lifting my 4x2 only 3" - advice & pics please

[pmoorse]

as a texas boy i'm ashamed to admit this, but this is my first truck and i know next to nothing about lifting trucks. i'm looking to lift it about 3" or so (it'd be nice to still fit in my garage). i don't plan to offroad (it's not a Z71), but i'd like it to look more like a truck than it does now. one of my roommates has a '00 3/4-ton chevy and suggested FabTech, seeing as Rancho doesn't seem to offer a 4x2 kit. are there any other kits out there that i should look at?

 

next question - can anybody show me a picture of their truck with a 3" lift on it? where are some good places to look for wheels? i kinda like the wheels that came on it this year, but i have a feeling they might look out of place on a lifted truck (pics of stock wheels on a lifted truck, anybody?)

 

ps - the truck is an '05 Silverado extended cab

[potz1999]

I have a Fabtech 3" spindle lift (the only thing that changes ride is shocks, but in a good way). It doesn't sound like you really want a lot of performance out of the lift so I would say this a good way to go. Runs about $650 depending on where you shop. I like mine a lot. you lose absolutely no highway drivability, it's pretty inexpensive, and doesn't look weird like a body lift.

 

You can check out the pics of mine at the following page:

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/766744/1

 

CST also has a spindle lift and they are another good company. Their's is a 4".

 

If you want more performance, Fabtech has a 3" system that replaces the coils and upper control arms. about $900 something. offers more travel. If you don't plan to off-road it (as in more than a desert dirt road) why spend the money.

 

My suggestion: go with the 3" Fabtech spindle lift. If, further down the road, you want to go higher, Fabtech allows you to buy individual pieces so you can get basically their 6" Ultimate lift minus the spindle (since you would already have them) and you would save about $500 over buying a new 6" kit.

 

Check out 4Wheel Parts for the Fabtech lifts and wheels. Note most suspension lift require wheels with less backspacing than stock. The Fabtech kit requires no more than 4-5/8" backspacing. with 3" lift move up to 265/75R16 tires. 4Wheel parts has good deals on tire and wheel packages. No need to involve tire stores. They send you the tires mounted and balanced on the rims. The second page of my site shows my truck with ProComp A/T 265's I liked them a lot and they have a 50,000 mile treadwear warranty. The 285's on the first page rub. I'm going up another 2" for them.

 

Hope this helped. Don't mess with Texas!

[txpkup]

A Texan knowing next to nothing about trucks?? Must be an aggie

I'd go with whatever potz here says. I like the look of his stuff and by God if he says it works well then all the more power. Glad you got your first truck. I was the first in my family to own one, and it's a hobby I never thought I'd take up.

By the way potz nice bumper sticker....today's the big day!!

 

W!

 

The President

[pmoorse]

i've been poking around on FabTech's website and at 4WheelParts.com, the "regular" spindle lift includes Spindles, Rear Block kit, Front and Rear Shocks, while the Performance System includes Coils, Upper Control Arms, Rear Block kit, Front and Rear Shocks. what all is the difference exactly? which one would suit my needs better? it's about a $200 difference in cost (~$850 for the Performance, ~$650 for the Spindle), but i don't want to save $200 and have it turn out crappy and wish i'd done the Performance one

 

 

would the cheaper kit work? or should i just save up a little more money?

 

 

 

 

where are some good places to look at aftermarket wheels? so far i haven't really been impressed by any of the choices i've seen so far (would it be gay to just put better tires on the wheels that came on the truck?)

 

----> and no, i ain't no stinkin aggie (i actually left tx altogether to go to usc)

[potz1999]

First of all, these kits require aftermarket wheels with less than 4-5/8" backspacing, so you can NOT use the factory wheels.

 

With the two kits, the rear is exactly the same. The difference is the front. With the coils and UCA's, the performance one increases travel by 4" and will definately change the way your truck rides. Say goodbye to that nice on-road ride. The spindle lift on the other hand will not change your ride and at highway speeds, you probably won't even realize you lifted the truck.

 

As far as which to go with, that is up to you. Based on the info you have provided, i would say the spindle lift would satisfy you more than the performance lift (since you will mostly drive on-road).

 

And just as I have written all this, something has dawned on me. Yours is an 05. In 04, GM introduced torsion bars front suspensions to some 2WD 1500's (non-HD), while other 2WD 1500's continued with the coil springs. I really can't say if the 05's totally went over the the t-bars. Please take a peak under your truck and check, since if there are no coil springs, everything I have said is meaningless because neither kit will work on a t-bar equipped truck. As far as I know, Fabtech only offers a 7" kit for 2WD's with t-bars. I'll check some other manufacturers and get back to you.

[potz1999]

Did some checking...only manufacturers offering 05 or t-bars suspensions for sure are Fabtech and Procomp. Both are 7" kits. If you really want a smaller kit, you'll probably have to wait. On the other hand, if you do in fact have t-bars, you can probably crank them 2" and still stuff 265's in there. I am curious to know which suspension you have.

[pmoorse]

now that you mention it, i do seem to recall the salesman saying something about torsion bars being new for '05... it also might explain why all the kits are only lsited as working for '99-'04, too. i'll check it out in the morning on my way to work.

 

i'm going to swing by the 4 Wheel Parts shop on saturday just to see what they can offer me in person -- or if they even have something for this new setup

 

 

edit: no, i definitely have coil springs up front. so maybe there's a chance this might work yet

[potz1999]

Cool...then everything I was saying before about the two Fabtech 3" lifts would apply. Good luck.