Put the 35s on it?

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PrairieDrifter

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Craig 85

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Damn, that's a nice looking truck. But really? Even 33's rubbed with a 4in lift? That's was I was hoping to run on my K10/20 truck. I was just going to go with 33's so I'd never have to worry about rubbing. ****, if I'm going to have to deal with that, may as well run the 35's and figure out what I'm going to do about it. Maybe a 1in body lift. I won't go any more than that for a body lift.

Minimal trimming. I usually will trim from the last wheel well molding screw back at about a 45 degree angle. If you ran an 8" wide wheel it may not rub. Most of those have a 4" backspacing. If we assume the rims on my truck had 4.5" of backspacing, the outer lip of an 8" wheel would be 1.5" narrower than mine, probably avoiding a trimming issue.

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JTWard

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Hope you took a good look right at the steering box ? When I restored my 90 Silverado, it was OK, but my 88 K5 Blazer it had a crack at the corner of the steering box. We welded it up and LMC seller a chassis support kit. All you do it take off the steering, or just move it out of the way, and weld the supports to the chassis. It doesn't impede putting the steering box ( Out side of grinding off some slage, 2 minute job and your goo to go. I don't want the money I have just to ignore a good chassis inspection.
 

HotRodPC

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Hope you took a good look right at the steering box ? When I restored my 90 Silverado, it was OK, but my 88 K5 Blazer it had a crack at the corner of the steering box. We welded it up and LMC seller a chassis support kit. All you do it take off the steering, or just move it out of the way, and weld the supports to the chassis. It doesn't impede putting the steering box ( Out side of grinding off some slage, 2 minute job and your goo to go. I don't want the money I have just to ignore a good chassis inspection.
Great Point. Very common issue in both 2wd and 4wd squares. Bigger tires are just going to make even more likley to happen. Mine is 100% fine but I fully intend to add that support just to prevent it front happening.
 

shiftpro

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Damn, that's a nice looking truck. But really? Even 33's rubbed with a 4in lift? That's was I was hoping to run on my K10/20 truck. I was just going to go with 33's so I'd never have to worry about rubbing. ****, if I'm going to have to deal with that, may as well run the 35's and figure out what I'm going to do about it. Maybe a 1in body lift. I won't go any more than that for a body lift.
Yes my friend even 33s will rub. 32s will rub if you twist it hard enough and then try to steer it. As you know without cross over steering it basically only turns partially to the right when twisted.
And not all trucks are the same because I believe of the variation in sitting the cab on the mounts. It can slide
forward or back up to 1"... sometimes more. I like to see the cab as far back as it will go, and zero-rate 1" block moving the axle forward. Trim bottom front of fender, like up to the marker light (very cool if you have a custom front bumper imo).

The old school 6-8" lift springs basically had no flex, so no suspension compression worth a damn allowed 35" tires with no rubbing. But that just doesn't work in anything other than a mud pit.
And not to forget one other component... longer rear shackles (front leaf springs). The one tons with D60 has the longer shackles... everything else is 3/4 shorter and even a 4" lift spring (with flex!) will bottom out on the frame. Like the spring eye
will contact the frame. The incorrect band-aid for that issue was to lower the bump stops to restrict upward travel. Oh yeah that's a doozie..
 

bucket

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Minimal trimming. I usually will trim from the last wheel well molding screw back at about a 45 degree angle. If you ran an 8" wide wheel it may not rub. Most of those have a 4" backspacing. If we assume the rims on my truck had 4.5" of backspacing, the outer lip of an 8" wheel would be 1.5" narrower than mine, probably avoiding a trimming issue.

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Mine used to rub during hard flexing. That was with 8 inch rims, but the tires were an actual 33 inch tire. A "33x12.5" tire probably would have cleared because actual height would have been smaller. Well, that and most people probably don't abuse a truck on 33's the way I used to.
 

bucket

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@shiftpro the '88-'91 Burbs and Blazers got the longer front shackles too.
 

HotRodPC

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I wish more 10.5 in width tires were available in 33 and 35. Seems 12.5 is most common once you get to 33. I don't care for wide tires but I want something taller than 31's.
 

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@shiftpro the '88-'91 Burbs and Blazers got the longer front shackles too.
Right, thanks I knew that. GM must noticed that laying back the castor that little bit was beneficial. Helps the front wheels self center, at the least. I don't know what other advantages come up.
Sadly it points the pinion downwards a little more, but I guess the compromise is worth it.
 

bucket

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Right, thanks I knew that. GM must noticed that laying back the castor that little bit was beneficial. Helps the front wheels self center, at the least. I don't know what other advantages come up.
Sadly it points the pinion downwards a little more, but I guess the compromise is worth it.

I'm convinced that castor doesn't matter too awful much in these trucks. I've had them with shims on the lift springs (came on the new springs) to point the pinion up and the truck still drives great down the road.
 

shiftpro

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I'm convinced that castor doesn't matter too awful much in these trucks. I've had them with shims on the lift springs (came on the new springs) to point the pinion up and the truck still drives great down the road.
Well... they aren't too precise that's for sure. But too much castor or too little would suddenly be obvious I would think. Sounds like you have pushed it quite a bit without a stinkbug.
I heard if you point the pinion too far up it doesn't get oil...?
 

bucket

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Well... they aren't too precise that's for sure. But too much castor or too little would suddenly be obvious I would think. Sounds like you have pushed it quite a bit without a stinkbug.
I heard if you point the pinion too far up it doesn't get oil...?

I never actually measured the shims. I know my BDS springs came with shims and those are under the Burb that was the DD for years. I thought about removing them when I lifted it, but decided to leave them and everything was fine. But that's also the '88 Burb with the slightly longer shackles.
 

shiftpro

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Mine used to rub during hard flexing. That was with 8 inch rims, but the tires were an actual 33 inch tire. A "33x12.5" tire probably would have cleared because actual height would have been smaller. Well, that and most people probably don't abuse a truck on 33's the way I used to.
Oh yeah??
 

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