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About to order a lift kit...

The Pumpkinator

The Pumpkinator

1/2 ton status
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Posts
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Location
Evanston WY
(yes I used the search tool)

Hey all, I'm about to place an order with ORD soon since I now have the funds to buy the components for my lift kit:woot:. I drive a 91 k5 with a 3/4 ton 2.5" factory lift with quad shocks in the front, the rear leafs have been replaced not too long ago and I believe that they are a custom set of 3" lift 3/4 ton springs and I want to still keep them (for now).

The plan so far is to get a 2.5" shacle flip in the rear and a pair of zero rates in the front with some 4" EZ rides so that it will sit about a half an inch higher in the rear, also getting a raised steering arm. I also want to ditch the quad shocks and just run singles up front...

which brings up my concerns; what brand and what length shocks should I buy, and what's the max travel I can have with~5" of lift? What would you guys recommend for longer brake lines? Will I have some nasty drive line angles?

If I am overseeing some stuff please chime in

Thanks:D
 
post pics of your suspension now.

best to be sure from scratch.

see lots of socalled stock lift kit stuff. when its all just bone stock gm nothing special.

we will help get you going in the right direction .
 
perfect pics.

thats just a bone stock everyday suspension with some heavy duty rear replacement springs.

the only thing diffrent on the front is the factory option quad shock. you dont need 4 shocks anyways.

the front leafs are 3 leaf option nothing special. my dads old k10 pickup had 3 leafs.

whats your end goal for this rig ?

what size tires ?

what kind of use ? dd? offroad only? all kinds ?

there is a few ways to go for what you want.
 
It's my current DD and I would like it to still keep some 'ok' street manners, but I also want it to be my rock rig when I take it down to Moab again, I'm looking for soft suspension and flex.

Future plans are going to be a D60 and a 14FF with 4.56 gears running 35" tires, when on the trails idk if I want to have a separate set of 37" tires but that's what I'm leaning towards

But as for the moment I am going to stick with 33s, I don't think 35s and 3.73 gears are going to render any better performance
 
go 4" TC EZ rides up front.... flip and 56's out back....
 
ryoken said:
go 4" TC EZ rides up front.... flip and 56's out back....
Click to expand...

I would love to do a 52/56 conversion but I want to keep the rear leafs for now cuz they haven't been under my truck for nearly a year, so they're practically new, also I don't want to be stuck with "might as well" upgrades, my budget is limited :o
 
EZ rides up front are stock length..... I don't suggest 52's or 56's for up front on trucks that see a fair amount of street time.. stock 56's for the back are easy to come by out of burbs.....
 
ryoken said:
EZ rides up front are stock length..... I don't suggest 52's or 56's for up front on trucks that see a fair amount of street time.. stock 56's for the back are easy to come by out of burbs.....
Click to expand...

I was planning on the EZ rides up front, but wouldn't I need to have the rear 56s re built?:dunno: Isn't a new set of rear leafs like $300+?

There's no snow on the ground yet, so getting some 56s out of a burb might be an option
 
got my super clean 56's out of an 83ish 2WD burb for like $50... they show up on the forum fairly frequently...

you could always just run the 4" flip, your springs, then when they sag or ya find some 56's, move the flip back accordingly...
 
ryoken said:
got my super clean 56's out of an 83ish 2WD burb for like $50... they show up on the forum fairly frequently...

you could always just run the 4" flip, your springs, then when they sag or ya find some 56's, move the flip back accordingly...
Click to expand...

The only reason why I do want to run my rear springs is mainly because of budget and also my dad beating into my skull "your going to throw away $400 worth of bran new springs???". I'm hoping that a 4" shackle flip won't net me some ridiculous 8" lift in the back and the Ez rides only 4" in the front with the weird 3/4 ton springs I already have, which makes me wonder; does my truck even have a 2.5 inch lift?:confused:
 
nah, as Brett mentioned, those are definitely stock fronts in there... doesn't matter what spring pack is in the back... a flip will net you 4" above what it is now... same with putting 4" EZ rides up front...
 
ryoken said:
nah, as Brett mentioned, those are definitely stock fronts in there... doesn't matter what spring pack is in the back... a flip will net you 4" above what it is now... same with putting 4" EZ rides up front...
Click to expand...

Well I absolutely hope that you guys are right, I want to keep it under 6" of lift, I heard that some new springs get over arched and end up being higher than the specified lift, so when the EZs settle are they going to end up at 4" or will I need to run a zero rate up front?
 
Coming to think of it how could my truck have a 2.5" lift with front leafs that are negatively arched? and since they are 3/4 ton leafs they give the look of a lifted truck with the xtra leaf in there plus the 33s...my whole truck is a big fat 'question mark'...
 
My vote goes to the TC EZ 4" full kit with front and rear springs, 4 shocks and raised steering arm.

Lastly, retube the drive shaft for proper length (that way the yoke shaft does NOT ride on the output seal of the xfer case doh) and set the pinion angle (cause a xfer drop kit dont make it perfect), you should be in PERFECT shape, a sweet lift with plenty of flex (FWIH) and great ride (FWIH).


GL,
Andrew
 
a flip and stock springs gives way more flex than 4" lift springs... plus it's 1/2 the cost...,
 
do us all a favor get the 3/4 ton spring thing out of your head. :doah:

someone sold you on a line of bull:poo: its option from factory 3 leaf front and 5 leaf rear all 1/2 ton stuff. just your replacement springs have more arch as new and prob been arched more for lift to level the blazer as thay sit a$$ low.

true 3/4 ton and 1 ton rear springs are 56" long and start around 8 leaf - 10 leaf per pack.

and 4" lift gets you 4" lift like it said in the ad you read.

and if you later want to go to 56" leafs for more flex in the rear all you need to do is swap the left and right brackets for the flip then bolt in the springs. cheeters trick on the flip swap.

and dont forget the flip kit req you to drop the fuel tank on the blazer to get the brackets bolted on.

some pinion angle correction will be required more than likly. but no sure fire set fix. each vehicle requires there own setup. so you have to bolt in the kit and see what you get.

and if you do the front springs get new shackle hanger bushings with hd shackles its worth it. and i love my greasable bolts for much smother ride.

longer brake lines will be required for the 4" kit for best results. ord has quality line kits.

if you plan on street time and good road handling get the sway bar disconect kit so you can keep the bar and then play offroad with it unhooked. but most of us remove the sway bar and never look back

you got any plans for steering correction ? simple easy raised arm or drop pitman arm is best. i prefer the drop pitman arm for the steering box. faster to swap out and resale value is higher than raised arm for axle end.

and plan on few days to do this job and plan on few problems. hope you have backup dd vehicle.

hope this helps you.
 
I would have to agree with Ryoken on this one, all my desired suspension upgrades go practically hand in hand with a shackle flip, and I also have no desire to tow heavy loads either. Many people that have crazy arched springs on their mall crawlers that I have talked to in person say that it rides like a wood wagon, I could understand the idea of keeping the quads but the two shocks would half to be 1/2 the dampening rate of a single shock, otherwise its as stiff as a board and can wreck havoc on the front axle housing. Just by reading up here on the forums many shun Tcase lowering and tell horror stories of it ripping up their frame.

It's a nice thought and I did look into that setup, but that was before I came across this kick ass web sight:D
 
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