My first lift kit, need advice/how-to instructions

[jmt92]

So when i get a job in the following months, I'll be saving up for my first lift kit on my 2033 Gmc sierra, 2wd.But I have no idea what i'm doing really or where to start.I would like to find the cheapest/best lift kit I can find for say a 3-4 inch lift, big enough for 33's?A good price range would help aswell+price range for the wheels, chrome cuz I like to be hood gangsta?

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[ratmonkey]

why would anyone lift a 2wd truck?

[89FoxBody]

I agree but to each his own.

Any lift kit is going to come with full instructions on how to do it. It's a 5-6 hour job for a generally knowledgeable person to do it, provided you have all the tools on hand. Basically its just going to give you the shocks and struts, springs, blocks, U-bolts, and all the bushings and shyt. Some of them come with steering stabilizers and torsion bars to reduce the stress on the truck when flexing. I'd recommend getting one with those..but you can't really 4-wheel with a 2wd truck.

If you just want to fit bigger tires, just get a body lift. You get longer U-bolts and rubber blocks to put on the axles. No suspension mods necessary.

[ratmonkey]

with a body lift it's just pucks and longer body bolts, it successfully makes you look like a toolshed is about all it does. you'll also have issues with shift linkages and other items that are tied to the body and the frame.

of course, so does lifting a 2wd to fit bigger tires that'll kill your fuel economy with no other purpose than to look like a toolbox that doesn't wheel.

[jmt92]

I agree but to each his own.

Any lift kit is going to come with full instructions on how to do it. It's a 5-6 hour job for a generally knowledgeable person to do it, provided you have all the tools on hand. Basically its just going to give you the shocks and struts, springs, blocks, U-bolts, and all the bushings and shyt. Some of them come with steering stabilizers and torsion bars to reduce the stress on the truck when flexing. I'd recommend getting one with those..but you can't really 4-wheel with a 2wd truck.

If you just want to fit bigger tires, just get a body lift. You get longer U-bolts and rubber blocks to put on the axles. No suspension mods necessary.

is it possible to have my 2wd converted to 4wd?Or amz i going to have to wait until i get a different truck in the next few years?

I'd like it to be able to take as much of a beating as a 2wd can take, so the supsension is a must.

[ratmonkey]

get a 4wd if you want to traverse anything tougher than a groomed dirt road.

[89FoxBody]

Yeah I wouldn't even try anything awesome with a 2wd...And converting it is a no-go...Way too expensive.

With 2wd there isn't much you can do...you'll get stuck in pretty much anything.

Sell it and buy an older truck.

[jmt92]

Fair enough, i'll go with the completely different idea of putting some slick rims on it and calling it taken care of for a while.Appreciate it.

[Shoester]

First off, lifting a 2wd is pretty much pointless.


But, if you really want to do it, and your only looking for 3-4inches, I would most definatly NOT go with a suspension lift. Way too much money for not being able to actually use it.

Idk what ratmonkey is talking about, a 3" Performance Accessories BL looks awesome as long as you get the gap guards. And with a 2wd you don't need to work about any transfercase linkages. You can pick up a 3" PA bodylift for ~$340. Easy install.

If I were you, I would deff. do it. You have Torsion bars which you can also crank up a bit on there, and if your willing to trim a little bit you WILL be able to fit 35's.

I drive an 05 Silverado 4x4 and have been planning on doing the exact same thing. Im currently just running 33" STT's with the T-bars cranked and a leveling kit.


EDIT- Here are some pics of some RCSB's with a 3" BL and levling kit(~$100):

[mysterystench]

Your options are limited because of the 2wd, but you have a few options.

As mentioned before you can do a 2-3" body lift. Typically pretty easy. 6-8 body bolts and a ton of drop brackets for brake lines, radiator, hoses, and a fuel filler extension. Easily done in a few hours with a socket set, jack stands and a floor jack. You can get body gap fillers and bumper brackets so that you dont have ugly gaps between the bumpers and body or visible gaps between the frame and body by way of the wheel wells. Runs about 300 dollars.

