Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => Tech Talk => Topic started by: newfie glass on December 04, 2011, 09:16:12 PM

Title: new project
Post by: newfie glass on December 04, 2011, 09:16:12 PM

trading my gti for a 95 k1500 4x4. Gonna have to lift it as i hate driving anything stock. ;D Anyone recommend me a cheap lift?

Title: Re: new project
Post by: Shearcon79 on December 04, 2011, 09:21:41 PM

I'm gonna guess that most guys on here won't know a whole lot about Chevy lift kits :)

Title: Re: new project
Post by: newfie glass on December 04, 2011, 09:25:37 PM

ha ha ya i figured it was worth a shot.  ;)

Title: Re: new project
Post by: hps4evr on December 04, 2011, 09:39:13 PM

i did a few lifts on those trucks a few years ago. anything over 3" will just space your ifs down so you can put bigger tires on it. it doesnt add wheel travel or better suspension performance. if the kit adds nice shocks then sure, it will change the peformance. some of them use better ways of dropping the torsion bars, or not dropping them at all. sadly, unless you spend big bucks on a highend long travel kit, or a solid axle swap, you're not going to get much in the better performance for cheap. what you can do on the cheap is try torsion bar keys, a body lift, or bushwacker cut out flares. or combine all these things and use a better quality shock/damper. the rear is easy enough to do blocks, add a leaf, or leaf packs, shackle flip too maybe. im not a gm guy and i never cared much for the suspension on these trucks, or the aftermarket that follows them.
look at superlift,skyjacker, fabtech, rcd, for ifs kits. most any shop in this city can get these. 
off road design deals in gm stuff, and off road unlimited does solid axle swap kits.
good luck

Title: Re: new project
Post by: newfie glass on December 04, 2011, 10:05:15 PM

thanks for the info. sounds like the 3" mark is where ill start.

Title: Re: new project
Post by: esi on December 05, 2011, 12:08:05 AM

I've done quite a few GM trucks. I prefer Fabtech, no drop brackets for the top A-arms and new spindles. Or Rough Country makes a non torsion bar drop kit.  Leveling kits are CRAP don't waste your money on one.
   They  will wear out CV axles quickly, plus if the truck has some torque you can hit the drop stops on hard acceleration. Instead of indexed key just buy a longer bolt for the stock keys, and be prepared to replace shocks regularly.
   Skyjacker makes a 3" kit that's a real kit, but any IFS kit won't be cheap.


Here's the last one I owned
(http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu96/esind/octandback130.jpg)
6" fabtech on 35s