I've been looking at lift kits and have noticed that the 5-6" kits include bracketry to drop the differential. I know this helps to reduce the wear on the front end parts, does anyone know if it's possible to just buy the drop bracketry without buying the whole suspension kit?

 

The bracket pretty much is the kit

 

What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

 

He is probably thinking of having a machined block under the passenger-side tube and some kind of plate on the driver's-side that will drop the front diff a couple inches to set the driveline angles back to near stock if you do a t-bar crank. I'd like to. I think the biggest obstacle is the front crossmember and actually stepping it down enough to use real bolts in there. Clearance is an issue. You can swing the front diff down some, but I don't know if it's enough to throw in some plate and still get bolts in there. Still looking.....

 

Ok so you solve the issue by correcting the angle of the cv axles, but now what do you do about the balljoints? Please remember that not only does the front diff get lowered to keep everything at stock angles but so does the control arms. This is why those 5" and 6" kits include a new crossmember to relocate those items. It's easier to just purchase those kits and have your truck done on a weekend verus wasting time trying to figure out how make things work. If this truck isn't your daily driver then by all means go ahead and hack into it. But if its your daily, I really wouldnt reccomend trying to figure out a "cheap way" to get a suspension lift. If there was such a thing, everybody would be doing it.

On a side note like doug state above, if you are looking to drop it 2". You are going to have a tough time trying to bolt it up in a new location. Plus you are exposing your diff to get damaged. Thats why BDS and Superlift have those belly pans because it acts as a skid plate to protect the front diff and to make it look clean under there as well. lol

 

Well I have been looking at the two inch kits and people have been saying that they wear out the cv's pretty often. I noticed that the bigger kits come with the drop bracketry, so I was just thinking of buying or making smaller drop brackets that can be combined with the 2" kit. That way, the new control arms in the kit will solve the ball joint problem, and dropping the diff would fix the cv angles. It was really just a thought.

 

Another issue is the prop shaft, it will be on an angle and it will require that you modify the exhaust y pipe. What you have to do is figure out a way to go above the prop shaft if theres room but if there isn't then the y pipe will hang too low and you run the risk of crushing it while offroading. I'm just trying to give you a heads up as to what issues you face before you start this project. Hate to see another thread of someone parting out their truck because the install went wrong.

 

All the points mentioned above seem valid, but we're 'discussing' the feasibility of such.

Lets get something straight - no innovation and creativity are explored if everyone buys the boxed fix for what they want. Perhaps even a box fix for their specific want doesn't exist. That's why folks subscribe to a do-it-yourself forum such as this. We good now....

I am not sure dropping the front diff an inch or so (if that is possible) would see the front DS getting into the exhaust. I can use a string to check angles.

This whole thing might not be possible or even be futile, but it's worth exploring. Obviously the ZR2s/Hi-riders were specifically equipped to have lift they came with using simple, but not transferable stuff.

I am not worried about ball-joint angles on my 1.5" t-bar lift. If I could just buy some upper control arms (and just that) that could allow for more range of alignment then I would get those. If it's feasible to drop the front diff an inch or so without compromise, then I'd try that too. It's the nature of hot rodding.

I have no desire or need for a 6" lift. I don't want to spend $2,000 on a lift. Many others are in the same boat as I. The aftermarket hasn't stepped up with a solution that really caters to what seems to be a significant market. More has been done to cater to smaller markets. 33s would be nice, but a bit big for my young family to deal with on my daily-driver/toy Jimmy.

I'd pay for a box kit that'd do what I want.

 

The problem with what you are proposing is that you will get things running into each other. The 5"+ kits relocate everything low enough so that they don't interfere with the stock brackets. The 4" Trailmaster kit I have seen posted requires the removal of stock differential mounting brackets so going back to stock is out of the question.

If you completely wipe your frame clean of all suspension/diff mount points and start over 1" lower, then you'll be good to go. But that is a LOT of work and not the typical DIY thing. It takes a lot of knowledge, experience, time, & equipment to do properly/safely. That is why no one has "stepped up" to provide such a suspension lift.

Besides, you can bridge the gap between the larger suspension lifts and the t-bar crank by going with a body lift.

 

I dont know where you heard about the CV shafts wearing out, but mine have been in my truck since I did the lift a few years ago. Hell, the one boot has been torn for about a year now and Ive been offroad with it many times and its still fine lol.

I dont think you have ever seen all of the peices that make a suspension lift possible. One look at that and youll think twice about making a suspension lift the size(lift) of a body lift.