Hey guys, I just bought a performance accessories 3" body lift and the leveling kit, and I am wondering. Can I realistically expect 4.5" of extra clearance between the tire and the top of the wheel wells or fenders? I have a 98 2wd 150 and in the front there is exactly 4" of clearance between the tire and fender and there is a little over 4.5" in the rear. Is the change going to be literally 4.5inches making it 8.5 in the front? I guess it sounds like a couple of stupid questions, but I was wondering exactly how its going to look. I have looked and never found pictures of a 2wd leveled with a body lift.

 

Yes.

 

Okay cool. Thanks, I was not meaning to beat a dead horse by asking a question that was ask already, but the search did not have anything. I was out there trying to jack the truck up to see what it would look like, and I could only get it the clearance to 7and1/4" before the tires came off the ground. It looked really nice though jacked up a little bit. I am supposed to be getting everything in on the 4th so hopefully I can get it lifted next weekend. That would be awesome, but its my first time ever doing a body lift and I think it might take me awhile.

I saw somewhere awhile back that you(wandell) said that you can fit 35's by going this route? I am pretty sure that is what you said, and I think I am going to try to go for it. Anyhow thanks.

Brad

 

That combo will put your 4x2 at about the same height as a stock 4x4 with the torsion bars cranked up. You could fit a 35x12.50 tire using the OEM wheels, but personally, I'd stick with 33's.

 

Oh okay, did not know that. That is actually not as tall as I thought it would be either. I have a buddy with a 99 4x4 and he says his torsion bars are cranked all the way, and his truck is probably 3 or so inches taller than mine in the front. I was hoping to be taller than his truck without doing an actual suspension lift. His truck in the back is even taller, but I think he has helper springs or whatever for towing.

Also I dont have OEM wheels. I have 16x10 ion alloys with 4.5" of backspacing and a -38 offset. I have no rubbing as of now with those wheels and 33's.

 

congrats man cant wait to see it installed as it might inspire me to get one.

wandell do you think there would be clearance issues on the frame with the 35's on stock rims?

 

What I think you will have to worry about is the sway bar or whatever it is called going across the front. I cant for the life of me remember what it is called but before I got new wheels I was rubbing on that black bar at steering lock. If you can clear that then I think you wont have any issues.

 

Usually, when running 35x12.50's on a 97-03 using the OEM wheels, they will rub the frame slightly at full steering lock. B2therad, I'd suggest running the body lift, the coilspring spacers and add a set of Doestch 3.5 inch lift spindles and run 35's. That should put you at about the same height as my 4x4. The only issue is most lift spindles increase the front track width a few inches. THis is why most lifted 4x2's you see run 8 inch wide wheels.

 

I would not need new shocks or anything to run that? Also, that would be about 8inches of lift in the front with only 3 in the back right? I would need to buy blocks for the rear or something.

Actually what I plan on doing is running the 7.5" fabtech lift. I am just lifting it little by little because college does not allow me enough extra to do everything at the same time. My goal for christmas time is to have a body lift with the coil spacers along with the 7.5" lift and a new set of tires. I used dnasty's truck as a reference I guess to see how wide it looked, and it did not look bad with 16x8's. I have never seen that lift with 16x10's so you may be right. It would give it a sort of pre-runner/baja style look wouldnt it?

 

what all is required to run with 3.5" spindles? what else would we need to buy for it all to work besides the spindles?

and Id like to see a 97-03 truck w/ a spacer and body lift....I had thought about it cuz thats a cheap way of getting high and I already have a spacer...

 

the fabtech 7.5" lift is simply that. its a straight lift. the prerunners have a long travel susp. which have like 14" of travel in the front where a 4x4 or even a 4x2 will have like less than 10". and their stance is really wide, and theres a lot of custom work to be done with a LT setup.....one day i will be there though

 

Hopefully either this weekend or the next, depending on when I get the stuff in the mail, I can get some pictures up for you. I always wanted to see what it looked like too, and no one has pictures or has ever seen it. I got tired of looking
and decided what the heck... why not?

 

Yes I know that, but with 10" wide wheels they are already wider/stick out further in the front. So if I add lift spindles it increases the track width even more which means that the front will be pushed out even more. So to me it will have that "long travel" appearance while not really being a long travel suspension. Do you know what I am saying? I am not trying to pose for that look, but it sounds like that is what it is going to look like

 

ya ya ya I gotcha. it will look like it...but it wont perform like it lol

I was 1/2 thinkin about spindles but heard they give a rough ride and some have even switch back to stock cuz of it.......

 

Haha the performance of a long travel suspension system is unnecessary for my truck. You will never see me jumping sand dunes or whatever with it. I have way too much money invested to go screw it all up. Sure I would love to go run my truck to crap and break stuff, but that is what chevys are for.

I have never heard anyone complain about lift spindles. Most people recommend them.