Truck sitting weird after lift.

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

DoubleDingo

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Posts
10,019
Reaction score
14,163
Location
Right where I am
First Name
Bagoomba
Truck Year
1981, 1965
Truck Model
81-C20 Silverado Camper Special-TH400-4.10s; 65-C20 with 4:57 gears and Borg Warner Overdrive
Engine Size
Carb'ed Vortec 350; 1972 L48 350
When i installed the Old Man Emu lift on my Cherokee it sat high in the back. I added bags of concrete in the back and drove around like that for a few days. It settled right in and leveled off just fine.
 

Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Posts
5,882
Reaction score
9,623
Location
Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
454
It should have a significant rake if you theoretically went the same lift front and back. But if you tried to level it with say 4” front and 2” rear it would look nose high due to the different fender well heights.
 

Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Posts
5,882
Reaction score
9,623
Location
Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
454
When i installed the Old Man Emu lift on my Cherokee it sat high in the back. I added bags of concrete in the back and drove around like that for a few days. It settled right in and leveled off just fine.
Yeah it’s probably a bit exaggerated right now. Front gets the sag and weight it’s designed for immediately. Rear is not only new but designed to hold a couple thousand more pounds than the truck weighs empty assuming you got 3/4 ton springs.
My K25 is 4” front springs and 4” block in the rear on heavy duty OE springs and I bet it has about 3” of rake. Adding +1” zero rate to the front so the new tires will clear the fenders now though.
 

DoubleDingo

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Posts
10,019
Reaction score
14,163
Location
Right where I am
First Name
Bagoomba
Truck Year
1981, 1965
Truck Model
81-C20 Silverado Camper Special-TH400-4.10s; 65-C20 with 4:57 gears and Borg Warner Overdrive
Engine Size
Carb'ed Vortec 350; 1972 L48 350
Yeah it’s probably a bit exaggerated right now. Front gets the sag and weight it’s designed for immediately. Rear is not only new but designed to hold a couple thousand more pounds than the truck weighs empty assuming you got 3/4 ton springs.
My K25 is 4” front springs and 4” block in the rear on heavy duty OE springs and I bet it has about 3” of rake. Adding +1” zero rate to the front so the new tires will clear the fenders now though.
The rake has a function. Some just don't like it for some reason. I personally like the rake.
 

DoubleDingo

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Posts
10,019
Reaction score
14,163
Location
Right where I am
First Name
Bagoomba
Truck Year
1981, 1965
Truck Model
81-C20 Silverado Camper Special-TH400-4.10s; 65-C20 with 4:57 gears and Borg Warner Overdrive
Engine Size
Carb'ed Vortec 350; 1972 L48 350
I know. Just making conversation.
 

SlowK20

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2023
Posts
3
Reaction score
1
Location
Oregon
First Name
Tyler
Truck Year
1982
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
6.2
I pulled the winch off to see if it made any difference. None at all. I'll drive it for a bit and see if the rear settles. If not I'll do a 1in zero rate leaf up front, from Offroad Design.
Thanks for the insight gents.
 

Repsol

Junior Member
Joined
May 16, 2023
Posts
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Tampa, FL
First Name
Carolyn
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
1500
Engine Size
350
My 1990 burb has this lift also and it sits low in the back.
 

Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Posts
5,882
Reaction score
9,623
Location
Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
454
I pulled the winch off to see if it made any difference. None at all. I'll drive it for a bit and see if the rear settles. If not I'll do a 1in zero rate leaf up front, from Offroad Design.
Thanks for the insight gents.
If they’re good springs it won’t settle much or at all. If you’re going that route, at least strap 1000-1500 lbs in the back of the bed to give the springs a chance to break in. But 99.9% chance it will basically sit just like it does now when you remove the weight.
I’ve driven many trucks that were loaded down semi permanently and when the load is removed they pop back to the old height unless maybe they got 100K miles of being loaded under their belt.
 

Craig 85

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Posts
3,889
Reaction score
4,024
Location
Nashville, TN
First Name
Craig
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K30 SRW
Engine Size
454/TH-400/NP205
When did you tighten the spring bolts? Was it on the ground? If they were tightened in the air, the bushings would be in a bind once back on the ground.

FYI my K30 had a 1" rake in the rear from the factory.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
41,855
Posts
903,581
Members
33,368
Latest member
TheDuke
Top