Hey everyone. I've got an 1985 Scottsdale that I'm wanting to level, lift and put new tires on this coming spring. I'm trying to start saving up for it now so I wanted to get some opinions. I've never done anything like this so I'm going to have it done somewhere. Essentially what I want to do is level the truck (the nose sits lower than the rear) and lift it (probably 4"). Does anyone have any recommendations on what type of kits to get? Or where to take it? Or are they all basically the same? Also how much will I be looking at paying to have it done? Another note, I've read about body lifts and suspension lifts both.. Are these both things that I will need to have done? Any details are appreciated because like I said I have no idea on this type of stuff, I've never had this type of work done and I'm pretty new to the fixins anyhow. Thanks!
First, make sure you know about what size tire you want to run, and what you'd like your truck to look like. Body Lifts are really just a cheap way to get tire clearance, and can look pretty bad since most don't include new bumper brackets/mounts. Since you only want about 4", I would go with a 4" spring lift for the front (assuming your truck is 4x4). Depending on your budget for the rear, you can go with blocks (cheap, but prone to axle wrap) or lift springs (which can be an option with some kits). There are some other ways, but they generally get more labor intensive. For leveling your truck (if it still needs it after the lift) you can get longer shackles on the front, or a zero rate for the front or rear; but I wouldn't plan on those until after your truck is lifted since your front may be lower due to worn springs. Rough Country, Tuff Country, and Superlift are all have fairly inexpensive kits you can buy, just make sure you get everything you need: Springs/Blocks U-bolts/nuts Shocks Raised steering arm Extended brake hoses I don't remember if the driveshaft will have any issues with a 4" lift (angles/length) but that may be another thing you may want to watch out for/ask a shop about. I think driveshafts are fine until about 6" of lift, but I could be mistaken.
Here's what mine looks like roughly (this one isn't mine.. my truck's back home and I'm away at school) http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/7126/picture1hp.png Here is the look I'm going for.. http://z.about.com/d/4wheeldrive/1/0/Z/L/1/Clayton_NC_85ChevK10Slv_RR.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/mjakaa/trucks003.jpg http://67-72chevytrucks.com/gallery/data/501/P0001114.JPG http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=470323&d=1245193222 My truck is a 2wd, not a 4x4. It's really just a ridin truck, I don't do any off road drivin in it.. I just want something that sits up a bit higher. I was thinking about a 4" lift with about 32"-34" tires.. Any thoughts, opinions, recommendations, etc.?
2wd's are a lot harder to find suspension lifts for (I know from experience). The rears are similar (just different spring brackets/shock orientation), but the front is completely different. I put a Fabtech 3" lift on mine, but they discontinued their '73-87 2wd kits a few years ago. I have since upgraded my suspension to 3/4 ton (still 2wd) and changed my engine from a lightweight V6 to a 6.2L. Tires are 265/75R16 (about 31.6") This is how mine sits now (less than 3" of lift). The K5 behind it is 4x4 with ~5" lift on 35" tires. The cheapest easiest way would be to go with a body lift, since they are just blocks that go in between the body and the body mounts. But the result will look something like the truck with the brushguard: a gap between the grill and the bumper, and you still won't get as high. I kinda regret spending all the money I did back then with what I know now, although I do like the current look of my truck. Eventually I'd like to convert mine to a 4x4 with about the stance of that silver/blue one when I get the time/money/garage space.
