Lift question

[SuperCab]

My 1987 GMC Suburban 2500. I had the leaf springs built up because I was always hauling tools and pulling trailers. Now I finally have it back on the road (pics to come) and it's empty, and the ride is killing me. I have to hold my nose shut to keep from losing my liver...

So the springs have to go, but I've come to like the way it sits, roughly a 2" lift. I looked into lift springs, but that would be nearly $1000... Blocks are a cheap alternative, but I'm worried about axle wrap with the blocks... Is it a problem, or should I not worry about it?

Any other ideas? It's just a daily driver now (only semi daily due to the still lacking fuel mileage) and it will return to stock height if I can't find any alternatives.

Thanks guys.

 

[LEB Ben]

Shackle flip in the rear. Some manufacturers add some extra material to get even more lift. But a stock shackle flip should get you less than 4" for sure...probably not as low as 2" though. You could also take springs out of the spring pack. Front leaves I assume??? You can never go wrong with Deaver.

 

[SuperCab]

Hmmm... I didn't explain myself clearly enough or I'm not understanding you...

It sits at about 2" above stock due to added leaf springs. The extra leaves are coming out to restore ride quality, but I want to maintain the ride height of ~2" above stock. This is front and rear... 1 extra in front and ~4 extra out back.

Looking for the best and cheapest way to do a 2" lift, is basically what I'm asking. I took the long way around explaining it.

 

[john112deere]

Keep your current springs and put 500 pounds of rock in the back.

 

[SuperCab]

But then it'll get 9mpg instead of 12

I have my '98 suburban to drive everyday, it gets 17mpg, so this is more of a toy than anything, but at under 10mpg it would be a cost prohibitive toy. takes the fun out of it.

 

[SuperCab]

Here it is in all it's non blue oval glory:

Any of you that remember what it used to look like?

 

[LEB Ben]

Pull even more springs out of the rear to get a 2" drop...then add the shackle flip. Netted together, you'll get a 2" lift. Front...call up deaver and tell them what you want.

 

[SuperCab]

Ok. gotcha.

 

[LEB Ben]

^^^For the record...I say that like it's 'just that simple' I don't have a clue how many leaves you actually have in your pack...and I dunno how much payload you're willing to sacrifice. If you just want the lift then go for it.

 

[SuperCab]

Going back to stock isn't a problem as far as payload... doubt this thing will do much more than move my travel trailer and go fishing on the weekends... And it had the 8,600 GVWR from the factory anyway...

Factory was 8 leaves per side in the rear... I'm runnin 11 or 12 IIRC
I only have one extra in front. I'm thinking about actually going lighter than stock in back... maybe 7 leaves? but I don't want it to look like it's sagging... most Suburbans of this age do.

I'm thinking I'll just put it back to stock now and tackle a lift on some other occasion... Just want to have some fun driving it for the first time in almost a year...

EDIT: Looking at my "before" picture... it really didn't sit that low before... and without the running boards it will look even better. The rear was sagging then but I replaced those altogether. I think I convinced myself to go stock height for now.