Lift Questions

[SnowBlazer]

Before I go out and buy Marc's 3" suspension lift, I still have some unanswered questions....

How easy is the lift to instal...is it just as simple as taking the shocks off and bolting the lift on?

What are the downsides that I will run into? Any?

Any problems that are common with the suspension lift, that I should be aware of?


Thanks everyone!!

 

[djthumper]

You should have found plenty of answers to that question on ORTB.

In the rear you need to drop the shocks and lift up the truck to put the lift on the springs. Sometimes the springs need a bit of compressing. The front is a lot like changing the strut and adding the lift to the top of the spring.

 

[SmokeyMcBlazer]

The rear is easy but you'll need longer shocks. The front is more difficult, only because you have to compress the strut spring and disassemble the struts. The front lift spacers go above the spring in the strut.

Front:


Rear:


Sorry, don't really have a good pic of the rear but once you remove the shocks, you can just force down on the rear axle till the springs are loose enough in the perch to pull out. Then the lift blocks sit on the stock bottom spring perch and the spring gets re-installed on top of the lift block...

 

[The_Roadie]

The front springs are STIFF. Cheap spring compressors aren't safe. Good ones aren't cheap. Many folks who have never changed the shocks inside our coilover struts end up taking the struts out of the vehicle, and then taking them to a professional shop with a wall-mounted spring compressor. Some folks have paid as little as $20 a side for that service, but even $50 is worth it if you're never going back in there again.

If you intend to be a real offroader and self-maintain your junk even on trails, you'll be wanting to read everything available on offroadtb.com and but your own set of strong spring compressors.

 

[coolasice]

roadie, got a recommendation for a spring compressor set?

 

[The_Roadie]

Anything at least $60-90. Nothing from Harbor Fright.

 

[BlazingTrails]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=361189554766&alt=web


I'm looking to get one like this

 

[The_Roadie]

I predict fail with the wussy design here

 

[bgipson89]

Oh my God what is that death trap?

 

[HeavyChevy4200]

You want something like this.
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=22605&d=1187149620

You can rent them from advance or other autoparts store.

 

[Sparky]

You want something like this.
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=22605&d=1187149620

You can rent them from advance or other autoparts store.

And if you don't have an impact of some sort you get a nice workout with the ratchet too

 

[coolasice]

And if you don't have an impact of some sort you get a nice workout with the ratchet too

Grease the threads... makes it easier..

 

[stormsurge]

You will need 4 inch hose clamps for your cv joint boots.

 

[Sparky]

Grease the threads... makes it easier..

Yes, but you're still compressing those springs.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

It is wild when you pop one. Poor trashcan got hurt but luckily no people did.

 

[paul2005tb]

You want something like this.
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=22605&d=1187149620

You can rent them from advance or other autoparts store.

Those are the ones I bought, I think I paid under 60$ for them. By the way, even if you have a long extension for your ratchet you need to keep the spring in place, I have a few scars just from trying to torque the compressor that last 1/4 inch to get the spacer on. In hind sight it is probably best to compress the spring while it is still on the vehicle.

A novice like me got it done, even swapped and flipped the UCA but prepare yourself to learn many things along the way, you are going to face hurdles that you didnt imagine, you might have to go out and buy a tool that you didnt have. The job is a 2 hour job for a pro in a professional's garage, it was a week long project in my driveway.

The good news is I would never want to go back to my TB without the lift.

 

[redleg6]

so, would something like this be suitable for those of us that are DIY at home?

http://www.eastwood.com/external-coil-spring-compressor.html

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I have used similar but they bent by the end of it all. Our springs are a bit much for them really.

 

[paul2005tb]

In hind sight I would probably use 3 or 4 compressor "legs" rather than the simple two leg set that I used. I think I will buy another set and next time (if there is a next time) use all 4 per spring to get them down. Two just is not enough when you are working with and SUV spring that is off of the vehicle.

