How to add more lift?

[crazy4offroad]

That sway bar is going to need levelled with some drop brackets where it bolts to the front crossmember under the radiator support, or a pair of quick disconnect rods at the axle. You'll also have to verify the axle droop isnt going to be limited by your shocks. (Nice quad setup by the way.) I know you said it's a street beater but the first time they're hyper extended they will be junked. You'll also have to verify the running angle of your driveshaft wont be in a bind, it looks kind of close there at the pinion, cant tell on the t-case end. Bad thing is all that will have to be done after the fact, with the shims in place. You will probably have to add a half quart of gear oil to the front to compensate for the rotated-up pinion. I see brand new **** on that one tire, wtf?? Was it a spare or something that never saw the road till now or what??
Edit: Ahh I see the **** are on the side tread, not center section.

 

[KKelley]

I've got new shocks that I'm about to put on that have more than enough travel to compensate for more lift. But I just wanted to verify that I the shackles and shims will work before I go to ordering them

 

[crazy4offroad]

Definitely order new axle u-bolts ahead of time, so when you're trying to take the old ones off and you can see them twisting and stressing, or maybe breaking you wont be stuck trying to get them. Be sure to get them for the front since one of the passenger side u-bolts is a bastard size. As for the exact degree shim you're going to need I cant be sure, which is why I said 2-4 degrees. If one isnt enough and the other is too much it should be close enough that an alignment shop can set the caster at the ball joints for you. I have longer shackles on mine, and at the same time needed improved pinion angle for the front d-shaft so I went with 8 degree shims which were way too much. The truck drove like it had shopping cart front casters. After some measurement I decided 4 degrees should be close enough. I have them out there but the weather just isnt going to give me a break to get it done. With the front Dana 60 though I dont have the option for fine tuning the caster since it dont have ball joints.

 

[hirschdalechevy]

I recently purchased a 79 scottsdale with what appears to be a 6" suspension lift and a 3" body lift. The front is considerably lower than the rear and I need a reasonably cheap way to lift it a little. I was looking at some 1.5" front lift shackles but I don't know what all I would have to modify if I added them. Any help is appreciated

Nice truck !!!!!!!!! IMO , from your pic's your lift looks like a 6" to me as well , (only a raised steering arm and your draglink look's flat) , anyway a 6" is no big deal for driveshaft angle's etc... If you want to get the front end up a little for cheap just get some 1" block's , (30.00 or so) and get some new u-bolt's made , (70.00 or so) and you own it , (just dont go more than 1"). I needed a little more lift on several of my square's and that's the way I did it and I am not easy on my square's off road , but I want them to drive good on road as well. I have never had a problem on or off road with 1" block's in the front. Your truck will drive way worse on the road if you degree the front pinion up to far. Oh and another thing I would no worry about the sway bar , The first thing I would do with that is throw it in the nearest dumpster , you wont even notice it"s gone with aftermarket front leaf's , (that's the first thing I **** can on all my lifted square's ).

 

[KKelley]

Where could I find a kit with the right length U bolts for the added 1"?

 

[crazy4offroad]

About 2/3 the way down...
http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/TuffCountry.htm

 

[KKelley]

Will those work since I have a thicker spring pack too?

 

[crazy4offroad]

Yeah be sure to order the ones that say for thicker spring packs/zero rates. They give you PLENTY to work with lol...

You'll probably have to cut some off.

 

[KKelley]

If that's all they are I could just go down to a local auto parts store and pick some up for cheaper than that

 

[crazy4offroad]

I checked NAPA a while back and they wanted more for a single one than ORD wants for their whole set. At places like Advance you can find the sets for lifted rear but not the fronts. But be my guest, if they can beat $10 a piece better get em. Only place I found that could beat them was a local spring & radiator shop, they make them on site for you but it's a bit of a drive for me. But I think theirs was $8 a piece so they didnt beat them by much. Plus for the D60 I needed the bolt set too.

 

[KKelley]

I just compared my truck to a guy I know that has a lifted blazer and I'm thinkin I actually only have a 4" suspension lift. My fenders are only at about 49.5" on 39's. I just don't understand why I have so many leaf springs. It rides like hell

 

[crazy4offroad]

Someone probably did a hack job like they did on a buddy's truck, just took the main leaf off a set of springs and bolted the rest of the pack to the 4" front springs they had. Bear in mind these truck ride rough anyway but doing stuff like that just makes it worse. The 52" and 56" rear spring swap makes them ride a little better, longer springs make for an easier ride. Usually stock rear springs net around 4" lift so if you wanted 6" of lift you'd need 2" lift springs. But that's a lot of work and you just about have to be set on where you want the truck to be at the end of all that work before you start.