noJeepshere
Adventurer
Factory stock from a 94 Chev Suburban. Cleaned them real well in a parts washer, hit them with self-etching primer and flat black paint.
1999 GMC Yukon Build
- Thread starter noJeepshere
- Start date
Factory stock from a 94 Chev Suburban. Cleaned them real well in a parts washer, hit them with self-etching primer and flat black paint.
RockyMtnFamily
Explorer
This is what I like about my T100. People see me on the trails and think I cannot do something because it looks stock. Then I do it and watch their jaws hit the ground in amazement. I had a group of 12 other drivers last year telling me I could not do something. A crowd gathered at the top of the obstacle and one of them pulled out a winch line for me in case I did not make it. I asked for a spotter and walked up the obstacle without hardly slipping a tire.
Kevin
noJeepshere
Adventurer
So... in pricing out lift kits, I remember ORD has a solid axle swap kit. I looked at it years ago and it was in the neighborhood of $1500, note the price on it now:
http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/88-98SolidAxleConversion.htm
Now I'm keeping an eye out for a hp44 from a Ford pickup to this instead of a problem-infested IFS lift.
What can you guys weigh in with? the plan is still the same, ~4" of lift and a stock appearance with no larger than a 33" tire.
http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/88-98SolidAxleConversion.htm
Now I'm keeping an eye out for a hp44 from a Ford pickup to this instead of a problem-infested IFS lift.
What can you guys weigh in with? the plan is still the same, ~4" of lift and a stock appearance with no larger than a 33" tire.
arveetek
Adventurer
As expensive as IFS lift kits are, I see absolutely no reason to spend the money and retain that system. You end up with nothing more than a higher vehicle.... you still have the exact same geometry and wheel travel. I would put the money towards an SAS for sure and end up with a more dependable, durable system that offered more suspension flex and performance.
Casey
Casey
babybluebeast
Member
I dont post very often, but felt i needed to weigh in on this one. I have a 1996 Z71 and I have been down this road. Take it from me and skip the IFS lift. Bought my truck stock in 1998 and eventually felt the need for a lift. I went with a 4 inch pro comp lift and 33" tires.
It did make wheeling better due to the added clearance and the kit is pretty strong, but you are going to destroy ball joints wheeling a truck this heavy with oversized tires. A 2500 would be ok due to the heavier control arms, but you cant swap them with the 1500 control arms b/c the brackets are different. You may also blow your front diff apart if you wheel it hard enough, not to mention the actuation on it sucks sometimes in cold weather. I never did have issues, but I have seen it. In addition you are going to find that while the 33's are better, you are going to want just a little bit more. Based on this I decided to SAS it.
The truck is super tough now, much lower maintenance, and far more capable. It is lifted ~7 inches and is running 35's. It has settled some since this photo. I used a high pinion D60 from a 89 Ford dually and converted it over to the single rear wheel hubs. ORU makes a kit for this axle on our body style trucks and you the 36" spring pad axle is far cheaper than the 32" axle. In addition, it does better on the highway due to the wider spring pad while losing very little articulation. In my opinion the ORU kit is way over priced for what you get. Fitment sucks which required some light massaging and ORU customer service sucks. They told me they were going to give me an end of the year special 20% off, but when i got my CC bill, they charged me full retail. I fought it and called multiple times, but never got anywhere with them. Basically got screwed.
The truck doesnt get wheeled very much right now and is a daily driver due to having 2 very young kids. With over 200K on the truck, i am now getting ready to replace/rebuild the engine and transmission. While it is apart in the garage, i think i am going to ditch the leaf springs up front and either use radius arms, or link it. Still trying to decide which route to take.
It did make wheeling better due to the added clearance and the kit is pretty strong, but you are going to destroy ball joints wheeling a truck this heavy with oversized tires. A 2500 would be ok due to the heavier control arms, but you cant swap them with the 1500 control arms b/c the brackets are different. You may also blow your front diff apart if you wheel it hard enough, not to mention the actuation on it sucks sometimes in cold weather. I never did have issues, but I have seen it. In addition you are going to find that while the 33's are better, you are going to want just a little bit more. Based on this I decided to SAS it.
The truck is super tough now, much lower maintenance, and far more capable. It is lifted ~7 inches and is running 35's. It has settled some since this photo. I used a high pinion D60 from a 89 Ford dually and converted it over to the single rear wheel hubs. ORU makes a kit for this axle on our body style trucks and you the 36" spring pad axle is far cheaper than the 32" axle. In addition, it does better on the highway due to the wider spring pad while losing very little articulation. In my opinion the ORU kit is way over priced for what you get. Fitment sucks which required some light massaging and ORU customer service sucks. They told me they were going to give me an end of the year special 20% off, but when i got my CC bill, they charged me full retail. I fought it and called multiple times, but never got anywhere with them. Basically got screwed.
The truck doesnt get wheeled very much right now and is a daily driver due to having 2 very young kids. With over 200K on the truck, i am now getting ready to replace/rebuild the engine and transmission. While it is apart in the garage, i think i am going to ditch the leaf springs up front and either use radius arms, or link it. Still trying to decide which route to take.
noJeepshere
Adventurer
That's solid info right there, thanks for the input 
I've been eyeballing the Rough Country 4" lift kit, which from what I've learned is the best for the money, the ProComp lift is better, but a good deal more money. If the better lift failed to live up to the real world of wheeling, the RCX can't be much better...
I think I'll go with the Fabworx solid axle conversion kit, it's $600 and looks really well engineered. http://www.fabworxoffroad.com/3252-straight-axle-conversion/
Although, I do know the owner of ORD, http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/88-98SolidAxleConversion.htm and I know his work is always top-notch, but his kit doesn't include a crossmember, which isn't that hard to fab up anyways, it's just a piece of 2x4x1/8 square stock welded between the framerails. That and I'm going with his rear shackle flip to lift the back.
My end goal with this truck is to build it up like Rover did their Camel Trophy Disco's and their current G4 Challenge trucks, minimal lift and smallish tires, but locked front and rear with winches and lots of skid plates.
I've been eyeballing the Rough Country 4" lift kit, which from what I've learned is the best for the money, the ProComp lift is better, but a good deal more money. If the better lift failed to live up to the real world of wheeling, the RCX can't be much better...
I think I'll go with the Fabworx solid axle conversion kit, it's $600 and looks really well engineered. http://www.fabworxoffroad.com/3252-straight-axle-conversion/
Although, I do know the owner of ORD, http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/88-98SolidAxleConversion.htm and I know his work is always top-notch, but his kit doesn't include a crossmember, which isn't that hard to fab up anyways, it's just a piece of 2x4x1/8 square stock welded between the framerails. That and I'm going with his rear shackle flip to lift the back.
My end goal with this truck is to build it up like Rover did their Camel Trophy Disco's and their current G4 Challenge trucks, minimal lift and smallish tires, but locked front and rear with winches and lots of skid plates.
noJeepshere
Adventurer
cent frum a smaert fone
Vicreo A Legarreta
Vicreo
:lurk:
DeweyH
Observer
dont know if you got your kit yet but i would give these guys a look , kurt makes some great stuff
http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?route=product/product&keyword=sas&product_id=185
http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?route=product/product&keyword=sas&product_id=185
noJeepshere
Adventurer
Yeah it's kind of a toss as to who's is better, but since I've worked with Stephen at ORD, I'm going with his kit. Thanks for the tip though!