Lift kit question

[laneriverrunnerm1008]

Lot of good information here. Maybe someone could help. I have a 1986 Model Chevy M1008, 6.2 diesel, turbo 400 trans. rear locker, and a dana 60 front axle. I have been wanting to put a lift kit on for the longest. When ordering a lift for the truck, I am not sure if a 3/4 ton leaf pack will work on the dana 60. I would like to know the difference in front springs if any. I do know the dana 60 on the passenger side leaf pad uses studs instead of ubolt. Can anyone tell me the best or cheapest way to lift my truck 4" . I recently found a lift for sale made by rough country that's used for $200, that fits a 1ton chevy crew cab with a dana 44 in the front. Are the U bolts the only difference. Any advice would be appreciated. thanks

 

[my69camaro]

I put a rough country 6in on my 1008... listed as their 3/4ton setup... Front bolted right in, I had to track down the plates that sit above the rear springs in the rear that the ubolts go through... They are different on the 1ton trucks.

 

[laneriverrunnerm1008]

lift

I just got through reading the thread about the 52" spring swap, but I think instead of doing all that grinding drilling, and measuring I would rather just purchase a lift. Your answer helped, but is your m1008 have the dana 60 in the front. I called tech support at superlift and they told me that 3/4 ton leaf springs would work on my dana 60, I guess from what I keep hearing is that it will work. I just dont understand why when I look at lift kits, there is major difference in $ from 3/4 to 1 ton.

 

[dstang97]

Because of the different hardware you get. If I did not have a kit kicking around I would have just ordered a lift kit from a tuff country for a k30.

 

[scrambled]

Most companies make one set of leaf springs for all of the 73-87 trucks. They have the same lift. Big blocks and diesels tend to settle them faster. the difference is going to be in the hardware kit. the 3/4 ton will have ubolts to fit a dana 44 or 10 bolt. the one ton kit will have the dana 60 parts.

there are some companies who make a one ton spring for the 1008s. they usually only go 6 inches or so, but resist the weight of the 6.2 better. I personally like the ride of the half ton springs with the diesel sitting on them. I think it rides smoother.

 

[my69camaro]

I just got through reading the thread about the 52" spring swap, but I think instead of doing all that grinding drilling, and measuring I would rather just purchase a lift. Your answer helped, but is your m1008 have the dana 60 in the front. I called tech support at superlift and they told me that 3/4 ton leaf springs would work on my dana 60, I guess from what I keep hearing is that it will work. I just dont understand why when I look at lift kits, there is major difference in $ from 3/4 to 1 ton.

Yep, I have the Dana 60 also... Had to go to the local hardware store to get longer bolts that thread into the housing... Otherwise everything bolted up... You also need to get a dropped pitman arm because the bar they give you is for 10 bolts and dana 44s.

I got rough countrys all spring 6in kit, steering stabilizer, sway bar relocator, and dropped pitman arm and the total was right around $1,000 shipped...

Here it is on 37in TSL's..

 

[dstang97]

That is a nice truck I like that combo. The 2 ubolts for the drivers side are the same, but the 3rd for the passangers side is a different width but I made mine fit also.

 

[laneriverrunnerm1008]

Thanks for all the replies. So the lift kit for the dana 44 will work, just where the studs are located on the leaf perch, instead of the ubolt is the only difference. appreciate again all the help.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

As stated, just order one for a 1-ton truck. I found it just as easy to piece together a kit using 4" Tuff Country front springs with a ZeroRate and a 3" rear block, SS braided brake lines, shocks, etc. I got exaclty what I wanted and didn't have to get unneeded stuff like sway bar drops. I've never felt a difference with mine removed. Also, the HD Tuff Country springs are a heavier spring rate and my front hasn't settled much, even with the few hundred extra pounds of Cummins that's hanging between my frame rails.

I got all my stuff from Off Road Design. I did crossover steering too, great improvement over stock steering and you can't run a sway bar with crossover anyway.


Also, GM never made a 1-ton truck with a Dana 44 front.

 

[burbn10]

I just did this same size lift on my truck. Here is what I used. It was pretty reasonable.

