Truck Guys Com'on.......

ssiredfish

ssiredfish

Senior Member
Thinkin the truck could use a little more height. I dont really want to spend the jack on a full-blown suspension lift but dont know too much about block lift kits. Anybody used these before and have some pro/cons about em? I dont need much out of them, just about 2"......

2006 Chevy 2500HD 4x4(elec)
 
I would go with a lift if it were mine. Teh front ends don't do so well in these once you crank the torsion bars up, so relocating teh steering linkage is a good idea. At teh minumum I would go with a set of blocks and cognito upper control arms. You can put in a set of leveling keys, but the ones I have seen don't look happy up front in the upper a arm area(hence going with a lift or cognito upper control arms).
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
I would go with a lift if it were mine. Teh front ends don't do so well in these once you crank the torsion bars up, so relocating teh steering linkage is a good idea. At teh minumum I would go with a set of blocks and cognito upper control arms. You can put in a set of leveling keys, but the ones I have seen don't look happy up front in the upper a arm area(hence going with a lift or cognito upper control arms).
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Thanks Ferm, I think thats a little more than what I was lookin to spend. Im not sure what all my options are but I basically want to be able to put bigger tires on eventually. I have 285's on there now but they look small on this truck and I barely have wheel well clearance with those.

I was tryin to stay under the $500 range and dont mind doing it myself if its pretty straight forward. I also dont want to end up with some BS under there either......Any other suggestions???
 
I think a set of lift keys and upper control arms will run you around $300-400, and a set of blocks is pretty cheap. Without the upper control arms it really throws the geometry off on them IMO, but alot of people do it. At the minumum you will need a set of lift keys and blocks for the rear, but this will have it so your front suspension is almost maxed out all the time, and will most likely clunk going over large bumps and such when the front end extends.
 
2" lift eh? Moderation is good. But lift does not work that way. You see, lift is like sex. You can NEVER have too much. You start out with a two inch lift. After a while it does not look as good and is not noticable. So you go to the 7-9" Cognito. Now you are happy with it. But you are eating ball joints and pitman arms every six months. Dam, now this wont work. You cant go back down. So you rip all that IFS crap out and replace it with a Dana 60. Now literrally the sky is the limit. It never stops....... Same with exhaust tips. I started with no tip just a 4" pipe. Got old fast and looked small. So i put a 5" tip on. After a year it looks small. So now I am saving for a 6" double walled exhaust tip.
 
jasoncooperpcola said:
2" lift eh? Moderation is good. But lift does not work that way. You see, lift is like sex. You can NEVER have too much. You start out with a two inch lift. After a while it does not look as good and is not noticable. So you go to the 7-9" Cognito. Now you are happy with it. But you are eating ball joints and pitman arms every six months. Dam, now this wont work. You cant go back down. So you rip all that IFS crap out and replace it with a Dana 60. Now literrally the sky is the limit. It never stops....... Same with exhaust tips. I started with no tip just a 4" pipe. Got old fast and looked small. So i put a 5" tip on. After a year it looks small. So now I am saving for a 6" double walled exhaust tip.
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I hear ya cuz!!!! Sounds like me with fishin gear......

If money were no object......Id be showin you my new rig. But I spend less than 10min a day in this truck and dont want to drop more than $1500 for exhaust, lift and liner. So I guess it'll piss you off to hear that Im doin 4" straight pipes......no angle, no tip:cry:

Besides, at more than 2" I will have to climb into it. Ive come pretty close already to slicin a nut gettin in that thing and dont wanna press my luck!!!! I'll put some pics up and you guys can see for yourself..... of the truck, not my nut.......
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
I think a set of lift keys and upper control arms will run you around $300-400, and a set of blocks is pretty cheap. Without the upper control arms it really throws the geometry off on them IMO, but alot of people do it. At the minumum you will need a set of lift keys and blocks for the rear, but this will have it so your front suspension is almost maxed out all the time, and will most likely clunk going over large bumps and such when the front end extends.
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Ill check it out Ferm, the one I saw was $800 but looked like it included suspension....the arms looked awesome though....
 
if this is to be a street queen, then cheap lift, excellent ride, and perfect geometry can be attained for way under your budget.... BODY lift.... Warning though, if you intend to get twisted up offroad regularly, the body lift is hard of the body mounts of the cab but for a street queen, while the don't look quite as good, a 3" body lift can really be the ticket
 
I know its not a 2500 but, I have a 08 Silverado 1500, I like the Chevy's but they are all so low?? In the 08 they no longer have the torsion bars, they went to coil springs in the front. I added 3/4 on springs to the rear and then added a leveling kit to the front end for a 2" lift all around.

04-11fordf1502inchfront.jpg


they worked out good for me, i could still use a little more height, but the wife has a hard time already.

In my 02 Silverado i had torsion bars and tightened them up but the front end got lose after a while like stated above. It also had 3/4 to rear springs. bought with 25,000 sold to my friend with 189,000, he has it with 215,000 now!

010_G.sized.jpg


The 08 GMC I bought had the 3/4 to rears added also but never had it long enough to do anything to the front. bought with 20,000 and gave back on year later with 35,000 miles

013_G.sized.jpg


The 08 Silverado has the 3/4 rear and the level kit in the front and I still drive it every day and love the truck. I have had this truck for almost 2 years bought with 27,000, now has 46,000 miles

No pic right now
 
smokeonthewater said:
if this is to be a street queen, then cheap lift, excellent ride, and perfect geometry can be attained for way under your budget.... BODY lift.... Warning though, if you intend to get twisted up offroad regularly, the body lift is hard of the body mounts of the cab but for a street queen, while the don't look quite as good, a 3" body lift can really be the ticket
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Thanks Smoke, I'd say my off-road use would be very light at best.....I appreciate the heads-up........

