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1988 Suburban build

MuddinSuburban

MuddinSuburban

Registered Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Posts
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Location
Idaho
UPDATED 12-NOV-08
Kit showed up today, still no word from the tire company. I'm aquiring my floor jacks tomorrow, early, and we should have this kit installed by no later then 4 PM
12-11-08_1506.jpg


UPDATED 11-NOV-08
Lift will be here tomorrow, going to get that started ASAP. Possibly start Thursday.
Still no word on the tires, not to worried though, took the suspension company a good 3 days to get their act in gear. Will keep you updated




Original Post

Alright, I decided to move from the Offroad thread, since everything is on order now.

6" Lift
Link: http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/167304.html

Super Swampers in 35"
Link: http://www.tirepackage.com/Tires/Su...&t_s=158&t_pt=100820&t_pl=3873&t_pn=SSTSAM-14




BEFORES: 10-NOV-08

sub4.jpg


Sub2.jpg

Sub3.jpg

Sub1.jpg





The tires are coming from Colorado.
 
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Better looking than my 'before' pics! :waytogo:

I bought the world's ugliest Crew Cab...

6packproject065.jpg


6packproject067.jpg


Rene
 
I intend to keep it as filthy as possible, but the day the paint starts to go, I jump out with my rattle can!

My dad wasn't to happy when I first sprung the news on him about my intentions, he wanted to keep it stock height with the cruise liner running boards. Out of the question...



Oh Rene,

On a lighter note, I now have full access to a diesel shop for my lift. They have a hydraulic frame lifter.
 
Awesome...although it's almost too bad you won't get to break your 'lift kit cherry' doing it the hard way. It's almost a rite of passage. ;)

Should be a ton safer, easier, and quicker for you!!

Rene
 
Well, I kinda regret not choosing to do it in the driveway, or in a level parking lot, but they have the tools, the lifts, everything I need. When I can get my dream garage of full snap on tools, 4 floor jacks, and all the 10w30 I could ever dream of at my finger tips, that day I will lift my truck. Until then, still a high school drop out, and still reading over these install instructions online.

Edit: Ah damn you Rene!

I changed my mind... I will do it in the drive way.
 
Don't do that!!! Never pass up that kind of opportunity. The main thing is to be safe, and with the proper tools it's a lot easier to be safe. Once you've done a few then it's a bit easier to improvise if you have to.

If someone offered me a lift right now I'd jump at it...however I'm faced with having to devise some ingenious way to remove the cab from the frame by myself in a 7 foot tall carport. :doah:

rene
 
Are you gonna leave those 10 bolts under it? This would be the perfect time for a 14b upgrade. I broke my 10 bolt in my '90 with 33's on it.
 
Front: Dana 44

Rear: Dana 60

Picked them up at a junk yard for 100 a piece
 
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Unless you're putting a Furd rear axle in it you should be putting a 14b in it. Ford and Dodge used rear 60's, but not Chevrolet.
 
I got these Danas for 150 for both. I can get 3/4 chev axles for 250. Which that I get a K30 body to :P

Win/ Win


Going to work tomorrow. Expect a hospital report sometime tomorrow. Rene through me off, so I'm doing it in my driveway...

Thanks Rene!
 
13-NOV-08

Wow, death sounds pretty good right now. Started at 8 AM, only got the axles off at 3pm.

Where to start?

Had a jack collapse while I was under the rig, have 4 sets of different lugs, and, I smell of a zesty brake fluid.

Starting out again tomorrow morning at 8AM, plan to have the front done.

Encountered a problem here though, the front leaf spring eye bolts only turn, I cannot get a wrench in behind it to hold it from moving.

Kill me please?
 
ahhh, the joy of working on a truck thats been together for 20 years:D dont worry, it gets easier, it took me and my bro a whole long weekend to do his lift. which was our first lift. and when we did my truck it took us about 8 hours.
 
I've had a couple of old trucks that the spring bolts were rusted to the sleeve inside the rubber bushing. Had to get out the sawzall on my 81 burb and cut the bolts on each side of the spring. DAMN those are tough bolts. Hope you don't have to do that.
Tarey
 
HELP!
I cannot get the new front leafs in, I don't think I have enough frame lift, or axle dropping, bad news, I cannot lower the jacks anymore, they are at neutral.


HELP!!
 
MuddinSuburban said:
HELP!
I cannot get the new front leafs in, I don't think I have enough frame lift, or axle dropping, bad news, I cannot lower the jacks anymore, they are at neutral.


HELP!!
Click to expand...

try and find some wood blocks and jack up the frame more with them on top of the jack, then take other wood blocks and stick them under the frame. or have a buddy lift one side of the axle while u take out the jack stand and put in a smaller one or a piece of wood under it, make sure u stabilize the axle so it doesnt roll off the wood and hit the ground.
 
MuddinSuburban said:
HELP!
I cannot get the new front leafs in, I don't think I have enough frame lift, or axle dropping, bad news, I cannot lower the jacks anymore, they are at neutral.


HELP!!
Click to expand...
not sure exactly what that means - can you clarify?

your best bet is to remove the axle from the truck - start by unbolting the front drive shaft and steering linkage. then jack up the truck by the axle, remove the tires.

lower the truck back down in such a way that you can get your jack back out (i.e., put it on wood blocks so that it's as low to the ground as possible - assuming you're lifting it by placing the jack under the pumpkin.) if you're lifting the truck by placing your jack on the axle tube, then you can just lower it all the way down to the ground.

lift up the body/frame of the truck so you're supporting it's weight. probably want to leave the axle touching the ground. then remove the ubolts that hold the axle to the springs. lift the truck up a little higher until the axle is sitting on the ground alone. pull that sucker out from under the truck - it'll be much easier as a two man pull, tho i've done it by myself (don't recommend it - straining back).

finally, remove old and reinstall new leaf springs. you should be able to get to both sides of that bolt - so a breaker bar, socket/wrachet and a wrench on one side to steady the nut and break 'er free.

putting the new springs it is a bit of a challenge, as they'll likely appear too long. you'll need to put a little compression in them, so again, i'd say get a buddy to help. when i put my 4" lift in, i forced the spring to line up with the bolt holes in the shackle and then had my buddy force a bolt through (it took alot of work!).

you can do it. don't get frustrated - just take one step at a time and step back to plan out your next move so that things move "slowly and smart". that could be redefined as "safely and efficiently". taking time to think reduces your chances of making a mistake or dropping this truck on yourself.

if it's not too late to button her back up, i'd recommend you use the lift at your buddy's shop. sure wish i'd had that option. there's no reason to do it the hard way when you have an easier way available - no pride lost in doing it the most efficient and safe way possible.


------
edit. looks like you'll need a deep socket to get to the nut that's inside the frame for the front leaf spring bolt. on mine, the nut is a 7/8 deep socket (however, my regular 1/2" drive 7/8 socket seems to be deep enough - if it were 3/8" drive, it would need to be a deep socket.) and the bolt is oddly a 13/16.
 
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