Lift torsion bars??

[trailblazr81]

So Rough Country has replacement torsion bars that give a 1.5" lift. How do they achieve this lift? Will it be like cranking torsion bars where it alters wheel travel and affect ride quality?
Im asking because Im looking at getting a 88-92 Silverado or 92-94 Blazer but want to use the new (less than 2000 miles) 35x12.5x15 BFG M/T's I have on my current truck (73 K20). Im looking at maybe a 3" body lift then some type of ssupension lift of 1-2" then have my friend make the tires fit.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I had a '92 Blazer K1500 with at differing times a Rancho 2-3" lift (avoid these types of lifts at all costs) and then just cranked torsion bars...

Honestly, I say put the body lift on and leave the suspension alone. Cut to fit 35's. The half ton IFS is iffy with 33's and wheeling and on borrowed time with 35's and any use. I wore out so much crap because of the cranked T-bars it was stupid. You might consider putting in the heavier weight t-bars just for a bit more "sag resistance" but I wouldn't put them much higher than stock. Those front ends just aren't all that durable and cranking them really puts everything that much further into the "danger zone".

People have done 35's using 315/75R16's on the stock 16x7 rims, 3" body lifts, and minor trimming. I'd imagine something similar could be done with 35x12.5R15's if you put them on rims with a lot of backspacing (factory is 5.5" so you'd need at least 4.5") and no wider than 8". Put them on 15x10's or standard 15x8's with 3.75" of backspacing or so and it's time to REALLY cut the fenders. There's also not as much metal to cut on the IFS trucks as there is on the SFA trucks. You're kinda limited.

 

[trailblazr81]

My cousin had a 92 Z71 with 4" susp. and 3" body lift running 36" swampers. He wheeled the piss out of it in mud, jumping it, etc. with stock motor. He broke a tie rod and eventually the rear end doing a smokey burnout from dirt to pavement. I dont plan to be as reckless and am confident it can handle the use it will see. Im more interested in the TBI motor, better ride of IFS and not have to ditch these almost new tires.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I wore out...let's see if I can remember it all...at least three idler arms (all the good Moog ones), most of the steering gear at least once (some of it twice), never could hold an alignment, one set of wheel bearings, some seal in the front axle, the front axle engager dohickey, and when I sold it the whole front axle and steering assembly was loose or just "not right."

All with a truck that I bought with about 50k on the clock and sold with 102,000 miles on it 4 years later. I wheeled it pretty good those four years in SoCal but rarely was it anything that you'd think it shouldn't have handled. Oh yeah, it was on 285/75R16 tires (33x11.25R16).
I loved everything about that truck except for the front suspension and steering.

Oh yeah, the years you mention had the 2 bolt idler arm. Try looking for a 93-95 TBI truck/Blazer/Yukon/Tahoe with the 3 bolt idler, much beefier. I dunno if anyone's figured out how to put a 3 bolt idler on the 2 bolt trucks, since 2002 I have been out of that game.

 

[trailblazr81]

I believe I read somewhere about some adapter/kit to use the 3 bolt idler arm on a 2 bolt truck. I plan to just use the truck for camping, up to the snowy mountains in winter and to lake in Summer. Maybe find a mud hole once in a while. Maybe I'll just try to find a rig that already has a 4" suspension lift on it. Alot of mall cruisers with pretty wheels around these parts. But I dont want something sky-high.