Sub 2" Lift- stock 97 k1500 z71

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hughGgaines

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This is my first post- hope I'm not posting in the wrong place or beating a dead horse.

After reading other threads, I gather that once you start cranking the TBs and adding blocks, things can get out of whack pretty fast. But I also don't want to do a real 4" lift or a BL or anything. I really don't mind the way the truck sits now the z71 sits a bit higher anyways and already looks level.

Anyways, if I did something very minor like 1" blocks or 1.5" on the back and then cranking it up front to match, is that enough to run into any problems? I don't mind if the ride is a tad rougher, but I don't want to put any extra wear up front. I guess I'm just curious how much you have to crank the front to actually run into genuine problems? I'm due for some new tires soon, and alot of people say the 285 75 r16s should fit on this truck but I'd rather not deal with a close-run thing and if I could get an extra inch or two I figure it might make a difference. I'm not hung up on it though I like the 265s too.

Anyways thanks, and again I hope I'm posting this in the right place. Also if this has been handled already just let me know.
 

b454rat

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People do it everyday without issues. Just don't go too much or it will ride like crap and start wearing parts quicker.
 

Supercharged111

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I realize I don't take enough pics of my trucks for stuff ilke this. My K1500 in sig has been cranked since 2011 or so wearing 285mm wide metric 33s with no extra wear that I can perceive. Since then I I had a lower ball joint stop taking grease and kill itself, I changed uppers even though they weren't hammered, and I think I've done a single tie rod end. If you go too far you'll run out of down travel and the truck will top out over certain bumps which sucks. Since I tow with mine I needed to make extra sure I had some up travel left. I used 2500 leaves out back to raise that end.
 

Scruffy

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My 92 K1500 extended cab shortbed came to me on 285s. Completely worn out mud tires. Swapped on a set of GT Radial LT265/75r16 MTs. Plenty big enough on a mostly stock truck. When they wore out, switched to Goodyear Wrangler Authority LT265/75r16E ATs, from Walmart. All I can say about them is Holy Chit! 3 peak winter rated, look good, work great and wear like iron. When the 92 died I ended up swapping 2 tires onto my 99 K3500 after an inside dual blow out.
If I needed new tires any time soon for a K series on 16” wheels, would buy them again. $200 per, but at 6 years with no discernable wear… Frees up a lot of tire money for other needs. If you prefer to run a “pizza cutter” truck tire, Atlander Roverclaw or Thunderer Ranger are both good and available in LT235/85r16E. Same height as a 265/75, a bit better fuel economy, definitely turn/brake better. I prefer Load Range E even on my 1/2t 4wd. When the rebuild (ground up) is finished it hopefully will be on either 7.50-16LT Deestone 503s or 9.00-16LT Gateway Bias Buckshots. Building a “high school truck”, graduated in 1991, and long since discontinued bias ply Co-op Grip Spurs is what we preferred back then.
 
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