areas.

[79bonanza]

what are you doing for your steering in the front, you said you were goin to your rear spring in the front, if im not mistaken your axle is goin to be moved forward a inch or two and when you do that with stock steering its goin to bind up really easy and give you terrible bump steer not to mention the rear springs are goin to bounce around alot more than your stock ones so your goin to need better shocks in the front. most guys run bilstien 5150's on a 52'' front spring swap. and longer shackles are needed and you need to move the mounting location of the rear spring.

here is a link of a good 52'' spring swap
http://coloradok5.com/52inchspringswap.shtml

[Zoomad75]

I'm a fan of the KISS concept. I get what CSA has stated, but I've found for the type of wheeling I do, 4" rough country springs with a shackle flip out back (even removing a overload leaf per side out back) has given more than enough flex with my tires. I'm running 35x12.50's on a 8" wide wheel. I do mainly mountain trails with some rocks, creek crossings, steep climbs and such. The rear with the shackle flip out-flexes the front for sure. The rough country springs are of a higher spring rate than ez-rides or soft ride springs which does limit some flex, but on the flip side they don't rub the fenders either. It's a balance for sure but for my K5 it's worked out excellent.

I spent about $250 on the rough country kit that included the front springs, rear blocks (didn't use due to shackle flip) steering arm, 4 shocks, hardware and brake line relocation brackets. I spent $100 on used shackle flip brackets (echobit- no longer in business) and bought brake lines for a GMT400 style 3500HD for the front that are longer than stock and fit with a minor size adjustment to the bore on the block end.

52" swaps are great up front don't get me wrong. If you got the fab skills, tools and time to do that. 4" front springs require less work to the point you could pull off the lift in a weekend.