I just picked up a rusted out piece of junk '89 K5 (or should I say V5?). In about 10 years when I am done fixing the rust (or swapping on a different body) I plan to lift it about 7" to clear 38-40" tires with some fender trimming. The vehicle will be a semi-daily driver and mudder, trail rider, and occasional rockcrawler. Here is my plan:
Body: 1” Body Lift
Up Front:
Stock or 2” lift 52” springs with about 6” shackles and maybe a 1” zero rate add-a-leaf.
Out Back:
Stock 64” springs with 6” shackles, an ORD 4” shackle flip, and maybe a 1” zero rate add-a-leaf.
Questions:
Pros and cons of this plan?
How is my math? Will this get me in the 7” total lift range?
Pros and cons of 52” front and 64” rear springs in general?
How far off center are the pins in those springs?
As long as I am moving at least one spring hanger on each end of the truck (and redoing steering, shocks, brake lines, and driveshafts), should I increase the wheelbase a little? Is a longer wheelbase, and shorter overhangs worth the higher probability of high centering? It doesn’t look like I could move the rear axle back much without hitting the gas tank, but with crossover steering the front could go forward a little. ORD’s zero rate add-a-leaf look like the easy way to make small wheelbase changes.
Does anybody run 56” front springs? It looks like there would be enough room.
Any issues with swapping in a D60 front and 14 bolt with this setup in the future after I have blown up my ten bolts?
Body: 1” Body Lift
Up Front:
Stock or 2” lift 52” springs with about 6” shackles and maybe a 1” zero rate add-a-leaf.
Out Back:
Stock 64” springs with 6” shackles, an ORD 4” shackle flip, and maybe a 1” zero rate add-a-leaf.
Questions:
Pros and cons of this plan?
How is my math? Will this get me in the 7” total lift range?
Pros and cons of 52” front and 64” rear springs in general?
How far off center are the pins in those springs?
As long as I am moving at least one spring hanger on each end of the truck (and redoing steering, shocks, brake lines, and driveshafts), should I increase the wheelbase a little? Is a longer wheelbase, and shorter overhangs worth the higher probability of high centering? It doesn’t look like I could move the rear axle back much without hitting the gas tank, but with crossover steering the front could go forward a little. ORD’s zero rate add-a-leaf look like the easy way to make small wheelbase changes.
Does anybody run 56” front springs? It looks like there would be enough room.
Any issues with swapping in a D60 front and 14 bolt with this setup in the future after I have blown up my ten bolts?
