Tough country or rough country ?

[kenn]

Looking for a softer lift kit .
4 inch all spring . 1978 k10

 

[bucket]

Tuff Country or BDS.

 

[77 K20]

There are also more expensive spring packs that have an even nicer ride. ORD custom springs (Alcans) or Deavers. They give the best ride possible.
Otherwise I'd say the Tuff Country EZ rides.

 

[shiftpro]

There are also more expense spring packs that have an even nicer ride. ORD custom springs or Deavers. They give the best ride possible.
Otherwise I'd saw the Tuff Country EZ rides.

Absolutely. BTW Mike do you know the ORD springs cost? They don't list the price on their website. I imagine they are substantially more, just like the performance (I have heard) is considerably better.

 

[77 K20]

Absolutely. BTW Mike do you know the ORD springs cost? They don't list the price on their website. I imagine they are substantially more, just like the performance (I have heard) is considerably better.

I think they were $850. Expensive, but pretty much the best ride possible instead of going to coil springs. I went on a 9 hour trail ride last Saturday in Polson which is 1.25 hours from my house. So I spent 11.5 hours in my truck and felt great. The previous year my back and neck were sore from bouncing around too much.

The price varies on what you want. If you have a very heavy truck or a heavy bumper they would probably cost a bit more. The center pin of the springs can also be moved forwards or backwards depending on your needs also.

 

[shiftpro]

I think they were $850. Expensive, but pretty much the best ride possible instead of going to coil springs. I went on a 9 hour trail ride last Saturday in Polson which is 1.25 hours from my house. So I spent 11.5 hours in my truck and felt great. The previous year my back and neck were sore from bouncing around too much.

The price varies on what you want. If you have a very heavy truck or a heavy bumper they would probably cost a bit more. The center pin of the springs can also be moved forwards or backwards depending on your needs also.

Thanks.
That's about what I figured... 3 times the price but 4 times better suspension... not bad.

 

[kenn]

Absolutely. BTW Mike do you know the ORD springs cost? They don't list the price on their website. I imagine they are substantially more, just like the performance (I have heard) is considerably better.

looks like springs are 750 for the front, and same for the rear

 

[Craig 85]

I've used Tuff Country in my last 2 trucks. The '79 had an old 4" Rancho that had no flex. I replaced it with a 4" EZ Ride. Huge improvement. On my "85 K30, I did a 3" lift with their HD springs since I have a 454. The ride is just about the same surprisingly. I highly recommend the ORD sway bar disconnect kit. It removes the bind from the sway bar.

Back in the early 90's I had a K5 with a Skyjacker 6"soft ride lift. Things may have changed over the years, but the Tuff Country rides better.

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[kenn]

does the sway bar help with the ride on the street? was thinking about trying it without

truck will not do a lot of offroading mostly street, with alittle woods time for firewood
is the 79 with the big bumper photo 4 inches with 33's or 35's ?

 

[77 K20]

Sway bar prevents the front of the truck from leaning when cornering. I removed mine completely.

To see what it is like without one you can unbolt it from the U-bolt plates and swing it up out of the way. Wire it up so it stays up. Go for a drive. If you like it that way then unbolt it the rest of the way by undoing the bushing loops.

With the sway bar removed I found even on the street it rode nicer when lets say you are turning off a main street and into a gas station. If there was a large bump (sidewalk?) there it allows the front to flex and absorb it. A sway bar would try to prevent the leading tire from absorbing all of it.

Or if you like the way it rides but don't like how it corners then the sway bar disconnect would be your answer.

 

[kenn]

makes sense will try that before I buy the drop down kit for sway bar

 

[kenn]

Thank you all for your help truck has 35's right now in back has 3 inch block, and looks like someone replaced the leafs not sure how much lift, but back looks higher than the front
will get 4 inch EZ ride kit and hope to level truck out , and clear the 35's

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[Craig 85]

does the sway bar help with the ride on the street? was thinking about trying it without

truck will not do a lot of offroading mostly street, with alittle woods time for firewood
is the 79 with the big bumper photo 4 inches with 33's or 35's ?

My trucks mainly see street duty. I've never run a truck without a sway bar. I know most street driven vehicle handle better with a sway bar. I recommend the links not so much for the fact they disconnect, but that the spring and bar run in different arcs. I really noticed this bind when I did the 6" lift on my K5. It was a PITA to bolt up the sway bar to the spring mounts.

The '79 had the old 33x12.50x16.5's. Those measure out to about 32.8". The '85 has 305/70/16's. They are the same height, 32.8"

Also to give you some perspective on your current lift, the '79 with the 4" lift measured 32" from the center of the hubs to the horizontal body line, at the front and rear.

 

[bucket]

Unless running really soft springs or a slide-in camper, removing the front sway bar helps the ride and I highly recommend it. I highly doubt you will even notice a difference in high speed cornering.

The benefits of a sway bar on the average lifted 4x4 is highly exaggerated.

 

[RoryH19]

I'm looking to change my springs too. I think the previous owner put a 3 or 4 inch spring lift in the front and 3 inch block in the rear. Right now the k5 has a slight rack and the rear is lower than the front. I would like to level so will go 4 inch all the way around.
Anyone use superlift?