Ok so from what I understand here cranking your t bars is bad on your car correct? if this is true why does everyone say its the best way to lift a blazer besides the fact its cheapest? and plus you say you can only go 1.5 in...what if a person is looking for more? I figure for putting 31 tires i need a 2 in lift. the front needs 2-3 inch then just to cover what difference is there from a cars natural frontwards lean. I just want my blazer to be a little bit taller with bigger tires but it sounds like it is impossible to do. the rear is easy i guess just add the shackles to the back. or does this cause wear on something...where its just in the rear how does it wear on your leaf springs and such. the front sounds like a do not even go there type of thing. I figured the RC 2 in suspeion lift would be great but i just dont know anymore.

 

If you want to lift it to gain clearance for tires etc, do a body lift. The torsion bars are for adjusting front chassis ride height only, (the distance between two specific points of the suspension). Measurements have nothing to do with body height, although it is affected. If chassis ride height is out of spec, parts will wear faster...period.

 

Yeah, those are the shackles I bought and I've had them now for close to a year and have had no problems. And they gave the rear end almost the full 3 inched I was looking for.

 

98 zr2 blazer. ok, just did a t-bar crank - 5 turns = 1.25 inches of lift and 3 inch shackles, went down to the local firestone for alignment and paid $184 for a lifetime alignmnet, explained to the guy that what i did to the truck (shackles and t-bar mod). after the alignment, it drives the same and the steering wheel is off center. but i look under the truck and see that the camber adjusting bolts/cams havent been touched, the only thing he adjusted was toe (tie rod sleeves have been moved)! so my question is, even after the shackles and t-bar crank will the camber stay the same?

 

After inspecting steering linkage and suspension parts, checking and adjusting chassis ride height is the first thing a good alignment technician does when performing an alignment. Chassis ride height is the "foundation" for the alignment. He should also know that if ride height is out of specification, he's wasting his time and stealing your money on an alignment.

Torsion bar adjustments will affect ride height, camber and toe. Camber and toe adjustments will not affect ride height. That's why ride height needs to be correct BEFORE doing the alignment.

 

so, if its lifted then theirs no way to do a alignment is what your saying?

 

where did you get the shackles that you are using? also what is the centerline from hole to hole on the new shackles? thanks

 

If you need, or want, to lift the vehicle for tire clearance or whatever the reason, do a body lift, not a suspension lift. After the body lift is complete, have ride height checked/adjusted, and align the front end. This will give you the clearance or appearance that you want or need AND keep the suspension and steering linkage parts operating within the range of motion that they were designed to operate in.

 

I was talking to my uncle who has owned several off road vehicles and I was telling him that I really want to get into doing a lift. I told him I was thinking a body lift and he said that if I do that I would have to lengthen several things including steering knuckle, brake/gas levers, misc. wires and hoses. Is this true? If so, does a body lift kit include these modifications?

 

The steering shaft is expandable. The accelerator cable is flexible. The brakes are tied to the booster which is attached to the body. The brake lines between the ABS unit and the frame should have either coils or flexible sections in them allowing for some stretch from the lift and the wiring harnesses should all have sufficient slack to allow for it.