face lift...

[ahale2772]

im thinking about lifting my truck on the cheep my springs are good allaround but if I lift the front of the truck off the plow frame the springs will sag 4 inches before the tires lift off, i know that that cummins is heavvvyyy but i was wondering if i could do a home made add a leaf by combining some springs from another set? has anyone done that? also who makes blocks for the rear?

[GO OVRIT]

You can add springs if you want. It will stiffen the ride though. I've got some Kelderman front airbags that I'll sell. As far as the rear, depending on how much lift you want, you could use some factory 92/93 blocks. They are 6". 91s might use them too, I can't remember.

[ahale2772]

how do u rig the air bags?

[Ace]

There's a post in the COOL Projects section called "Need an Extra Inch?" that shows how to do a low cost front lift.

[ahale2772]

ace thos springs u have are they allready some kind of lift? i put a low miles set of springs on my truck but still rub 33inch bfg's 12.5 wide i wish i could make the springs no bend backwards...

[Ace]

Yes, they are the 2" Skyjackers. Running 34" Nitto tires now and they "just" fit with 3" total lift. Minor rub at the rear fender corner on turning atriculation.

[ahale2772]

hmm ok and those springs seem to handle the weight of the motor?

[Ace]

I think they've gone down about an inch in the 3 1/2 years I've owned it. Probably about 5 years since the PO installed them. An inch on the driver's side, I mean. maybe a half inch on the pass side. Normal I suppose, can't complain.

There's an extra leaf under the driver side now, as well.

[ahale2772]

anyone know what it takes to convert my rearend to a dually? new hubs and drums or just new hubs? are the axles themsselves the same

[ahale2772]

so next weekend im going to play truck, i have a spare set of 3 inch blocks that im going to throw in, they are the same as the 3 inch ones i have on now and im going to bust all the rust off of them and put them back on with new 4 inch longer u bolts, anyone vote i weld the 2 blocks together/ drill them out and bolt them together? i have never combined blocks so i dont know the dangers,
on the front im going to make a frankenstein pack and combine 1 single beefy leaf from a set of school bus springs to each pack on the front, im going to have to get creative, but i will doccument

[ahale2772]

so if anyone is interested here it is .....
i lifted the rear by going to my spring shop and having the guy making a 19inch set of ubolts for the back and threw those extra blocks in and WALAHH shes beauty, drive shaft angle is good brake hoses have blenty of room only thing i had to change was the location of the drivers side ebrake cable...


now the front....ugggh this was the side that gave me most trouble, my aproach was this, the stock springs were bent over and i didnt like the look of them, i has another set of fronts and tossed the idea around of just getting longer center bolts and adding the two packes together, but what i did was take 2 used sets of rear bluebird buss springs , both that had one leaf cracked but are total 15 leafs, 3/8 inch by 3.5 inch wide, i took 3 springs from those packs and added them under the main stock leaf.....sounds easy......


the issues i went throught were that 3.5 inch wide is much wider than our stock leafs so i had to gride off spots on the new leafs to make them fit, i know most of you would say this would weaken the spring but i think its miniscule....that is yet to be seen

final product....one of those days where u start at 8 and skip every meal and come back in at 10 oclock at night wearing the most filthy clothes that you promised your mom you wouldent get greesy...

results: the rear came out good (brought it up 4 inches) and was mega easy only thing i worry about is axle wrap when i hook up to a sled so im gona make some traction bars, the front was a pain to do but they make the truck look and ride better (before i could make the 33x12.5s rub easy) they are stiff but not too bad considering im 20 and have a relitivly young back

[Ace]

Good job! I always admire resourcefulness in making custom stuff.

[ahale2772]

thanks! i love being able to make my own stuff cant say it wont work till you try it