Determining Lift size / springs

[Kel-al]

I purchased my 90 K5 and was told that it has a 2 inch lift from ORD on it. unfortunately I do not have any paperwork to back it up other than the shackle flip kit and steering box brace.

The truck was given to me with a ORD shackle flip kit and being new to 4x4 and lifted trucks I'm not sure if adding the flip will actually benefit me or give me more headaches
There has been a leaf added to the rear that has given it some ride height as well.

I am hesitant to install the shackle flip because I do not want my rear to sit higher than my front.
My question is how can I determine if the shackle flip will level my ride out completely or will it make it worse? My rear seems to be sagging. I have some pics of my springs and truck. Unfortunately the pics of the truck are at a slight incline. first 2 spring pics are the front

My goal is to have the truck level and I hope to make the ride of the truck less bouncy. I believe the springs up front are HD because it seems like they have no give.

 

[Wes Harden]

I like your truck, how do you like the General Grabbers?
I don't speak for ORD fyi
The front springs have been replaced, no clue who built them. The rear springs idk. look on the top leaf aftermarket sometime marks there.
There is no lift block, normal low buck way to raise rear, it could be those are the factory springs and flip kit is the rear lift, never installed.
I would put the flip kit in with those springs and see.
Consider replacing the body bushing, and fuel pump in tank, at same time. The tank needs to be R/R'd to do shackle flip.
2" lift you should be able to use your driveshafts, and steering linkage. might need to correct the rear pinion angle with a angled shim after you get the flip in.

 

[nvrenuf]

On the rear springs, it's hard to tell in the pic but the 2nd spring up from the bottom could be an add-a-leaf. That spring is a different collor than all the rest and the end may be cut round, not square like the rest. It's very possible that a 2" lift kit came with front springs and rear add-a-leafs. I'd install the flip kit and if it sits high pull that spring, it will probably ride noticeably better.

 

[Kel-al]

I like your truck, how do you like the General Grabbers?
I don't speak for ORD fyi
The front springs have been replaced, no clue who built them. The rear springs idk. look on the top leaf aftermarket sometime marks there.
There is no lift block, normal low buck way to raise rear, it could be those are the factory springs and flip kit is the rear lift, never installed.
I would put the flip kit in with those springs and see.
Consider replacing the body bushing, and fuel pump in tank, at same time. The tank needs to be R/R'd to do shackle flip.
2" lift you should be able to use your driveshafts, and steering linkage. might need to correct the rear pinion angle with a angled shim after you get the flip in.

Thanks! I didnt know the tank needed to be dropped in order to do the shackle flip. I will most likely take your advice and do this. I will have to add some shims, the OO gave me some with the shackle flip that he gave me. It would also make sense because something in the drive line is making noise at higher speed.
As for the General Grabbers, they were not on the truck for very long. I ended up going with 33x10.5 BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2 and they are great tires.

On the rear springs, it's hard to tell in the pic but the 2nd spring up from the bottom could be an add-a-leaf. That spring is a different collor than all the rest and the end may be cut round, not square like the rest. It's very possible that a 2" lift kit came with front springs and rear add-a-leafs. I'd install the flip kit and if it sits high pull that spring, it will probably ride noticeably better.

You are correct, the 2nd from the bottom is the add a leaf. I went through my paperwork for the truck and found that it is a tuff country ez ride add a leaf.

When I look up new springs for my truck I get conflicting information. I have seen some 4/1(5 total leafs) for the rear and 5/1(6 total) for the rear. Also part numbers vary between years as well. I should be able to get the same results if I buy springs for an 87 K5 vs the 90 K5. The reason I ask this is because on rockautos website the part numbers are different and the price is waaaay more for the part number they list for the 90 model vs the 87.

 

[rpcraft]

Little late to the party but I think I would just remove the add a leaf on the rear and swap in the flip kit and shims and see how it stands at that point. I'm in the middle of rebuilding my rig and having a hard time deciding between the 2.5 flip and front springs or going all in with a 4 inch shackles. I already have some 4 inch front springs and the drag link/arm setup but I also figure the biggest tire I will want to run is going to a 33x12.50. I'm going to build some rock sliders and don't really dig the idea of adding a step to them just to drag and high center on stuff. Decisions decisions, lol.