"While I'm in There" with TC 4" Lift

[rook]

Forget it... Taxes coming back, decision made: keep the K2500 and get it where I want it.

4" Lift
NV4500 conversion
TBI to port EFI conversion
Head/cam/manifold upgrade
clean tan leather interior conversion with sound deadening.

It doesn't feel like it's too much to ask. I should be able to find straight bolt-on stuff for what I'm wanting. I'm going to build some momentum with stuff I know I can do and keep going for all the rest!

So first job: 4" lift. I'm going Tuff Country #14854 (I've got stamped lower control arms). I'm getting a kit with gas shocks. While I'm in there, what else needs to get done? I'm thinking new bushings, but what else? Never done a lift before. Any advice? What I've done so far, not much really:

New hubs
New CV's (both boots ripped on a great weekend in the hills)
New disks, calipers, pads
A bunch of other maintenance stuff...

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[camaroman101]

That Suburbans clean, its gonna look great after the lift. Depending on the lift and instructions, some people change out the brake lines to stainless braided instead of bending them. Gonna change tire sizes?

 

[rook]

Brake lines. Yeah, there you go. Probably good to go with that too.

I've got some 265/60/20's on it now - they're a little taller than what was on it in the picture. I wanted some 10ply tires.

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[shovelbill]

go with greasable bushings from Off Road Design.......

consider the shackle flip for the rear too.....

http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/88-98-6lug.htm

 

[Jorge6.5]

Ball joints?

 

[aaronb]

^
Id also replace the tie rods,idler arm and pitman arm as well since you'll have it all torn apart.

 

[rook]

I've seen this before, but "while I'm in there" hell why not go for OBS to NBS brakes? I've seen a number of threads with the 2001-11 NBS knuckle used with some modification - does anyone know if the 2015-16 knuckle can also be used with our CV and upper/lower control arm geometry? If so, seems like I could use a reamer to fit the lower control arm ball just like 2001-11

NBS/OBS thread:
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/...ech/452330-obs-to-nbs-k2500-hub-swap-possible

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[83GMCK2500]

I've seen this before, but "while I'm in there" hell why not go for OBS to NBS brakes? I've seen a number of threads with the 2001-11 NBS knuckle used with some modification - does anyone know if the 2015-16 knuckle can also be used with our CV and upper/lower control arm geometry? If so, seems like I could use a reamer to fit the lower control arm ball just like 2001-11

NBS/OBS thread:
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/...ech/452330-obs-to-nbs-k2500-hub-swap-possible

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Did you read this post? http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/...k2500-hub-swap-possible?p=5337554#post5337554

I used 99/00 spindles on mine when I did the swap, had the upper and lower ball joint holes reamed.

 

[rook]

Did you read this post? http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/...k2500-hub-swap-possible?p=5337554#post5337554

I used 99/00 spindles on mine when I did the swap, had the upper and lower ball joint holes reamed.

I did. There is a dead link to the Ponykiller thread though, the one above doesn't have a lot of specifics - good pictures though. I have an opportunity to get my hands on some 2015-16 knuckles on the cheap left over from a new lift - that's why I'm wondering if they work. I might just pull the trigger because I have an extra CV, I don't have an old hub but I might be able to get my hands on one... If the hubs are the same circumference as the 2015-16 and the geometry isn't way off seems like it would work similarly to the prior GMT800 style.

 

[83GMCK2500]

It's not a Ponykiller thread specifically (he only has one actual thread that he's started and it's about heads), it's that giant "96-99 Vortec 454 owners?" thread and I've searched his posts in there, no mention of front brakes. Here is his profile: http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/member/12529-ponykiller87 The biggest hurdle is the tie rod taper, the ball joint taper is easy to correct, 2"-per-foot tapered reamer and enlarge them to the GMT400 BJ stud diameters. The tie rod taper on the 99/00 GMT800 knuckles is the same as ours, so it's a direct swap. I cannot find (right now, but still looking) The 01+ tierod specs, IIRC they're bigger so you would need a tapered sleeve to bring the holesize down to ours.

You're asking about just the knuckle, right? Not the 2011+ wheel bearings with the larger bolt circle? I'm assuming you'd like to put the 01-10 bearings onto the newer knuckles?

2001-10 2500/3500 truck/suv knuckles are all the same, that I can confirm. Knuckle completely redesigned in 2011, and I haven't been able to find the dimensions for it but I've found that the knuckle is the same 2011-2016, something changed in 2015 and there was a new part number issued, old one discontinued, but the new part number is backwards compatible to 2011. Are you familiar with the oring that seals between the knuckle and the wheel bearing? I can tell you that the 01-10 one is M5.3x104, and the 11-16 oring is M5.3x112, suggesting that the bearing bore is larger and that the 01-10 bearing would not fit snugly in it. Pulling up a picture of a 2011-2014 wheel bearing (p/n 25807422, again something changed in 2015, new part number) further confirms that the 01-10 bearing will not fit the 2011-2014 knuckle. The new bearings have an asymmetrical bolt pattern where the 01-10 ones are symmetrical.