I have a 3” body lift and my problem with it is the gap between the fan & the shroud. Don’t get caught in a traffic jam in the summer or you’ll both overheat. I put in an auxiliary fan & some sheet metal to close some of the gap.
2” to a 3” lift kit
- Thread starter BlackDragon
- Start date
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Singlecab
Newbie
I can’t figure out how to originate a thread, so I’ve just been reduced to throwing Hail Marys on some old ones. Are those Maxcam keys not the answer to a 2” lift? They seem super promising. Maybe get a diff drop to go with them, and some shocks. Correct me if I’m wrong or thinking too hopefully
This is the truth. Those 3" lift kits may have a few extra parts in them to make them look more like a real lift kit, but they are still mostly a crank but with a few extra Band-Aids thrown in to tempt you.
Then only way to keep good angles with a lift kit is for everything to be dropped the full amount of the lift. Those 3" kits may drop your diff an inch or two (again, to seem more like a "real" lift) but your arms and other components are still stressed just as much as if you had just cranked it. A real lift kit (Like the 4" and 6" kits that cost $1000+) either drop or extend everything so that all the parts are in their stock positions relative to each other, just farther below the truck than before.
IMO there are two right ways and two wrong ways to do lift these trucks. (Excluding SAS, that's it's own thing)
Right:
1) Slight crank and run some 33's on modest wheels.
2) Full blown lift kit. 4" in your case, you can even let the torsion bars down a bit if you don't want all that height.
Wrong:
1) Those janky 3" lifts that are the worst of both worlds. They cost almost as much as a real lift kit while barely being any better than a crank on a stock truck that costs you nothing.
2) Body lift. I just think they look really bad on these trucks since the 4x4 frame already hangs down so low. It also doesn't get your belly any higher off the ground, which was always my problem off road.
This is my truck cranked to level with 285/75/16 (33x10.50) tires on 16x8 wheels with 5" backspacing.
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This is with 305/70/16 (33x12.50) same wheels and same crank. And a small dog lol.
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And this is what my angles look like
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Good morning. Hey I dont mean to bother you and I've never wrote or posted anything on here so Idk if this is sending a message to you or what hahaha but I got a question. That post you talked about 2-3 inch lift kits and rthose pics you put up your truck cranked to level with 285/75r16 and you posted pic of your angles. I gotts know do you have 2 inch blocks in the back? I'm redoing my suspension I've already ordered a bunch of parts my front end is shot long story short sorry. I bought the truck like it is angles are terrible and the more I think and read I wanna bring it back down but was worried if tires will fit but those pics of yours it looks good. Sorry for rambling but help with this would be much appreciated. If you know the post I. Taking about I just need to know if you have 2 inch blocks in back. Thank you!!This is the truth. Those 3" lift kits may have a few extra parts in them to make them look more like a real lift kit, but they are still mostly a crank but with a few extra Band-Aids thrown in to tempt you.
Then only way to keep good angles with a lift kit is for everything to be dropped the full amount of the lift. Those 3" kits may drop your diff an inch or two (again, to seem more like a "real" lift) but your arms and other components are still stressed just as much as if you had just cranked it. A real lift kit (Like the 4" and 6" kits that cost $1000+) either drop or extend everything so that all the parts are in their stock positions relative to each other, just farther below the truck than before.
IMO there are two right ways and two wrong ways to do lift these trucks. (Excluding SAS, that's it's own thing
Right:
1) Slight crank and run some 33's on modest wheels.
2) Full blown lift kit. 4" in your case, you can even let the torsion bars down a bit if you don't want all that height.
Wrong:
1) Those janky 3" lifts that are the worst of both worlds. They cost almost as much as a real lift kit while barely being any better than a crank on a stock truck that costs you nothing.
2) Body lift. I just think they look really bad on these trucks since the 4x4 frame already hangs down so low. It also doesn't get your belly any higher off the ground, which was always my problem off road.
This is my truck cranked to level with 285/75/16 (33x10.50) tires on 16x8 wheels with 5" backspacing.
You must be registered for see images attach
This is with 305/70/16 (33x12.50) same wheels and same crank. And a small dog lol.
You must be registered for see images attach
And this is what my angles look like
You must be registered for see images attach
boy&hisdogs
I'm Awesome
No blocks, those were the old stock springs. Stock keys too, just cranked level. I would not recomend trying to crank level with a block, that would too much strain on your front end parts and ride like crap.
Having narrow wheels helps too. Those black steelies were 16x8 with 5" backspace, which keeps them inside the fenders and rubbing less.
OK thank you. Yeah I'm not too great with suspension but I'm learning and yeah I know what you mean. I bought the truck the way it is and they put a block and cranked it to level. My angles are all messed up. Upper a arm is laying on bump stock the metal theres a line in metal where its been hitting. The ride is rough front real stiff. OK I'm not to familiar with wheels. I have 16x8 my tire size is 285/75r16 Cooper. I don't know what offset or what not. I don't know about that 5 spacer your talking about would I need to buy that or?
boy&hisdogs
I'm Awesome
When you look at wheel specs there are two ways to judge how far they will stick out, assuming the same overall width and tire size and all that. Those are backspace and offset.
Backspace is the measure of the mounting surface of the wheel to the inside rim of the wheel. The more backspace you have the more sucked in the wheels are. It's the opposite of offset. Offset measures the mounting surface to the center of the wheel.
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High backspace = low offset = wheels sucked in
Low backspace = high offset = wheels stick out
There are lots of online calculators that you can plug in your existing measurements and the measurements of a new wheel and tire combo and it will tell you "The new wheels will stick out two inches more than current setup" or whatever it ends up being.
93chevyluvr
I'm Awesome
Leveling keys and new shocks are what I would recommend imo. Although mine is a 2wd. Lifting a 4x4 is very different and I’m glad mine isn’t cuz it would’ve taken at least a whole week to do it in my driveway. But nice to know about your situation.
boy&hisdogs
I'm Awesome
Honestly the stock keys will already let you crank too much, but new shocks does make a world of difference on these 30 year old trucks.
Hipster
I'm Awesome
Hipster
I'm Awesome
By time you get involved in offset Uca control arm bushings, shocks, add on diff drop, etc trying to correct the disaster a control arm /crank key kit can be, you'd be very close to what an all-inclusive 4" inch kit costs. Every one of these threads and there have been many, start the same, Well I don't really want 4, I'm good at 3 and inevitably they come back talking about how the control arms are on the droop stops because they cranked it trying to get to 4 anyway and now, they can't get camber straightened out. The bad angles everyone is talking about, can turn into annual replacements of tie rods, bj's, and cv boots/axles. If you really want 3, still better off with a proper 4 inch kit and leaving it a bit low. It'll ride like a Cadillac instead of max tb cranked jackhammer. The control arm/ crank kits turn into stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime by creating more problems then they solve. You can get to 2 inches with whats already there but the angles still are pretty bad a diff drop kit doesn't correct steering component or bj angles either
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