lifting?
 

i was debating on doing the t bar cranks and was wondering how much bigger of shackles do i need? also what are the ups and downs of doing t bar cranks, like what can it hurt? how much can you turn the t bars? i have a 98 s10 blazer ls with 200,000 miles on the engine and roughly 45,000 miles on the tranny. i dont wanna put to much strain on it but if you guys think that the tbars and shackles would be a bad route, how about a 2" body lift like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-98-...Q5fAccessories

and what are the ups and downs of just a 2" body lift? i mainly just want a little higher ride, i normally drive around town with this vehicle but i do like to throw it hell messing around in mud. just to let you know i'm 17 and i would be doing all the work at home so i want something relatively easy if you guys have any other ideas for small lifts.

LOTS of info on everything you want to know, so here it is in a nutshell:

Basic 1.5 - 2" T-bar crank
Pros: more lift, can fit 31" tires. Looks good on S-series trucks

Cons: with a wider stance (if you change rims) you may rub the fenders when wheeling, meaning you'd have to trim a little. Excess wear and tear on your CV joints and other front end parts like balljoints. In some cases shops havn't been able to get the alignment "spot on" after a t-bar crank, this seems to depend on the truck though. 2" lift kits are available and remedy this problem, as well as the balljoint wear problem IIRC. Your CV joints will still take a **** kicking though.

For the rear you'd need a 4" leaf spring shackle to (2" taller than the 2" stockers) You'll need longer shocks most likely (but most still run their stock shocks)

If you want a better ride some people have swapped out for ZR2 torsion bars (a little stiffer)


Body Lifts

They lift the body off the frame enough for you to fit bigger tires... essentially you're not gaining as much ground to frame clearance as you would with a susp lift. BUT if it's your daily driver/street queen that you're just lifting for looks then body lifts may be the better choice for you. Reason being is you maintain your STOCK front suspsension geometry, meaning you're not putting any stress on the front suspension, maintaining the longevity of your front end parts.

Keep searching the forums, and welcome!

EDIT: Performance Accessories makes a good lift, just download the install instructions from BDS and you'll be golden if you go that route... guys will run BL's with T-bar cranks to clear the 31's better and avoid trimming.

Check out the lifted section for additional info.

^^^^ What they said! ^^^^

i have the body and suspension on my 95 blazer i put a 2in boby lift on first and was not happy with the look so i got a 2in suspension and put it on it does not look bad with the body lift tho u will be able to c thru the frame and u might have to take off the lower shroud on the bottom of the fan when u do that check ur oil lines bc they are very close to ur fan i bent mine down a little i dont know if u will have to do those things bc of ur year and mine also i was only able to fit 30 x 9.50s on mine with just the body lift 31s would rub if u want to c just the body lift i have pics http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3805403