lift

[cragle21]

i have an ext. cab short box, 99 chevy 6.5. im lookin for a lift for it and i only want to go 2''-4'' w/o breakin the bank. any suggestions?

[madmatt]

nos sure what the 2"-4" has to do with a lift But I"ve got a 12K two post Rotary that I wouldn't trade for the world. Even if you don't go that big,, Buy a Rotary. A 9K two post will lift a crew cab/ drw safely but it is a little hairy tugging on one overhead while it's swaying back and forth. http://www.rotarylift.com/default.aspx

[Mark Rinker]

My truck is in the shop, and I need a lift to work tomorrow.

[JohnC]

You guys are joking, right?

I don't know squat about lift kits. Factory ride height is good enough for me, but maybe someone knowledgable and serious will chime in...

[Mark Rinker]

I was joking re the obvious miscommunication, but forgot the ;)...maybe moving this thread to the 6.5 forum would help?

Like you, I know nothing about suspension lifts...or shop lifts...

[Robyn]

The IFS trucks are real fussy when it comes to lifts.

To do it right costs $$$$.

The 4x4 shops sell some nice ones but they will definately make the bank groan a lot.

I had a 92 Burb with a lift under it. The truck was about 12" OVER STD RIDE HEIGHT This included the tires too.

All the brackets and stuff to ddo the front end is where the cost comes in.

Some folks try to get a couple of so by screwing the adusters on the torsion bars. NOOOOOOOOO dont do it. Bad plan.

The older rigs with springhs was easy, ya just add a little a little blocking or some higher arched springs.

Its prudent to do it right no matter the type of suspension you have.

Hard to look cool when it comes apart.

Have fun

Missy Robyn

[DaveBr]

For a 2" lift you need to buy the 2" blocks that go between the rear springs & diff. You will need new U bolts. After you have done this you can crank up your torsion key's to raise the front 2". When you have the satisfactory height you will need to take your truck for a complete 4 wheel alignment. If you go this route the truck will ride very rough but you said you wanted the budget version. If you can spend the bucks for after market torsion key's your truck will ride much smoother. This would be the proper way to do it. There is no way out of the 4 wheel alignment.

[JohnC]

Don't spend the money on the torsion keys. They're snake oil.

[DmaxMaverick]

Don't spend the money on the torsion keys. They're snake oil.

Ditto. The control arms are the limiting factor. Adjusting the torsion bars beyond what the OEM torsion bar cams are capable of changes the suspension geometry well beyond design limits.

A properly designed and installed front suspension lift is the only practical option, and there's really no cheap way around it. A 2" lift is past the limit of OEM suspension parts. 1.5" is OK, 1.75" is pushing it. Some folks have done what is not recommended, and have had success. Luck, IMO, and the exception, not the rule.

[DaveBr]

Don't spend the money on the torsion keys. They're snake oil.

My son just lifted his 93 about a month ago. He bought the AM keys but cranked his stock ones up with success so far. I will get him to read this thread and hopefully he can return them. He bought them from a reputable shop that has been in business for a long time. They told him it would make his truck ride like it did before he tightened the torsion bars.

[DmaxMaverick]

All the torsion bar cams (keys) do is twist the torsion bars. It doesn't matter which cams you have installed, they cannot change the suspension geometry. They can ONLY effect the torsion bar preload. More preload is NOT better ride, no matter how you slice it.

[crashz]

I crankd my torsion bars up slightly on my 04 1/2 ton. Partially to level it and partially to help carry the weight of the snowplow. Unloaded, it gets a bouncy, but the ride is not bad at all.

Cranking them to the stops is a good way to wear ou the half shafts. Even a slight adjustment prematurely wears the bearings in the axle housing. I know cause I have to replace mine.

A budget lift that can allow bigger tires without ride discomfort and drivetrain issues would be a body lift. Just don't cheap out. Do it right, get a good kit and use poly bushings. Years ago, some idiots found that hockey pucks drilled out work as body lifts. They found out the hard way that is not a good idea.

[DaveBr]

My son installed the new keys even though we read and discussed this thread. He tells me his ride is softer and he is able to get as much as 2 1/2" of lift but is sticking with 2". He is pleased with the results and It's hard to argue with results. Don't shot the messenger - just passing on the results.

[agidius]

For a 2" lift you need to buy the 2" blocks that go between the rear springs & diff. You will need new U bolts. After you have done this you can crank up your torsion key's to raise the front 2". When you have the satisfactory height you will need to take your truck for a complete 4 wheel alignment. If you go this route the truck will ride very rough but you said you wanted the budget version. If you can spend the bucks for after market torsion key's your truck will ride much smoother. This would be the proper way to do it. There is no way out of the 4 wheel alignment.

I laughed out loud when I read this.
I cannot imagine my 6.5 TD K1500 suburban being ANY rougher than the stock ride it has now.
any drink in a cupholder must be non-carbonated and in a closed bottle because it WILL bounce out on bumps too small to see coming.

I want to put 35x12.50 tires on it and am looking for a less than expensive lift.
thought about adjusting/replacing torsion keys, but I am starting to believe my best route is body lift.

I also want to get a ranch hand style bumper down the road.
will that sort of thing work with a body lift??