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Superlift 12" - Who has and what's your take?

M

MuddinManny

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Hey Y'all,

My name is Manny and I have a 1983 K10 that I'm building up. I currently have Superlift's 8" suspension kit in the rig, running 39.5 Irok's. I am doing a whole modification of the truck, i.e., axles, gears, lockers, winch bumper, etc. I made the decision to move up to 12" lift to help clear the 39.5's and take on the added weight of Buckstop's front winch bumper and the Warn 16.5Ti (500 Lbs.) The truck is a DD/trail/MUD only. I don't do rocks.

I've done a little bit of searching here and for the little I found, the 12" kit seems to be 50/50 accepted. What is your take? 39.5's are the biggest I will run.

This is my first Chevy so after 20+ years of Toyota's, be a little understanding. :D What is your take?

Here is a pic of her as she sits right now:

Truck Pose 1.jpg

IMG%5D
Thanks!

Manny

Truck Pose 1.jpg
 
I've been told 6" in is the highest lift for the best front driveline angle. I dont like the idea of 12" springs myself. I'd either running bushwacker cutouts or a 3" body lift on top of the 8" you have now.

Are you running a 14bolt fullfloater in the rear now? If not I'd make that your first upgrade before more lift :D

oh btw... nice looking truck!
 
I know of a guy who has that lift on a show truck. He drives it to the shows and he says it pretty scary. Since it's a shortbed that probably doesn't help either. He didn't go crossover so his draglinks are all sorts of goofy to make it work. Seems to me like a lot of wasted effort and I thikn he kinda feels the same way.

Bigger isn't always better. 8" suspension is the biggest I would ever go. I have another friend who has 8'' suspension and 3" body and he fits 42's with cut fenders, and all he did was play in the mud. Same guy also had a CC/LB with a 16" suspension and almost rolled it over.

I say go 8" and leave it at that.
 
I think that with only 39" tires and the skinny stance of your truck you will not be happy with it. It takes a wide stance to make the truck stable. Like my blazer is as wide as it is tall.
 
Had one - hated it. Unless you're gonna strictly run mud I would advise against anything more than what you have. For any use as DD or Trail you will be unhappy. You might as well weld solid steel between your axle and your frame because those springs do NOT flex at all... they ride like an empty lumber wagon on the street and will leave you extremly tipsy on anything even slightly off camber on the trail. I took it on the trail 1 time before I said screw this and went for a lower, flexier suspension. The trail was a level 2 trail and nearly tipped it 3 times, then busted the front driveshaft before getting towed out of the mountains because just to simply keep it straight on the trail I had to work the crappy steering (that comes with the superlift system) lock to lock.

I don't want to disuade you from doing what you want to your truck, but from my experience it is not a good idea to have suspension that tall. Most people on this forum will agree.

My opinion is if you're happy with the suspension you have, get the bigger meats and bust out the :hack:
 
Id add a body lift to clear a little more tire- a 12" lift is hard to hook up a reasonably prieced front driveline on - and the rear shaft is tough if you drive allot down the freeway- Jess
 
I'd say cut the fender wells but yours is a nice looking truck for that- Mine is a rat- it was not hard to do- :)- Jess

Picture_651.jpg
 
Hey Y'all,

Okay, I got the message. I need to dump the 12" I have on order and I'm going to drop down to the 10" kit. I'm not a fan of body lifts. I appreciate the words of advice and will follow. I don't want to make a mistake.

Jess, thanks! We talked the other day. I hear ya loud and clear. Hopefully 10" will be a bit different.

Thanks!

Manny
 
ive got ~9" suspension lift and 39.5 iroks and thats probably the tallest i would ever go, except maybe a 1" bodylift to rotate the t-case. definitely convert ot cross over steering. for a while when i had 8" and 35's i used a raised steering arm and drop draglink and it was scary. the next tire i get maybe a 42, to keep my highway rpms down since ive got 5.13s and will be doing a diesel swap.

DSCN0549.JPG
 
it's still going to ride rough and be as bad as the 12" lift. i had 8" lift springs and they were very rough.
 
ive got 12" lift with 3" body and run 44"s and yeah it rides rough but i just air down to help with the ride.
 
MuddinManny said:
Hey Y'all,

Okay, I got the message. I need to dump the 12" I have on order and I'm going to drop down to the 10" kit. I'm not a fan of body lifts. I appreciate the words of advice and will follow. I don't want to make a mistake.

Jess, thanks! We talked the other day. I hear ya loud and clear. Hopefully 10" will be a bit different.

Thanks!

Manny
Click to expand...
Seems pointless to spend money on a 10" when its only 2" higher then what you have. Get some zero-rates for additional 1" and then 1" body lift. Or an AAL for the rear, bushwacker cutouts etc. Theres alot of ways to get 2 more inches and they'll be alot cheaper.
 
zeroz400 said:
Seems pointless to spend money on a 10" when its only 2" higher then what you have. Get some zero-rates for additional 1" and then 1" body lift. Or an AAL for the rear, bushwacker cutouts etc. Theres alot of ways to get 2 more inches and they'll be alot cheaper.
Click to expand...

You are exactly right, however, I discovered the other day that my rear Superlift springs are busted. I need to replace them. So I figured I might as well get the components I need and raise it a few. I should have said that earlier. I'm holding the line at 10".

I am doing crossover steering. I may do high-steer.

Thanks again to everyone who offered their input. I appreciate it. I hope you'll enjoy the buildup and the forth coming pictures of my truck covered in Texas MUD!

Manny
 
post some pics of the buckstop once you get it on please, im looking at the bumper as well but man they want a pretty penny for it.
 
I had a 12" lift, they do ride too rough for a DD, if your rear springs are busted, get rear 6" springs and a shackle flip for the back. That would give you 10", then just add a 1" zero rate add-a-leaf and 1" lift shackles to the front. Like that you'd get a better riding truck for a DD plus the 10" lift you want. Just my 2 cents.
 
if you want the flex of your springs. yet you dont want all the hassles of a 12" then i would add some zero-rates in the front and a bigger block (if your not using blocks then you can do a zero-rate in the rear to) that gives you 9" and get yourself a body lift... thats 12" total lift... you should be good.
 
hmm, i have the same tires, a little trim and run only 4" of lift. I liked the flex offered by the 6" lift i had on my last ruck and ran 38's with that one.
 
8" BDS springs front, 6" BDS springs rear with 4" shackle flip and a 3" body lift with GOODYEAR MT/R 40"

2006-05-09 01-16-03_0004.JPG
 
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