O.K. everyone im in the thought process of wanting to lift my truck..
so if anyone has a 5 or 6 " lift, i think from BDS, Trailmaster, or Superlift
please chime in, I know the lifts are around $2000+ install, I just need to
know which lift you decided on and why, and total cost after install.
And the good and bad that you have sofar found with the kit....
Oh,and tire size
Thanks,
Robert

 

Ok i went with the bds 5" lift. The kit cost me 1800.00
The kit wasnt to bad to install it took me two days with one part rime helper.

Setbacks were as follows.....
The rear stabilizers need to be replaced or extended.....80 for new...i cut mine in half and made up the dif by welding in steel pipe.
i needed 6 degree axle shims to correct the driveline...30.00 i think...pain was i didnt know till after i was done with the lift.
driveshaft had to be rebalanced 50.00....corrected vibrations
alignment...ASAP...i was gonna get new tires anyway so i but that off for couple days...thank god i was getting new tires...it chewed them up real fast.
I think that was all.

So lift and all that i needed afterwards you could say 2100 or so
my. Tires are now 33's. But i also have a body lift and torsion crank and shackles.

But after all that its been almoat a year and i still love pulling up next to a stock blazer at a light and looking at their faces.....soooo worth it.

 

Wart,
im guessing that the usual cutting on the front diff. is normal
was there any welding needed... and was the cutting in the front
pretty straight forward!!
thanks

 

I got a trailmaster, $500 off Craig's list. Had to fab some stuff that the guy didn't give me and some stuff was welded, but couldnt complain for the price. If I had to do it again I'd probably do a solid axel in the front. There are some kits online that are comparable in price.

 

no welded was needed other than the rear stabilizers...which i did that way because it was cheaper.

trimming the front dif wasnt too bad and you have to do it to get it back in.

i also would have done solid axle if i had the time and donor axles.

but, i had neither....i am not disappointed in the lift.
its just apple vs oranges i guess....they are both round and will look similar from a dist.

i just believe that if i were to abuse my ride on hard trails a solid axle would be a better choice.
i guess it depends on what your going to do with it. i only occasionally go in the woods...mine is still my daily so i cant beat it to hard.

 

10-4 on the daily driver, I currently have the tipical torsion bar,shackle
body lift going, with 31"s, but damn would another 3-4" total inches and
some 35" look bitchin,.... i can fit 35" cant i ??
dont forget the locker in the front also..... oh yea..

 

you might be able to fit 35s if you want to do some trimming. my 33s rub once in a while. If i were to do it again i would also go with a sas just for the strength but the ifs lifts are fine unless you really plan on beating on it. I have definatly put mine to the test. It has been airborne numerous times and has taken a lot of hard hits. Also i wouldnt get a locker for the front diff. Unless you can find a diff with an iron housing. The aluminum cases like to crack under the extreme load a locker can put them on

 

If you plan on 35s and a front locker start buying parts for a sfa. I've had s-series with 33s and imho that's too big and unless its a street queen its gonna break.

The price of ords leaf spring kit is low enough and dana 30s are easy to find. Its just not worth messing with a weak ifs with a poor design.

 

Neo71665, Trust me i have thought long and hard on the
sfa, and if i could see one done or atleast see a DIY or something
i would think more seriously about it... the other delimma is the
down time, im thinking, even with all the parts and equipment
and knowledge, i will still be looking at a week or longer w/o
vehichle..... the options are long and many...
do you or have you seen any SFA's in person??
Robert

 

Ill be running the bds 5" kit, I already have a 2" body lift, ill be running 35s and ill need to trim my fenders