The days of raggin out what I didnt pay for are long gone!!!!! But the temptation remains all the same:sly:
 
macojoe said:
The 08 GMC I bought had the 3/4 to rears added also but never had it long enough to do anything to the front. bought with 20,000 and gave back on year later with 35,000 miles
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What didnt you like about the GMC? It and the Tundra are the only ones I havent owned......
 
Here she is......Could definitely use some more height.
Dont pay any attention to the Mexican Spoiler in the back.....its temporary......

MJ, any resize options here to make it larger???
 

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Getting rid of the running boards makes a huge difference in appearance!! Also for larger tires I have heard you would need to cut the plastic spoiler under the front bumper so it doesn't rub.

I need my running boards for the wife or they be gone! The GMC looked great with out them!

As far as the GMC, it wasn't I don't like them, But the one I had was eating the transfer case?? In the 1 year I had it I had over $5000 worth of warrt. work done to it! My dealer was great, he said the last time I was there that they put a brand new case in but understood if I wanted to get rid of it.
He then said he would give me a 100% refund for the GMC, and sell me something else if I wanted or I could just walk away!I would have been stupid to refuse!!
So I got all the cash back, and bought the Silverado from him, not because of the GMC, but because it is what I liked, and he had on the lot, he even sent it to the spring shop, and paid them to install the 3/4 ton springs so I did not have to!!

After I got this Chevy I have had a few things go, but they right on them!! I had a 1 heated mirror fail, 1 power door lock fail, and both front hub assembly's. They had the hubs changed in 1 hour!!
Other then that I have been very happy with this truck!!

But the 2002 was my FAVORITE!!! And it still going, I got rid of it as the miles were getting up there, and wanted something more reliable, Should have just stayed with that. But that also had the hub issue a few times, which was a easy DIY
 
macojoe said:
Getting rid of the running boards makes a huge difference in appearance!! Also for larger tires I have heard you would need to cut the plastic spoiler under the front bumper so it doesn't rub.

I need my running boards for the wife or they be gone! The GMC looked great with out them!

As far as the GMC, it wasn't I don't like them, But the one I had was eating the transfer case?? In the 1 year I had it I had over $5000 worth of warrt. work done to it! My dealer was great, he said the last time I was there that they put a brand new case in but understood if I wanted to get rid of it.
He then said he would give me a 100% refund for the GMC, and sell me something else if I wanted or I could just walk away!I would have been stupid to refuse!!
So I got all the cash back, and bought the Silverado from him, not because of the GMC, but because it is what I liked, and he had on the lot, he even sent it to the spring shop, and paid them to install the 3/4 ton springs so I did not have to!!

After I got this Chevy I have had a few things go, but they right on them!! I had a 1 heated mirror fail, 1 power door lock fail, and both front hub assembly's. They had the hubs changed in 1 hour!!
Other then that I have been very happy with this truck!!

But the 2002 was my FAVORITE!!! And it still going, I got rid of it as the miles were getting up there, and wanted something more reliable, Should have just stayed with that. But that also had the hub issue a few times, which was a easy DIY
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Well that sounds like it worked out well for you. Props to the dealer for standing behind it like that.....

I am on the same page as you about the b*tch bars. Id rather ditch em but the little lady would have a hard time gettin in and I have a young daughter that when she is old enough to ride with daddy I want her to be able to get in.

My buddy is all ready to go with the recip saw to accomadate bigger tires, he's just waitin for the word, hehe......

Also, the thing that scares me the most with this truck IS the mirrors. Heated, extendable, powered tilt.....probably $600 if you knock one off. I dont know that for sure but I am very weary of them when I drive through the woods to one of my fishin spots. Wouldnt be the first time an Oak tree jumped out in front of me........
 
Man that is a pretty truck. I like the 99-07.5 Chevy and GMC trucks better than the new ones! I have a 1996 GMC and I added the dumbo elephant ear mirrors to it. Best money I have ever spent on it. Been very careful with gate posts and bushwacking.
 
In my silverado I hit a small tree branch and made a hole in the housing, but i never noticed it till I got on the hwt. going 50 and heard a whistle? Kept asking everyone were it was coming from, my son sounds like the mirror. I looked and sure enough it had a hole.
I ordered some chrome covers and put them on and no more noise and I ot the chrome to boot!
My mirrors do it all but the tilt in part and I wish they did!!
 
jasoncooperpcola said:
Man that is a pretty truck. I like the 99-07.5 Chevy and GMC trucks better than the new ones! I have a 1996 GMC and I added the dumbo elephant ear mirrors to it. Best money I have ever spent on it. Been very careful with gate posts and bushwacking.
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Thanks!!! and I agree, not a huge fan of the new styles.

......gate posts and trees have me VERY nervous. I dont ever want to make a call for a replacement!!!!
 
macojoe said:
In my silverado I hit a small tree branch and made a hole in the housing, but i never noticed it till I got on the hwt. going 50 and heard a whistle? Kept asking everyone were it was coming from, my son sounds like the mirror. I looked and sure enough it had a hole.
I ordered some chrome covers and put them on and no more noise and I ot the chrome to boot!
My mirrors do it all but the tilt in part and I wish they did!!
Click to expand...

Haha!!!! Boy do I know your pain!!! I was on a 10hr trip in a box truck fighting the same noise. Finally found the small fracture on the outside of the mirror whistling my name. 4" of duct tape and oh the peace and quiet!!!!

I will say that is the only thing I like about some of the new trucks is the mirrors that auto-tilt when you shift to reverse. Pretty slick......I have to tilt mine down to even see the tire.........
 
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I had an arrow slid over my antenna for a while. But on the interstate it would whistle. Drove me crazy trying to figure it out. Then it hit me that I just did the arrow. So that did not last long....
 
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