Add-a-leaves or Shackle lift???

[89K5guy]

I just put 35s on my 89 and need 1 1/2 - 2 inches more clearance to be safe.
I would just buy a 4 inch kit but I recently put a new 2-2 1/2 inch system on front and back.I only bought the 35s because I got 4 new Pro Comps for $485
shipped from Nebraska tire.I was planning on 33s.Anyway,which would be better ;add-a-leaves or shackle lift on the front?I am going leaves on the rear.

 

[mikey_d05]

If you try to lift the truck that much in the front with shackles you're gonna screw up a lot of things.

As for the rear, do a shackle flip. I ran a-a-l's and they suck. Period.

 

[89K5guy]

So a-a-ls up front then?

 

[mikey_d05]

Gonna have to. If you try to get 2" out of a shackle, you need to add 4" to the shackle which in turn...isn't a good idea, screws up your castor (messes up your steering feel and may cause the truck to wander), and makes the front driveshaft angle worse.

 

[89K5guy]

Don't mean to sound like a puss_ but my wife will come unglued if I even think about new leaf springs after just replacing all four.

 

[mikey_d05]

Haha, don't worry about it. The problem you're going to run into is that add a leaves are typically designed to work with factory spring packs, so whether they'll give you 1" or 2" or even work with factory packs, you won't know until you try. As for the rear, run like a 2" shackle flip, that'll net you the extra lift without stiffening up the ride and making the boss angry.

 

[78Suburban]

if you had 2.5" lift springs right now in all 4 corners and need more lift I would....

put ORD zero rates up front,

Put an ORD 2.5" shackle flip out back,

If you still have any clearance problems, you can take the zero rate in the front and swith it to a slightly different position up front in order to move your axle 1.5" foward, but this would require crossover steering.

Are you planning on flexing it out or just street running? If flexing, i would trim the fenders in the front and also remove the sway bar permanently. I would also add for shock towers up front with some long travel shocks

 

[cbbr]

PM Shane74 or just order a set of these.

 

[shane74]

The cheap/SAFE way to get the lif you are after is to run a set of 1" AAL's in the front w/ a 1" extended shackle. Run a set of 1.5" AAL's in the rear. That will net you the 1.5" of lift you are looking for and not affect the ride quality.

Not trying to be a pushy salesman, but if you are interested, shoot me a PM. I'll see what I can do to hook you up with a package deal. We'll try and take some of the sting out of the pocket book after you just spent a bunch on a new suspension already.

 

[88-3/4t-bad boy]

day star makes extended shackles for 1 1/2" lift. plus zero rates in the front. and shackle flips in the rear. better than a a l's for sure. thats what i would do and you wouldnt be sacrificing anything really.

 

[89K5guy]

Thanx for the info guys but I have talked with Shane at Black Widow and will go with his suggestion this week.