Finally doing the lift/ shock question

[guitarfreak235]

Ok so I finally ordered a lift kit, decided to do the 2 inch add a leaf due to budget, and the simplicity of the install as opposed to a higher lift. This is my daily driver and don't have time to screw around with driveshaft length problems etc. But i am almost positive I'm going to use Bilstein 5100 shocks. I know I can leave my stock shocks once I lift but can I go ahead and put the longer shocks on before I lift? The reason I ask is I want to see how they affect the ride by themselves and I know they will be extremely easy to install when I get em.

 

[Swims350]

4 inch lift would cost around the same as 2 sets of add a leafs plus no driveshaft mods.

as for the shocks i highly doubt you being able to install say a 4-6 inch or bigger lift shock on a stockish truck.

 

[skysurfer]

Bilstein lists different part numbers for different lift heights but the specs are nearly identical.

2"-2.5" lift

front: 33-185590 13.66" collapsed 21.63" extended

rear: 33-186542 15.12" collapsed 24.31" extended

3"-4" lift

front: 24-187077 13.66" collapsed 21.62" extended

rear: 24-187084 16.14" collapsed 26.15" extended


http://www.bilsteinus.com/uploads/tx_templavoila/Bil_OffRd_Cat2011.pdf

So now you just need to figure out if they'll fit.

 

[bucket]

I recently put new front (stock replacement) springs under an '89 K30, but they ended up lifting it about an inch. With all the weight off the front, the stock shocks were about 3/4 inch too short. We put basic Rancho shocks on it, listed for a 2-4 inch lift, and those worked fine (although I doubt they would actually work on a 4 inch lift).

In other words, scrap the stock shocks now and run the 2 inch lift shocks. Or just do the lift and shocks at the same time.

 

[smurph20]

My shocks ended up being about 1/2 to 3/4 inch short when i added the leaves to mine the other day while the front springs were unloaded but once down on the ground they were just fine for now.

 

[guitarfreak235]

4 inch lift would cost around the same as 2 sets of add a leafs plus no driveshaft mods.

as for the shocks i highly doubt you being able to install say a 4-6 inch or bigger lift shock on a stockish truck.

I got all the add a leafs shipped for 160 so I thought it was a good deal. Also the shocks are 2 inch lift specific as has already been stated.

 

[Swims350]

that's a pretty good deal then, and them being 2 inch lift should work fine.

You just mentioned doing this "for now" and I thought with that statment you meant later you'd be putting on a 4 inch or bigger lift.

I always wondered myself and figured you could put add a leafs up front as well as in back, then thought of doing the zero rate with it, if possible but at the same time do the spring swap to the longer ones up front, and maybe longer in back or just shackle flip or block to match, dirt cheap lift and alot of inches out of it.

Anyone know if you can do that? add a leaves in front and rear WITH thwe zero rate blocks that bolt to the spring pack?

 

[bucket]

My shocks ended up being about 1/2 to 3/4 inch short when i added the leaves to mine the other day while the front springs were unloaded but once down on the ground they were just fine for now.

Except when the axle drops over dips, bumps and whatnot, your shocks will be the limiting factor. It will surely kill the shocks which probably isn't a concern, but it can play hell with your shock mounts. It probably won't actually hurt anything, but I still would be worried about the frame stress cracking right around the shock bolt or the little support bracket.

 

[guitarfreak235]

that's a pretty good deal then, and them being 2 inch lift should work fine.

You just mentioned doing this "for now" and I thought with that statment you meant later you'd be putting on a 4 inch or bigger lift.

I always wondered myself and figured you could put add a leafs up front as well as in back, then thought of doing the zero rate with it, if possible but at the same time do the spring swap to the longer ones up front, and maybe longer in back or just shackle flip or block to match, dirt cheap lift and alot of inches out of it.

Anyone know if you can do that? add a leaves in front and rear WITH thwe zero rate blocks that bolt to the spring pack?

For now as in the next several years because I am not in a position to pay for a 4 inch and also don't have the time to fool with any complications the 4 inch lift may have. I probably won't be able to do a 4 inch till after college. But most importantly I am pretty sure I will just be satisfied with a 2 inch lift anyway. And for 160 bucks a change down the road wouldn't have cost Me too much.

 

[Swims350]

no complications with it, weput one on but our truck was weird, and if I spent more time I could have made it work without em, but we had to get the sway bar drop brackets. Again I should have spent more time and made it work without them. They are usually only for 6 inch and bigger kits.

Thing is when we bought ours, $300 shipped with shocks and everything needed. You already got $160 in aal's and then a good hundred or so more to buy shocks. So it's almost the same.

It'll work good for what you want, because let me tell ya, 4 inch kit and 33's looked too small for me. Plan on some 35's or something with a 4 inch kit. not unless you ned tons of flex and such for wheelin.

 

[smurph20]

Except when the axle drops over dips, bumps and whatnot, your shocks will be the limiting factor. It will surely kill the shocks which probably isn't a concern, but it can play hell with your shock mounts. It probably won't actually hurt anything, but I still would be worried about the frame stress cracking right around the shock bolt or the little support bracket.

Yea im not worried about the shocks right now cause they are shot but i also not going out rock crawling that will be flexing it to the point of full droop. I have the rest of the springs from the set i pulled apart still they are a 56 long pack off the rear of a 2wd 3/4 ton and in the future i plan on doing a 56 swap up front and then doing a shackle flip in the rear.

 

[guitarfreak235]

so does anyone else have any input? im not willing to let the shocks bottom out or be fully extended