 

[pacanova]

I know most will cringe when they see this one but it worked really well for me, a couple of times. I think the key is lining it up correctly to ensure the force is only acting against the widest part of structure. If it twists at all, I could see it wrapping itself up as the spring load is just too much. There are some modifications to make life easier but not 100% necessary (bearing, impact gun, possibly new bolt/nut).

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Never used one like that. Will it allow you to compress out springs to basically touching all the coils together? It takes about that for the 3 inch lift.

 

[pacanova]

I used it on stock springs for the 3" cast kit. Not sure i would want to try it on 87-88-89s. Aren't our linear springs stock, over 500#/in? Smooshed 1" on the stock mount, then another 3 for the lift. That much potential energy is enough to, well it would be bad.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

It is bad...I shot one into a trashcan when a set of compressors failed me.

 

[pacanova]

poor trashcan never saw it coming.

When I did mine, I used my snatch strap anchored around a telephone pole and looped through the spring. I only worked/moved/existed outside that 30' radius and didn't even let my family outside. In my mind I knew that even if the compressor failed the strap would keep me ok, but being on top of that much spring load with hand tools was scary as all get out.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Done it a dozen or more times at least. Prolly a couple dozen. Only had the one issue. I saw the failure beginning and controlled it and got it to the plastic trashcan while getting other to step back. The other times have been every where from a GMT meet in a parking lot to at home in my own garage to in an actual shop. Once you get decent compressors, it is not that bad really.

 

[Sparky]

I guess I'm nuts. I used the Autozone rental on mine and just cranked it down, sitting basically on top of it while working the ratchet. I do not remember if I had my impact when I did the lift install or not, but I know when I was just doing shocks I did it by hand. I do know I did it in my rental's living room lol, that would have been fun to explain to the landlord if the spring launched through the wall

 

[paul2005tb]

Having done it I would not recommend doing it with only 2 legs of spring compressors.

so, would something like this be suitable for those of us that are DIY at home?

http://www.eastwood.com/external-coil-spring-compressor.html

I like this picture, notice that he is using 3 legs of spring compressors.

Next time I do this job im going to buy such a harborfreight compressor and add it as 2 legs to my more durable 2 leg compressor. With 4 legs holding that thing down Ill feel very safe with the job.

 

[Sparky]

*shrug* I didn't have a problem with the 2 leg unit rental from Autozone.

 

[Mooseman]

I've had some like that where the nuts on the ends just stripped. Just think about it. All that force held by that nut!

I now have a set like these where the entire piece is threaded and each end has two claws. You basically have the equivalent of 3 or 4 of those nuts.

 

[pecha]

The rear is easy but you'll need longer shocks.

Can you write a little bit more about that?

 

[hockeyman]

Keeping this topic because I'll be doing this soon. I currently own a clamshell compressor (as seen on post #20), but I might look into something a bit stronger for the job...

 

[hockeyman]

I've done some searching on ebay for a spring compressor and I narrowed it down to the following units. I have room in my garage for each of these, but I do not want to spend too much because it'll rarely get used. Please give me your opinion(s) on what I've listed:

1- http://www.ebay.com/itm/301710085050?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

2- http://www.ebay.com/itm/390430922004?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

3- http://www.ebay.com/itm/360863428128?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[Tiggerr]

Of those three i'd probably take number 2. Provided that handle has a lock of some sort.

 

[paul2005tb]

makes me feel like I blew it spending 50$ for what I got. Yep all three of those look like they are well worth the investment.

After taking a closer look at all three,

Pros: The core of all three look well built to easily apply the necessary torque.

Cons: On the negative side the actual pieces that lock on to either end of the coil dont look incredibly durable and strong.

 

[hockeyman]

Yeah, I was trying to get a closer look at the connections that appeared to be weak, but couldn't get a really good detailed picture to see. I've watched a few videos on youtube for people that own those type of compressors and so far and there really hasn't been any negative feedback.

I do have a large air compressor and could probably benefit from the pneumatic spring compressor, but I think I'll probably go with the manual one (#2) just because it looks like it takes up a bit less room. After using, I'll store it into a corner somewhere and hope that I get to use it more than once every 10 years or so ...