My new toy

[Navy75]

So for the last few months I have been eyeballing this suburban sitting around town. I have a 82 k5 now but need more room for family wheeling (5 kids between the long time girlfriend and I).
So today I finally bit the bullit and picked it up. It's and 88 with a injected 350, sitting on a 4 inch lift (blocks in the rear). Motor is real strong and no smoke at this point. One of the first things I will have to upgrade/fix is the axles. The PO put a semi float in the rear but left a 6 lug 10 bolt in the front. Fortunately I have a 14ff/d44 combo laying around to stuff under it. I would also like to get rid of the blocks in the rear and go with one of kerts shackle flips and a set of 63 inch springs. Are there any problems I will run into with this setup? what size flip and shackle should I get to keep it at about the 4 inch lift?
pictures will follow later tonight when I get it home.

 

[DeviousK5]

Id say pick up the 4in shackle flip to start with. .You will figure out how long of a shackle you need after mocking it all up. As for the 63's there are a few different sets out there. Being a burb id be inclined to start with atleast the 4plus overload set .When i did my 63's i pulled the 52's out and compared free height of the spring , they were close so i thought i was golden. The spring rate is a bit different so the spring flattened out a bit more(than the 52's) once installed. My goal was 6in of lift and no more saggy ass. I ended up going a 4in shackle flip and a 9 in belltech shackle, but i dont think I'd ecommend them, they're cheap but not really beefy lookin and id bet id fold em once i get more seat time. For 4in im bettin you will have a 6-7in shackle depending if you like that saggy ass look.

BTW if and when you do the 63 swap, Lots of pics please. Especially those concearning what you did about the front spring eye location , and any other issues. Ive looked at the frames of same era P/U's and it looks way easier (frame taper not present @ the intended front spring eye location) than my K5 was. And the chackle flip location seemed easier as well(no dip in the frame where the lower 2 bolts are supposed to go)

 

[Navy75]

Id say pick up the 4in shackle flip to start with. .You will figure out how long of a shackle you need after mocking it all up. As for the 63's there are a few different sets out there. Being a burb id be inclined to start with atleast the 4plus overload set .When i did my 63's i pulled the 52's out and compared free height of the spring , they were close so i thought i was golden. The spring rate is a bit different so the spring flattened out a bit more(than the 52's) once installed. My goal was 6in of lift and no more saggy ass. I ended up going a 4in shackle flip and a 9 in belltech shackle, but i dont think I'd ecommend them, they're cheap but not really beefy lookin and id bet id fold em once i get more seat time. For 4in im bettin you will have a 6-7in shackle depending if you like that saggy ass look.

BTW if and when you do the 63 swap, Lots of pics please. Especially those concearning what you did about the front spring eye location , and any other issues. Ive looked at the frames of same era P/U's and it looks way easier (frame taper not present @ the intended front spring eye location) than my K5 was. And the chackle flip location seemed easier as well(no dip in the frame where the lower 2 bolts are supposed to go)

I currently have a set of 63's out of a 93 3/4 ton burb that i was going to use. the current springs in the 88 are half tons. I hate the saggy assed look on a truck and i actually wouldn't mind a stiffer spring rate for towing a camper.
i will be doing the swap sometime after the first of the year. I was just reading a post the other day (I can't remember by who) that talked about if the front hanger stayed in the stock location there would be issues with clearing the fuel tank. so deffinately something I need to watch out for

 

[Navy75]

and I will take plenty of pics and start a thread on how I did the swap.

 

[Navy75]

My new toy...with a few pics

Finally able to put a couple pics up. They are kinda crappy, taken with my cell phone. Not a bad deal for $800 IMHO.
of course all the stickers are going to have to go away