best lift kit for 86 k20

[builtnotbought]

i just bought a 86 k20 6.2l diesel, i want to run 37 to 40'' tires and can anyone recomend what brand and size lift kit i should get.

this will be my daily driver but i want it to perform well offroad.

 

[bucket]

It depends. If the body is nice, you will need a fair amount of lift. If the body is a little rough, go with a 6 inch and trim the sheet metal from there. If it's real rough, just stick with a simple 4 inch lift and hack away to get the rest of your clearance.

Generally, Rough Country and Rancho are the stiff springs you want to avoid.

 

[hirschdalechevy]

8" skyjacker soft ride with rancho 9000 shocks , (all springs).Make sure you get the steering arm and the drop pittman arm as well , then you can use the stock drag link and your steering will be perfect ,(good for your 37's) , but if you want to run 40's you will problably have to do some fender trimming or run a 2" body lift , ( if you like to whip it off road) , otherwise your 40's will do a nice job of re -shapeing your fender's for you in the front ,(usually not to pretty). I have ran this set up on a lot of my square's with 38's and 40's and it is a nice set up for the street and off road with no steering problems. Just remember dont try and roll the front end to far forward with shim's for driveline angle ( 2 deg. max) , I like none if you can and you will have to lower the t-case , (if it's a 208) , for vibration problem's , but if yuor slip yoke is in the driveshaft , ( like a 203 or a 205) you are pretty much good to go.Dont let people give you **** about body lift's , I have ran a lot of small 2" body lift's , ( and I am sometimes hard on my stuff off road) and I have never had a problem. I also raise my bumper's and gas tank's for the body lift and most people can never tell . congrat's on the new ride , have fun!!!

 

[crazy4offroad]

^^^ What he said but I can add you will probably have to have your driveshafts lengthened with an 8" lift kit. If you have problems with the front shaft running angle (mostly trucks with the short SM465) a driveline shop told me to find a front double cardan driveshaft from a 2005 Dodge 2500 4x4, it can run 40 degrees running angle all day long, and your stock one is max 30 degrees. It has a 1350 pinion joint so you'll either have to upgrade your pinion yoke or get a combination joint.

 

[Beatdown Z]

Rich has some good suggestions, but I would buy the kit without rear springs. Then get a shackle flip and a set of 2 or 4 inch lift 56" long Skyjacker Soft-ride springs. It will ride much smoother on the road and flex a ton better offroad.

 

[postruckhaha]

id go with an 8inch procomp from 4wheel parts comes with shocks, blocks, springs, pittman arm, and corrects pinion angles for you, sadly there's no such thing as a good ride with an 8 inch lift and 37s or 40s! youll need longer brakelines, and if u want an e-brake still those too

 

[builtnotbought]

thanks very much guys

 

[Beatdown Z]

sadly there's no such thing as a good ride with an 8 inch lift and 37s or 40s!

It's possible, but it depends on your definition of good ride. With the right suspension mods, you could make an 8" lifted on mild tread 37" tires ride like a stock NBS 3/4 ton Silverado. Of course it will take way more than an out-of-the-box lift kit to get there...

 

[builtnotbought]

hey, whats the best website for a good lift kit?

 

[swagger]

Before buying any kit you should check the local laws on the amount of lift your allowed.
Bumper height and such.
It would suck to spend lots of cash and you can't drive it on the street.

 

[elsurfo10]

they usually are pretty easy on historic trucks around here although when i have 40s on mine i got pulled over for em