You can also (along with the body lift) add a front end spacer/leveling kit. It raises the front end up 1.5-2" depending on which you buy. This is also a fairly easy procedure. Its a poly spacer that sits on top of your stock front end suspension (coil springs) essentially to bump your front end up a little bit. This runs about 200 dollars and will require an alignment after its done and the hardest part of the installation is compressing the springs to fit the new spacers in.

You also mentioned a 4wd conversion. Its a very VERY long process that would probably end up with more issues than its worth. Lots of parts and lots of custom work. It would honestly be easier to swap your body onto a 4wd frame and suspension....or just buy a new truck.

PM me if you have any questions.

[jmt92]

First off, lifting a 2wd is pretty much pointless.


But, if you really want to do it, and your only looking for 3-4inches, I would most definatly NOT go with a suspension lift. Way too much money for not being able to actually use it.

Idk what ratmonkey is talking about, a 3" Performance Accessories BL looks awesome as long as you get the gap guards. And with a 2wd you don't need to work about any transfercase linkages. You can pick up a 3" PA bodylift for ~$340. Easy install.

If I were you, I would deff. do it. You have Torsion bars which you can also crank up a bit on there, and if your willing to trim a little bit you WILL be able to fit 35's.

I drive an 05 Silverado 4x4 and have been planning on doing the exact same thing. Im currently just running 33" STT's with the T-bars cranked and a leveling kit.

Yeah but I think it would benefit me more to just wait until i can get a 4x4 and then lift it.I would go ahead and sell my truck for the cash to get one, BUT my dad loves it and it was hard for him to let me have it.So I want to give it back to him one day, but for now he can't use it due to his job, and I really could.So I'm just gonna go with some rims and wait out having a good truck to go mudding in.Besides, I can still make some puddles look pretty cool lol.

[scotyg]

dont harp on 2wd drives, i did some nice mudding in my old 2wd 94 f150 with an open rear end and never got stuck (must have been the driver *wink*).

first off for a suspension lift, your looking at a minimum of $1200 for the lift parts alone, another $800 for wheels, another $800 for tires. Not to mention the hundreds youll be paying for labor. If you with anything bigger then 33s i would recommend regearing your differential to something around 4.10 or 4.33. thats another $500. I would actually recommend it if your just doing 33s, youll regain some power that you lost and a little bit extra

for a body lift, it would be about $300 for the lift, everthing else still stays the same.

good luck paying for it either way, i make about $10/hr at my job and i already decided its not worth the money. I have an 02 f150 4x4 and i need to replace my shocks (about $275 for bilsteins) and tires (about $500 for 31s which were stock on my truck). also im buying a new shotgun this summer.

i started working about a year and a half ago so if i had saved since then i could probably afford it now, but i decided its not worth it for the off-roading i do. instead i saved for college next year.

[jmt92]

dont harp on 2wd drives, i did some nice mudding in my old 2wd 94 f150 with an open rear end and never got stuck (must have been the driver *wink*).

first off for a suspension lift, your looking at a minimum of $1200 for the lift parts alone, another $800 for wheels, another $800 for tires. Not to mention the hundreds youll be paying for labor. If you with anything bigger then 33s i would recommend regearing your differential to something around 4.10 or 4.33. thats another $500. I would actually recommend it if your just doing 33s, youll regain some power that you lost and a little bit extra

for a body lift, it would be about $300 for the lift, everthing else still stays the same.

good luck paying for it either way, i make about $10/hr at my job and i already decided its not worth the money. I have an 02 f150 4x4 and i need to replace my shocks (about $275 for bilsteins) and tires (about $500 for 31s which were stock on my truck). also im buying a new shotgun this summer.

i started working about a year and a half ago so if i had saved since then i could probably afford it now, but i decided its not worth it for the off-roading i do. instead i saved for college next year.

Ya know, you just gave me the best advice, although part of me already knew this.It just isn't worth it right now, I have barely any cash, and right now especially I've got a lot to pay for.Gym cost, my puppies need to be fixed, and the bench shirt I just bought...It's a lot from so little.Over 300 bucks atleast.The new wheels or maybe even short lift can wait, even if it's until I have a good job in or after college.Thanks again guys for the input, I'll try to get you all on recharge.