Lift Springs

[992drjimmy]

I have this annoying little problem with 2" lift springs. The ride is a bit stiff. But you dont need a kidney belt.
My seatbelt locks quite a bit on rough side streets in town and on pot holes. DOes anyone else have this annoying problem or could there be a problem with the seat belt. Pass side doesnt seem to do it as much.
Truck is 96 ext cab.

[What?]

Nope, it's your stiff ride, whenever it anticpate quick moveness or during sway, it'll lock. I have bad habit trying to buckle up(then gets locked) when I back out fast lol.

[992drjimmy]

Quote: Originally Posted by What?

Nope, it's your stiff ride, whenever it anticpate quick moveness or during sway, it'll lock. I have bad habit trying to buckle up(then gets locked) when I back out fast lol.

Does yours do this too? Anyone else have this problem. My drivers side is more so than passenger side. Gets real annoying. Especially if im buckling it after i back out of the drive way and starting down the road.

[What?]

Yeah it happens to me, but only when I'm doing fast turns(no sway bar) and offroading, doesn't bother me.

[992drjimmy]

mine does it at like 15-20mph. On a straight road.

[992drjimmy]

Im going to start looking and gathering sfa parts over the next 6 monthes. Maybe start it in the late spring. Hoping i can just bolt everything on and the take truck to get everything welded correctly.

[What?]

Sound's like ride is pretty stiff lol, you sure you don't want to trade springs?

[992drjimmy]

Quote: Originally Posted by What?

Sound's like ride is pretty stiff lol, you sure you don't want to trade springs?

I just dont want to got through the hassle of changing them again and the doing the rear too. Plus another alignment already.

[alarm_the_alarm]

true.

I would try the moogs out despite the time and alignment if it fixes it its alot less work then sfa....

[992drjimmy]

Ive wanted an sfa s10 for like 10 years. This just gives me more reason to finally try and make it happen. Ive readup on this for years and printed stuff. As much as ive researched and read youd think i could whip right through it.LOL

[What?]

You should also sign up on www.pirate4x4.com to get shitload of sfa info.

You can go with 5664 which will be softer than your current ride AND provide you less lift but bit more than stock. It'll be EASIER to install 5664 than your spring as it sound. Just use internal spring compresser with 1/2" impact to tighten them(you may need to adjust it few times). Easy install.

[alarm_the_alarm]

true. A sfa would be sick. and having a wife its just a excuse to get the sfa instead of the springs. Go sfa and get a transfercase for that beast. I wish i had 4 wheel drive just so i can say i have it lol

[96superflow]

I never messed on pirate. Heard to many things about most of the guys being jerks. I just stuck with this site, learned alot, and it really wasnt that difficult... You just had to know how to weld.

[992drjimmy]

Ive been reading on sfa on here for a couple years and on s10extremist for many years. I found a 96-97 blazer in the local yard that has the manual floor shift t-case and the interior pieces are a match. Hopefully they still have it when i get more funds together. Would that be a good choice. I probably will run 33's maybe 35's. Will be 99% street driven. Probably only 4x4 in the snow and maybe the sand dunes once a year. That will be light wheeling in the sand as the family would be along too.
Id like to do dana 30 front. What is the best vehicle to get it from? Will that sky crossmember work on 2wd. Gues this should probably go to the sfa section now.

[992drjimmy]

When i got my tranny rebuilt back in the spring i should have just gotten a 4wd trany and tcase then. At least now id have a lo range with the 2wd. Anyone with a 2wd thought or considered just adding a t case for the lo range.

[BillsDuster]

Nothin sexier then a straight axle under a lifted truck. If my s10 wasn't a 4 banger I would of just went right on to a straight axle conversion when I wanted to lift it. Maybe some day I'll go ahead with the plan to prerunner this one out, but as of right now those plans are on a indefinate holding pattern as I focus all efforts towards restoring my old truck and finding another 70's Mopar truck from down south.

[992drjimmy]

Ive wanted to do sfa for so long. Always been afraid of tear it alldown and never getting it finished. Im planning on bolting everything together enough wear it will sit on its own weight. Then getting it welded by a shop thats only a few miles away. They are more than competent. About10 years ago i put an 85 ext cab s10 on suburban frame. Had this shop shorten the fram and re inforce it and they moved the body over and all. They did a real nice job. Problem is they are so busy with big jobs the only do things like this whne the have time. They had my truck i think for 3 monthes then. Wish i could find some pics. Damn ex wife. Anyways the truck ended up getting stolen and some kids beat the hell out of it off road. I mean beat it and stole carb and e fans off it. They severly mudded with windows down. Truck was trashed. I ended up selling it cheap. Didnt even want to fix it again. Regret it now.

