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Front lift...what to do...

Avery4jc

Avery4jc

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So as some of you know I've been kicking around the idea of getting more sunlight under the truck...I was thinking of ditching my 8" spings for a 12" superlift kit but I've been wondering about some other options...

The one I was thinking about tonight is this....using the shackle flip kit from sky-manufacturing in the rear will give me 4" more lift (giving me 12" total w/ my 8" springs)...so with a shackle flip like this it just changes the back mounting point for the spring...won't that push the axle forward?

chevyrearflip_small.jpg

chevyflipinstallbefore_small.jpg
chevyflipinstallafter_small.jpg


The second question is say I go w/ a flip out back...what can I do in the front? Get some 12" springs and call it good? Or what? I know I could do some zero rates but that would only give me like an inch...maybe inch and a half....I've also seen custom spring perches from DIY but I don't think I want to do new perches/zero rates when I could just slap on some 12" springs in the front.


So if any of that made sense...help a brother out...I don't know what route I should look into...



Oh and yeah x-over is on the way so don't worry :)
dana60crossover.jpg
 
Hmmm I was looking at their site and eBay and aparently a 12" lift kit has 9" springs and 3" blocks for the rear and only springs for the front...so the sprigns they provide for the front...are they a true 12" lift or in a 12" lift kit is it not always 12" front and rear?
 
As soon as you cruise around with those 12" springs you will wish you had cut. Cutting is not that hard to do bud, it is easy to do very cleanly. You probably don't rub too much so it wouldn't take much. I think you should get zero rates and move your axles forward that may stop the rubbing altogether, plus net you another inch of lift. I bet with just zero rates you could prevent most of the rubbing.
 
put zero rates just on the front? The rear end does sit noticably higher...it doesn't even come close to hitting (has a couple inches to work with) but the front hits even if I just turn full tilt...the lugs on the sidewalls grab the lower corner of the fender....

So zero rates on the front ehhh...that might work...although I'll need new u-bolts...and these are brand new! lol...stupid me, I cut them too close to the top of the nuts to have room for another inch required by a zero rate.
 
really, come on. Do you need to go higher? Take off the sway bar, wheel it some and then figure what you need. Me thinks you just want a bigger truck.
 
hmmm I guess I'll say it again...I hit in the front while turning really tight and I hit every time I compress the front springs....we're talking running over a curb and I'll crunch them...so I don't agree with ya'...I need to do something before I go out and tear up the fenders/tires by rubbing all the time.

I think I am going to check into some zero rates for the front...if they just don't cut it I can look into some new lift springs/shackle flip out back.
 
I say just trim the fenders. Just take your time and you can make it look like you didnt trim at all. Thats what I will be doing soon as I only have a 4" lift and getting 38s today.
 
if you have 12' of lift your driveshaft angles are gonna go to hell and your truck will ride like the axles are welded to the frame.
 
zero rates, move the axle up and trim as needed up front... ditch the 8's out back, go DIY flip and 6" springs out back...

It'll ride hella better...
 
thats what happens with 16" wide tires, youll need to trim, or put a zero-rate in up front and offset it 1 or 1.5" and then ull be fine.
 
Jishory said:
if you have 12' of lift your driveshaft angles are gonna go to hell and your truck will ride like the axles are welded to the frame.
Click to expand...

I can attest to that. Definitely go with zero-rates on the front, although' I'd just do it on all four corners.
 
any time you undo u-bolts, you need new ones anyways. If it were me, id take all the overloads out of those 8" springs and replace them with zerorates on all the springs. Then id :hack: :grind: the front fenders 5" on the back part and up to the marker light on the front part. 12" of lift really sucks for ride quality not to mention that it screams 80's like that furry dash pad.
 
I am also in the market for some zero rates because my 38.5's rub when I turn out of a driveway or something with a decent angle. Will I have to have my front drive shaft lengthened after moving the axle 1" to 1.5" foward? and I refuse to trim my blazer because it is my daily driver and in MINT RUST FREE CONDITTION I would cut it up if it was a old beat trail rig but it isn't..
 
k5onswampers said:
I am also in the market for some zero rates because my 38.5's rub when I turn out of a driveway or something with a decent angle. Will I have to have my front drive shaft lengthened after moving the axle 1" to 1.5" foward? and I refuse to trim my blazer because it is my daily driver and in MINT RUST FREE CONDITTION I would cut it up if it was a old beat trail rig but it isn't..
Click to expand...

yeah thats the same boat I'm in...this too is my dd and is in great shape cosmetically so I didn't want to cut. I know if done properly it can look good but you'll always be able to tell they've been cut...

Something I was thinking about was maybe looking into a fender flare thats integrated into the fenders themselves...well quarter pannels...you know.
Like the ones they used on the blue K5 project in 4 wheeler I believe it was...the same truck that they updated the front clip on...basically its just pre-runner style fenders.
 
EXACTLY! See I think that would be cool. The functionality is great but its also something different...

Thank you so much for the link.
 
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