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K5 lift (12" Voodoo)

J

JakesK5

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Hi all!
Long time viewer first time poster.

Ok so it begins here. BTW I did research with little luck. I bought a so called 8" lift off craigslist for my K5. I know 6" is max for the shorty but i figured i could make the 8" work. So in an afternoon with some beer we put the springs & shocks in. Drank few more, stood back and looked. The thing was huge! Did some measurements turns out its a 12" lift. So now its all in minus the drive shafts. The rear is lifted with 8" springs & diyx shackle flip with the 6" shackles. Front is 12" springs. Both have degree shims to help with driveline angles the rear is pretty good but I cant rotate the front anymore due to the steering. In the steering I have the block, arm & drag link set up. I dropped the t-case about 1.5". Im thinking running a cv at both ends of the front drive shaft & a cv on the slip yoke end of the rear shaft?:dunno: After all that Im looking for suggestions for the drive shafts.
Oh, I am running 3/4t axles 208/700r4.
Sorry for the long winded post but more info is better.

Thanks
 
Dropping the tcase makes your front angle worse... Just an FYI.
 
Well 1.5" is a pretty substantial drop in my opinion. But if you can get it all to work out..

If you run a cv in the back, you should cut your perches and point your axle up towards the tcase.
 
Actually my rear pinion angle is the best thing of all. With the shackle flip & shims it sits where it needs to. I think my slip yoke joint is giving me the hassle same with the whole front shaft.
 
12" on a Blazer...??

Only seen it done on 1 other rig and as tall as it was it was stiff as a board.
Suspension had very little movement.
Guy sold it in less than 3 months.

P1010027.JPG
 
So the hard truth as I see it.

That much lift and a slip yoke in the t case won't want to play friendly. Seems to wear out the bushing in the t case ( tailhousing) and makes it leak.

Besides that you are simply going to need a CV rear driveshaft, otherwise known as a double cardan. They all have maximum operating angles I would imagine you are going to be pretty close to them. That means big money on the driveshaft, you will need a " bad boy CV" With a CV driveshaft you will need to point the pinion at the same angle as the driveshaft.

In the front once again you get into the expense of the larger CVs that have been modified to work at extreme angles. The problem you run into in the front is the fact that you cannot rotate the pinion where it needs to be unless you cut and turn the knuckles. Well you could but its gonna wander all over the road because of caster issues. You will be many degrees on the wrong side of it.

That can actually be done at home but takes some serious work and some serious time.

http://www.highangledriveline.com/

This guy is very experienced with stuff like yours and problem solving driveshaft issues. It will be expensive.
 
So basically you should take those big a$$ springs out, and replace with some smaller springs. This will save you more money than custom shafts, and the truck will actually ride ok.
 
Thanks guys for the input. I knew it was just a matter of time before someone told me to take it out. Im not really worried about the ride as it wont be on the road, its a farm field mud rig.
 
JakesK5 said:
Thanks guys for the input. I knew it was just a matter of time before someone told me to take it out. Im not really worried about the ride as it wont be on the road, its a farm field mud rig.
Click to expand...

If you like it run it :D

Just be aware I helped a local guy with a 14" lift on a shortbox. He spent just over a grand on his front driveshaft and about 800 on the rear.

They work awesome though
 
Im going to side with Deuling on this one, you already have the shackle flip keep that and get some lift springs to run in the front for a 4 inch lift or if you want the 6 inch lift do the shackle flip+2inch spring rear and 4 inch springs up front with a zero rate for a total of 5"front and 6"rear cause the blazers tend to sage in the rear.

Lots of options as you can see, but sticking with the springs you have is definatly not the easiest or cheapest or most comfortable option.

Narek
 
Blazinzuk thanks, thats the hands on experience I am looking for. I know it has been done before. Im just curious as to what those people have done.
 
Pretty sure I'm only about 3" taller suspension in the rear over stock (stock 4 leaf+OL 64"s w/ a shackle flip & 6" shackle at around a 35* angle, plus a zero rate), and despite a 44" long rear driveshaft, my pinion is rotated up 14* to work with a CV.

I don't see a 12" suspension being anything close to affordable, reasonable, functional, or practical. I already need to move away from 1350 joints because they are almost maxed out at full droop, and I'm using a high angle yoke on the tcase.
 
This is a 12" suspension lift/3" body lift on my K5

IMG_0047.jpg


IMG_0043.jpg


IMG_0042.jpg


The ride sucked unless tires aired down to 15 psi~

Rear shaft made by High Angle Driveline $750-$800. Had to cut and turn rear spring perches, $50+ my labor. Longer brake lines. Custom shock mounts in rear, $25~ plus my labor.

Front shaft (never bought) was quoted around a grand. Cross over steering with the spacer block, $550+ 2wd steering box and pitman arm.

Oh, and I blew the first rear driveshafts CV centering ball because of spring wrap. (1410 u joint bound up) I had to install an anti wrap bar so I didn't do it again.

After all this I got fed up with it and took 6-7" of lift out of the rear and 4-5" out of the front. I had to cut the crap out of the fenders, but that's cause it's a flexy beast.

001-5.jpg


She rides good now even with the tires aired up at 30 psi
 
JakesK5 said:
Im not really worried about the ride as it wont be on the road, its a farm field mud rig.
Click to expand...

No one has mentioned stability yet. I aint no mudder, but I have seen plenty of those rigs on their side after catching a rut or hooking up on one side and going sideways.

I'm on 8" leafs up front with flips and 4" leafs in back and I wish my rig was a bit more stable off road. I can't imagine sitting on 12" leafs and doing anything fun with out worrying about 2 wheeling it.

Like the others have said, drop it down and maybe lose some sheet metal.

How bout some pics of the rig?
 
I'd vote to have the knuckles cut and turned and hydro assist. Or go rockwells...:sly:
 
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