[96superflow]

If you could find one with the 4wd tranny and floor shift transfer case, like you stated, they will work fine. The d30 can be had from a few different vehicles. jeep wrangler yjs used them with the leaf pearches already set up for leaf spring under axle, the xj cherokees work well too. Both are high pinion which what you want. all the YJs had vac loc axles thou. early cherokees had it, but the later one didnt. But you could put any axle shafts out of whatever and swap them in.

a 4cyl wouldn't be terrible, you see tons of lifted jeeps wtih 4 bangers, gearing is what makes it possible thou. And you would have to have a divorced transfer case i think. but it wouldnt be terrible.

With mine, i just made up my mind. made a list of parts. gathered them, and started cutting ifs shit out!!!!! had no choice after that!

[992drjimmy]

Quote: Originally Posted by 96superflow

If you could find one with the 4wd tranny and floor shift transfer case, like you stated, they will work fine. The d30 can be had from a few different vehicles. jeep wrangler yjs used them with the leaf pearches already set up for leaf spring under axle, the xj cherokees work well too. Both are high pinion which what you want. all the YJs had vac loc axles thou. early cherokees had it, but the later one didnt. But you could put any axle shafts out of whatever and swap them in.

a 4cyl wouldn't be terrible, you see tons of lifted jeeps wtih 4 bangers, gearing is what makes it possible thou. And you would have to have a divorced transfer case i think. but it wouldnt be terrible.

With mine, i just made up my mind. made a list of parts. gathered them, and started cutting ifs shit out!!!!! had no choice after that!

What years wranglers are the best or best and cheapest to get from? Whould i get the rear axle as well? OR stick with s10 axle on the rear?

[96superflow]

the last year 95 wrangler came with the larger 297xx and so did all the ones with abs (which isnt very common). All the hpd30 axle shafts are interchangeable, so if you have to get an older one with the smaller ujoints it aint no big deal. For the rear, most guys swap in a ford 8.8 with the same gear ratio because it has the same bolt pattern and is stronger than the 10-bolt. Same track width too. Its what i did. I have maybe 200 bucks in my axles for my swap total. I wouldnt pay more than 125 for a wrangler d30 and hunt for the correct gear ratio, which i would go with 4.10s. For the ford 8.8 it cost me under 100 bucks from a pick and pull.

[992drjimmy]

Quote: Originally Posted by 96superflow

the last year 95 wrangler came with the larger 297xx and so did all the ones with abs (which isnt very common). All the hpd30 axle shafts are interchangeable, so if you have to get an older one with the smaller ujoints it aint no big deal. For the rear, most guys swap in a ford 8.8 with the same gear ratio because it has the same bolt pattern and is stronger than the 10-bolt. Same track width too. Its what i did. I have maybe 200 bucks in my axles for my swap total. I wouldnt pay more than 125 for a wrangler d30 and hunt for the correct gear ratio, which i would go with 4.10s. For the ford 8.8 it cost me under 100 bucks from a pick and pull.

So is a wrangler my best coice for a high pinion dana 30. How do i know by looking at the axle if an axle is a HP dana 30 or just a dana 30. What is the lug pattern on the dana 30. My wheels have 2 lug patterns. I forget what the other one is ill have to measure. Ill probably not worry about the rear axle until i have mostly everything for the front and a plan laid out .Will the sky x member work on the 2wd frame. Or will i need to come up with my own. What is a good material to use on the front. Do you think itd be ok to bolt everything with at least enough stregth to support its own weight but not driven. Then have someone competent weld the crossmember and mounts.

[96superflow]

All the yj wrangler came with the hpd30, you can tell by seeing that the pinion is on the upper side of the ring gear and not the lower side like your rear axle is. High pinion is better up front. The lug pattern is 5x4.5, the sky xmember will work on the 2wd frame. But, im not sure on for the rear mount of the leaf spring of how it would have to lay out. I had to basically build a mount about 5" to the inside of my frame rail for the shackle to mount too. If you could get it to where the front was bolted on well, and the rear was tacked on heavily, i think it could sit on it no problem. Heres what im talking bout for the rear mount.





Im not quite certain on it, but i think that the frames are i different on the 2wds and narrower, but im not sure how much or if they are narrower in that spot. You can kinda see in the first pic where the pinion gear is on the top of the pumpkin, above the axle shafts.

[992drjimmy]

Can you take a close up of the sky crossmember mounted to your frame sometime? Do you thinkit could be bolted on? As a temp thing of course. In your last pic where that hole is to bolt the shackle. What is the hole made of. Is that some sort of bushong or????

