2002 GMC 3500 AKA Juggernaut

[2j_macrae_z]

Well got my tires mounted on rims. Between the new born kid (9months old now) and my work schedule I don’t have a lot of time work work on it as much as I’d like..

Well even with the 3” coil spacer and 3” block I think it’s going to be tight fitting these, might need to bust out my grinder and hammer 😂

 

[2j_macrae_z]

Well I was supposed to install my coil spacer this week but my spring compressor never showed up and my curiosity got to my so I bolted the tires up to see how they’d fit..well the rear is fine, I’ll probably order 2” block and the front needed a bit of massaging and took of the rear fender part but looks like I “SHOULD” be ok to drive around town for now. I need to trim the front bumper yet

 

[2j_macrae_z]

Well after driving with my 285/75s for awhile. I got tired of the rubbing so I decided to attempt to install my generic 2” coil spacers for a 88-98 chev/gmc c2500/3500. After multiple attempts and the spring compressor trying to kill me. I have taken a break from working on it. Been currently sitting like this for about a month now. Going to try and get them in again on days off but I was looking at www.gmpartscenter.com and cross referencing the steering knuckles and it says they’re the same knuckle as 88-98 8 lug 2wd trucks. So I might try to order some actual 4” lift spindles for the van. Joys of working on something that has almost zero aftermarket support lol it’s all trial and error.

 

[2j_macrae_z]

Oh I also go a new sticker for my phone case lol

 

[2j_macrae_z]

As I wait and do some research on lift spindles I decided to add some 2” wheel spacers to the van

 

[2j_macrae_z]

Before

 

[2j_macrae_z]

After

 

[1stDeuce]

I would guess those spacers make you need a lift even more, as the tire now swings a bigger arc when you steer... I saw you asked earlier about a body lift... Hopefully by now you have noticed that your van is technically unibody, making a body lift impossible...

FWIW, I always tell people that tires have to fit at the extreme travel positions of the suspension, not just at ride height. What you did to make them fit without a lift will pay off in less rubbing once you lift it some too. I will suggest that putting more than about 1.5" of lift on a stock suspension has some serious tradeoffs, mainly with suspension geometry, but also with wear on the steering center link and pitman/idler arms... You might try to find a lower spacer setup and go with that... Jamming a huge spacer in is going to be very problematic, as you've already seen. I did see a lift that includes spacers from Journeys Offroad that includes a pretty simple spring compressor setup that lets you do it right in the van. Looks pretty easy to re-create...

Good luck!!

 

[2j_macrae_z]

I would guess those spacers make you need a lift even more, as the tire now swings a bigger arc when you steer... I saw you asked earlier about a body lift... Hopefully by now you have noticed that your van is technically unibody, making a body lift impossible...

FWIW, I always tell people that tires have to fit at the extreme travel positions of the suspension, not just at ride height. What you did to make them fit without a lift will pay off in less rubbing once you lift it some too. I will suggest that putting more than about 1.5" of lift on a stock suspension has some serious tradeoffs, mainly with suspension geometry, but also with wear on the steering center link and pitman/idler arms... You might try to find a lower spacer setup and go with that... Jamming a huge spacer in is going to be very problematic, as you've already seen. I did see a lift that includes spacers from Journeys Offroad that includes a pretty simple spring compressor setup that lets you do it right in the van. Looks pretty easy to re-create...

Good luck!!

No my van is definitely body on frame, not unibody. And yeah I’ve looked at Journey Offroads spacer and I am tempted to get that too since it’s such a smaller simplistic spacer. We’ll see I’m in no rush.

I put these wheel spacers on the other day and took it for a little rip down a FSR near me and didn’t have any issues rubbing, honestly I had more rubbing before the spacers than I do now

 

[2j_macrae_z]

Got around to installing my roof rack on too today

 

[2j_macrae_z]

Got my hi lift and traction boards mounted up on the rack. May move the boards eventually. Also ordered more cause it looks kinda goofy with only 2 😂

 

[2j_macrae_z]

Well as I wait for a few parts, my coil spacers I bought won’t work so I am going to just order the Journeys Offroad lift for the van. Just waiting for them to email me a price in CAD including Shipping. And I have a machinist friend who is going to make me a 1” body lift out of some spare aluminum he has. I bought a Plano Sportsman trunk and mounted it to my roof rack and I also bought 2 more 9” LED lights, just gotta figure it if I want them on the bumper or make a hood/a pillar mount 🤔

 

[ThundahBeagle]

I like the idea of pillar/hood lights, but these might loom better on the bumper. If, if you do camp a lot, one on either side of the roof rack headed sidewards

 

[2j_macrae_z]

Well I got my 3”/2” lift from Journeys Offroad on Monday, never got a chance to install it as I had to leave for work, I work 7/7 rotation so hopefully next week if the weather permits. It’s definitely turning into winter quick here. Got a high of 4°C (39°F) and a low of -1°C (30°F) today and it’s currently snowing at the mine I work at