Skyjacker 4" lift kit without rear springs
Skyjacker Nitro Shocks (Going to get Fox Shocks when I can afford them...)
Skyjacker 2-4" drop Pitman Arm
Skyjacker extended brake lines
Offroad Design HD front greasable shackles (optional - Mine stock ones were damaged)
Offroad Design Swaybar Disconnect kit (worth every penny)
Offroad Design 4" rear shackle flip kit (Keeps your stock springs and don't use blocks!)
Offroad Design HD rear greasable shackles

I think that was everything, but I am trying to put it together in my head again... The swaybar disconnect even helps your on-road ride by dropping the sway bar mounts to accommodate the lift kit. Those flip shackle kits from ORD are the best thing ever. I was able to keep my 1-1/4 ton rear springs and still get a 4" lift and better articulation! Really heavy duty mounts. I am running 37" Humvee tires and this setup is working awesome! Good luck to you!

 

[duffman1993]

Operation 1986 Chevy One Ton Army Truck - Petersens 4Wheel and Off-Road Magazine


CHeck this out.

 

[burbn10]

Operation 1986 Chevy One Ton Army Truck - Petersens 4Wheel and Off-Road Magazine


CHeck this out.

That is the exact truck I based mine off of!

 

[T_F_E]

You dont have the extend the brake line or drop the transfer case with a 4 inch lift right?

 

[skateabrock]

ok here it goes. If your looking for a good on-off road lift, heres what you need to do.

get some 4" lift springs and 1" zero rates in the front, no need for longer brake lines, you wont be THAT flexy. do yourself a favor when it comes to the steering and purchase a crossover steering kit from off road design, it comes with everything you need except a 2wd chevy steering box. this is a way better the factory "push-pull" steering. if you stick with the stock steering and get in a goofy off road angle you wont be able to steer very well. now onto the rear. KEEP YOUR STOCK SPRINGS! they will ride better then any aftermarket spring that you can ever buy. just to a shackle flip, the only thing that you will have to buy is cut off wheels for the spring hangers.

83' Chevy CUCV - Alaska 4x4 Network
look here for the shackle flip procedure.

or you can buy a kit at diy4x4.com (they also have the best zero rate out there, $40 shipped anywhere in the country)

btw, my cucv in my avitar has a shackle flip and 2" blocks in the rear and 6" springs and a zero rate in the front. Its sitting on 42" TSL's.

 

[skateabrock]

You dont have the extend the brake line or drop the transfer case with a 4 inch lift right?

no you dont, and you dont need a tcase drop for a 6" either.

 

[Cucvnut]

NEVER drop a t case do it right and get drive shafts. i disagree with not changing break lines you should get steel braided break lines. why keep a stock rubber one that's 25 years old and could break at any time. why keep stock rear springs that don't flex have a few to many over loads and keep the stock u bolts pointed down where that can get caught up on rocks and any thing else you climb over.

 

[skateabrock]

NEVER drop a t case do it right and get drive shafts. i disagree with not changing break lines you should get steel braided break lines. why keep a stock rubber one that's 25 years old and could break at any time. why keep stock rear springs that don't flex have a few to many over loads and keep the stock u bolts pointed down where that can get caught up on rocks and any thing else you climb over.

the rear springs may be old, all you have to do though is REMOVE the overloads and they will flex 100times better then any fullsize chevy lift spring that you can buy for the rear, and as for the ubolt plate, you can vary easily keep the stock rear springs and flip the ubolts, if you get the RIGHT size ubolts and dont have 5 inches of excess threads then it wont be a big deal anyway. i do agree with the brake line comment though, but if you need a cheap lift and the lines are fine, well then like your daddy always said, if it aint broke dont fix it.

 

[Cucvnut]

you dont know how to use a hack saw on a u bolt ?

 

[skateabrock]

you dont know how to use a hack saw on a u bolt ?

i do, but i dont need to because i buy the right ones in the beginning. so it makes no differance to me which way they mount.

 

[84cucv1ton]

tuff country is a great spring. i have 6 of there lift springs