[96superflow]

I can get ya pics, but the truck is 2hrs away from me at the moment. Most of theses im pulling off of what i already have on my photo bucket. If these dont help ill take better ones when i get back. That hole is for a bushing thats included with the kit, i just pulled it out cause i didn't wanna melt it when i was welding it on.







Heres a link to my photobucket too.
http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii106/jah0721/

The welds look like shit too, but they are strong. Had the pops watching the inside of the frame rail while i was doing it. I got great penetration on both!

[992drjimmy]

That is awesome. Those pics answer the questions id had more than all the searching ive done. Believe ive done alot in the last 10 years.
From the pics it does look like i could bolt the sky crossmember to the frame. A couple good size grade 8 bolts would work wouldnt you think. I actually have a 4wd jimmy too, so i can take measurements from both. But its the 2wd truck thats going to go sfa. So the bushing for the rear mounts you made came with the sky crossmember?

[96superflow]

Yeah man, The sky kit came with the cross member shackles, shackle mount and the bushings for the shackle. Also all the bolts. Grade 8s should do just fine. Some guys on here have bolted and welded it too like your talking. Since you've been doing it for so long, you should be an expert on um!!! Only look for the best deals and dont take shitty ones! Collect um over a long period, and keep playin around in the sfa section!

[992drjimmy]

LOL I meant done alot of research in the last 10 years. This will be my first actaully doing the sfa

[96superflow]

haha i gotcha. Slow and steady is how im doing mine. Havent really run into any problems.

[992drjimmy]

Think im going to get the sky crossmember first. The biggest think im unsure about is making the rear spring mount. Not sure how i can do that with out welding. Makingit a tempbolt on.

[96superflow]

Hmmm. Im not to sure how you could. I know one of the guys started off using a sandwich bracket that wrapped around the frame rails. But it would still have to be welded to get the shackle mount on.

[992drjimmy]

Quote: Originally Posted by 96superflow

Hmmm. Im not to sure how you could. I know one of the guys started off using a sandwich bracket that wrapped around the frame rails. But it would still have to be welded to get the shackle mount on.

Beein thinking about that mount since the last post. I think i could probably tack that up myself and take that part to get welded and then actaully bolt it to the frame. Just so i can at least get it strong enough to hold the weight of the truck just sitting to get it in the right place. Too bad they dont make the rear mount also to go with a specific spring.

[96superflow]

Yeah. There are tons of ways to mount it. I had another guys mount on my photobucket too. Its just whatever ya want to fabricate really.

[992drjimmy]

Quote: Originally Posted by 96superflow

Yeah. There are tons of ways to mount it. I had another guys mount on my photobucket too. Its just whatever ya want to fabricate really.

I like your mounts and they look pretty simple to make.
I see you are SUA on the front. Is that the way you stayed and a simpler way to go. I want to only run 33's with no rub at all with some reasonable flex. Do you know how much lift you gained over stock just in the suspension. Or what did you have to do to therear to get level. Now im wishing i had a garage so i could get started on this NOW.

[96superflow]

yeah man. Spring under is alot easier. no need to mess with welding on perches and you can probably set it up to not need the half high steer arm. some of the guys on here have done it on the spring under anyways, but im gonna try another way. Steering is the main reason i stayed spring under and i didn't want it too high without being wide enough. you will deff be able to do 33's if setup with the rancho 44044s up front. I have them on mine along with a 2" body lift and will be running 33s at first then 35s when i have to buy tires and regear, but billaksblazer is running 35's on the same setup i have(thats the truck i modeled mine after). For the rear i just did a simple spring over what i was already running with a 2-3" lift shackle. I know im going to have to do something there too, my spring pack is way too soft with all that weight, but you probably wont have that problem with the truck.

Im not dead certain how much i gained over stock, but ill take some measurements off my moms 2wd blazer and then compair them to mine for a 2 wheel to 4 wheel conversion amount.

[992drjimmy]

Im going to model mine after yours and his. Didnt know his was the same.
From what you did on the rear, Seems like you must got about 8" of lift. When i did the soa on the rear of mine, I got 5.5".

[96superflow]

Might be the difference in the 2wd to 4wd springs. Not too sure. but i do still have the lift shackle too. and it might look more with the body lift too. it does sit very level as of now too.

[992drjimmy]

So does that sky crossmember get mounted all the way forward on the frame? Then it would jus be centered on the frame rails. Looks like i will go spring under using the rough country springs. Steering wise. Just use a warngler pitman arm and it will attach to the s10 steering box. Seems alot easier now that im actually talking about to those who have done it then just reading on it. IF i had a garage id be staring it this winter. This will be a drive way project starting in the spring.
So front axle needs to be from a wrangler? or whatother truck? I know the yards around here, if i go to one and say im looking for a HPdana30, they will look and act all dumb founded. So i need to be very specific with them.

