Another lift question

[bucket]

How or what type of lift do you plan on doing? I sure wouldn't plan on using 4 inch blocks or a shackle flip if I'm going to be pulling a 5th wheel or goose neck trailer. I'd suggest spring lift or nothing.

Properly installed steel blocks are fine. '77-'78 K30's had factory installed 3 inch rear blocks (they had regular C30 spring hangers) and literally millions of modern 3/4 and 1-ton trucks have rear blocks that are 2-4 inches tall.

Blocks get a bad reputation due to poor installs.

 

[bucket]

Also a 4 inch lift should be sufficient if it's a factory bed. A flat bed may have less clearance.

 

[shiftpro]

Properly installed steel blocks are fine. '77-'78 K30's had factory installed 3 inch rear blocks (they had regular C30 spring hangers) and literally millions of modern 3/4 and 1-ton trucks have rear blocks that are 2-4 inches tall.

Blocks get a bad reputation due to poor installs.

In all due respect Mr Bucket, blocks get a deserving bad rep from the off road guys that well, go off road. Sand, hills, deep mud, heavy snow, large tires, lockers, and throw in some decent hp and blocks multiply spring wrap resulting in broken dreams... err, parts.
Sometimes the arts don't break, the blocks kinda get popped out! And that looks and walks like a bad install because, they're freaking falling out!
Aren't trucks fun!
But yeah, common use out of the factory and millions of miles later they still use them.

 

[shiftpro]

Remember in the late '70s guys were lifting their trucks with home made lift blocks IN THE FRONT!
Lifting to fit 36" Monster Mudders or whatever they were called. Some of the first large mud tires that came out back then.
And I've seen stacked 2x4s... I guess carrying a little extra firewood doesn't hurt.
Oh yeah Big Moe's spruce 2x4 stack squirted out so he made new ones from scraps or T&G oak flooring... YEah baby that worked much better!
Steel is over rated.

 

[bucket]

In all due respect Mr Bucket, blocks get a deserving bad rep from the off road guys that well, go off road. Sand, hills, deep mud, heavy snow, large tires, lockers, and throw in some decent hp and blocks multiply spring wrap resulting in broken dreams... err, parts.
Sometimes the arts don't break, the blocks kinda get popped out! And that looks and walks like a bad install because, they're freaking falling out!
Aren't trucks fun!
But yeah, common use out of the factory and millions of miles later they still use them.

I can agree with that. Very hard offroad use behind a powerful motor and a heavy foot, can cause troubles with blocks. But even with a lot of those incidents, cheap u-bolts and improper torque can be to blame.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

I can agree with that. Very hard offroad use behind a powerful motor and a heavy foot, can cause troubles with blocks. But even with a lot of those incidents, cheap u-bolts and improper torque can be to blame.

Well put. All to many times you see people use cheap undersized U bolts on blocks and well a 1/2" chicom U bolt isn't gonna hold ****.

 

[hirschdalechevy]

I have to go with bucket on this one , properly installed rear lift blocks ,(as long as they are not to tall) , are fine. I have had many 4x4 lifted square's over the years and 90% of them had lift blocks in the rear.My 77 crew cab is not a wheeler , (mall queen) , but it has a hog block putting out 478 hp with blocks in the rear and 44 inch rubber and I love doing burnouts in it all the time,(people **** seeing big rubber get loose), with no problems. My 77 stepside with a 425 hp smallblock and 38's had rear blocks and it was beat through , mud bogs , deep snow , (I live at 6,000 feet), sand mountain in nevada , its hole life with out one block problem. When I first put it together it had a wheel hop problem , so I shimmed the pinion down 2 degree's and the hop was gone.

My son and I are building a 84 blazer for rock crawling right now and it came with 8 inch lift springs in the rear , we are throwing those in the trash and going with a shackle flip and a flat spring with blocks in the rear , (works way better all around than a high arc spring and no blocks) , so he can clear 40 inch mtz's.

So all the years and all the lifted square's I have had , (stout power , big rubber , bashing them off road) , never one rear block failure. Also in the 70's and 80's and now , fords and dodge's had blocks from the factory and I am sure some dude's beat the crap out of them off road and put hot motors in them with out block failure.

So for me I would take a small rear block and a flatter spring for a sweet ride and more flex than no blocks and a add a leaf or a higher arc spring for a worse ride and less flex.

 

[shiftpro]

Well it seems all the vast experience here has shown me up. I obviously didn't know anything.
At least now I know the best way to run 54" tires. I'm gonna run 14" lift blocks and what the heck, 6" body lift and as long as I torque the piss out of my U bolts I should be good to go.
Thanks for setting me straight, and I'm sorry I was trying to help the OP 'do it right'.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Is that a melting snowflake in here?

 

[bucket]

Well it seems all the vast experience here has shown me up. I obviously didn't know anything.
At least now I know the best way to run 54" tires. I'm gonna run 14" lift blocks and what the heck, 6" body lift and as long as I torque the piss out of my U bolts I should be good to go.
Thanks for setting me straight, and I'm sorry I was trying to help the OP 'do it right'.

Easy there, nobody said you were wrong. It's just a very opinionated subject like the usual Holley/Edelbrock discussion. And nobody said rear lift springs were doing wrong either. But small rear blocks aren't "wrong" either, so if you are going to try to sway anyone, you need to stick with the discussion for more than a post or two.

 

[hirschdalechevy]

Well it seems all the vast experience here has shown me up. I obviously didn't know anything.
At least now I know the best way to run 54" tires. I'm gonna run 14" lift blocks and what the heck, 6" body lift and as long as I torque the piss out of my U bolts I should be good to go.
Thanks for setting me straight, and I'm sorry I was trying to help the OP 'do it right'.

Wow , 14 inch lift blocks , 54 inch tires , 6 inch body lift , where did that come from ? Just trying to add my experience with lift blocks to help the OP do it right as well. No reason to get butt hurt about someone else's opinion or view.

 

[shiftpro]

Wow , 14 inch lift blocks , 54 inch tires , 6 inch body lift , where did that come from ? Just trying to add my experience with lift blocks to help the OP do it right as well. No reason to get butt hurt about someone else's opinion or view.

No it's ok I'm absolutely fine and just having fun.
I mean to add an big LOL so you guys knew I was ranting for kicks.
It's all good gentlemen.
Thanks for the responses calling me out.

 

[shiftpro]

Easy there, nobody said you were wrong. It's just a very opinionated subject like the usual Holley/Edelbrock discussion. And nobody said rear lift springs were doing wrong either. But small rear blocks aren't "wrong" either, so if you are going to try to sway anyone, you need to stick with the discussion for more than a post or two.

I know Andy and like I said above to Dale I failed to let you know I was being silly. I should know better as this isn't my first day on the job. It's too easy to misinterpret written word... especially when parts are missing.
Thanks for responding like you did.
Please, let's carry on.

 

[shiftpro]

Is that a melting snowflake in here?

Ha ha not for real, just acting like that.
But we do get lots of snow up here in the winter... and I am surrounded by snowflakes 365/24/7
in this little town.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

I know Andy and like I said above to Dale I failed to let you know I was being silly. I should know better as this isn't my first day on the job. It's too easy to misinterpret written word... especially when parts are missing.
Thanks for responding like you did.
Please, let's carry on.

I take back my snowflake comment now.