[96superflow]

tell um 88 or 89 to 95 wrangler. Thats the one already setup with the leaves and spring under the axle. im not sure what gearing you already have but you can get them with 3.08, i believe 3.42, 3.73, and 4.10. you could still run the stock rear.

Having the sky xmember all the way up front will push your axle foreward quite a bit, and you will more than likely need an astro van steering box to get your steering working right. You could have it back to where the stock axle will sit stock and it will work with the steering box in the factory location. You can def do it in your driveway, i am i just wish i had a concrete pad to do it on that would be my only request. You can see in this pic how far forward its pushed when its at the front of the frame rails.

[992drjimmy]

So it looks like maybe about 5 inches back from the end of the rails would be a good place. If you get a chance could youtake some pics of the how you did the rear shackles of thefront leafs. No big hurry i wont be starting this till spring. But im thinking if i could design or, lol, copy someones elses that has worked good, Maybe i could get them made with a way to bolt them where they need to go. To be welded later of course. Those jeep wheels look funny. Right now my rear has 3.42 gears. I want to go 4.10,4.11 whichever it is. The wheels i have right now have 5x4.5 and 5x4.75 patterns. So ill be of except the center cap. Hope to have the fron axle in and the driveability down bylate spring. Then worry about the rear end and the tranny and transfer case. Although i may need to jump on this 96or 97 blazer i found with factory floor shift t case and the console. See if i can get a ood deal on them.

[992drjimmy]

Actually i forgot you had posted some pics of that rear mount. So basically its just welded to a steel plate with the triangle piecse, not sure what thats called, welded into reinforce. Wonder what if i did a plate like that with maybe 1/2" steel and bolted it to the frame. You think that would hold the weight of the truck with out bending the plate. Again just till i can get someone to weld it all up right? Id think 1/2" would probably be overkill in the end. So with spring under like that stock box maywork or if not an astro box with wrangler pitman on it then all the tierods what not would be for a wrangler. Man im excited . Seems like my tear down will be easier since i dont have a fron diff or t bars. But illhave to deal with the tranny and xfer case. Will stock fron drive shaft go to the d30. I have a bravada front shaft some where. It has a cv on the end. If i remember right.

[96superflow]

Usually for the front driveshaft, you can use a unit from a cherokee, especially if you get a manual shift transfer case. I would probably go with 1/4", it should be enough with the bolts through the frame for temp support. The triangular pieces are gussets to distribute the weight on more spots of the frame. Nice deal on the wheels! that wont be a problem at all matching the front to rear! for your axle out of the wrangler, look for one out of a 4 cyl 5speed, im pretty sure most came with 4.10s. Yup you got it about all the tie rods and pitman arms, actually for the pitman arm you can use any jeep cherokee grand cherokee or wrangler, i have a grand cherokee on mine and its like a 4" drop unit.

[992drjimmy]

So when getting the cherokee pitman arm will i have to ask for one with a drop or do you mean its like a 4" drop compared to the s10 pitman arm. Hopefully the arm will also fit the 2wd box. I dont know if the 2wd and 4wd box are the same or not. Can hardly wait to get this started. Or at least get some parts. Wife asked my what i wanted for christmas. I told her id send her the link for the sky kit.

[96superflow]

lol that would be a perfect kit! you will want to start it even sooner!!! When i made the comparison, i forgot to say that the grand cherokee pitman has a longer drop then the stock wrangler arm. I would def look into the boxes to make sure, i dont have a clue thou.

[992drjimmy]

I may be even swapping the s10 for a 99 durango. Full leather 4x4. What you guys think. i still have the 4x4 jimmy. So if i do swap the s10, I do the sfa on the jimmy after i pry it away from my wife. Damn for some reason she just loves that 97 jimmy. Wish i could get her to drive the 06 caravan. I even tell her how nice it is to drive and all that. She just wont bite andi get stuck with it. Well when i cant fit everyone in the truck.

[96superflow]

depends on how nice the durango is. If its me, i know how to work on the s10s inside and out, and if there's something i dont know, im sure someone on here does. and im a chevy guy.

[992drjimmy]

Quote: Originally Posted by 96superflow

depends on how nice the durango is. If its me, i know how to work on the s10s inside and out, and if there's something i dont know, im sure someone on here does. and im a chevy guy.

Thats about the way i am with s10's also. Supposed to check out the durango either later today or tomorrow better. We';; see what happens. Im usually a chevy guy too, although we do have a grand caravan.