looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme

maherj · 10-22-2009, 04:13 PM

I have a 99 extended cab xtreme. It has been great for years but this summer I put $900 and 5 weeks of my time into fixing the vibration from the rear end. I replaced the axle bearings and seals, had the main and pinion bearings replaced, replaced the drive shaft with a new non double cardigan one and installed the JTR alignment blocks and shims. The truck feels great now but I worry about going forward.

During the summer I regularly haul my motorcycle and in the winter I keep a few hundred pounds of sand bags in the back. I'm concerned about squating the truck and accelerating the wear and tear on the rear end again.

I'm looking for some add a leafs that will add an inch or less of lift. From searching it looks like people are getting 1/2"-3" of lift.
Any first hand experience or suggestions?
Thanks.

***98layinframe*** · 10-22-2009, 04:16 PM

what about a set of air shocks? that or an air over leaf over load setup? With either of those you maintain a nice ride unloaded and only add air when needed to level with a load.

alarm_the_alarm · 10-22-2009, 04:56 PM

i belive the extreme is lowered in the rear from the leafs. Look into getting a set of stock s10 leafs. IM not 100% on thats they way they are lowered someone should back me up before you go buy a set.

maherj · 10-22-2009, 05:02 PM

I considered an air bag set up but heard stories about leaks in the bags. I'm looking for a low maintenance and inexpensive option.
If the ride turned out really bad I had thought about keeping two sand bags in the back when unloaded but that isn't very often.

btw this site is great. I was able to figure out how to fix most of my problems by searching around.

maherj · 10-22-2009, 05:12 PM

I considered that as well but that would be a 2" lift. Then I would be using lowering blocks so I wasn't driving around with the back end jacked up. I was actually looking forward to having a stiffer ride in the back.

Ideally I would like to lift just under an inch so I would be around stock height with a load in the bed.

90blueS10 · 10-22-2009, 05:23 PM

Run a small compressor and air tank. And some air bags.

Wicked Mayhem did this on his fullsize chevy.

he mounted air over the axle with the compressor and tank so he can fill/dump on demand.

Its not all that expensive either.

BillsDuster · 10-22-2009, 06:56 PM

Short add a leafs will give you one inch of lift and only cost 35-40 bucks. Air shocks are ok but are not the answer when you have weight in the back for an extended length of time. They will begin to leak, its just a matter of time.

maherj · 10-22-2009, 07:58 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by BillsDuster

Short add a leafs will give you one inch of lift and only cost 35-40 bucks...

Awesome, just what I'm looking for. The axle shims lowered the back end slightly so an inch of lift should be close to what I'm after.
Any vendors or site sponsors you recommend? Any you don't?
With out installing them is there a way to get a good idea what the exact lift will be: lenght of the leaf, thickness?

travisn · 10-22-2009, 08:34 PM

wont you have to mess with pinion angle and the PITA of changing leafs every season? air bags or shocks is the best answer for your needs. plus air shocks only take 15 mins to change if you feel the need.

you wont need a compressor or switches or any of that with air shocks becuase they just use a simple schrader valve like on a tire. one of my s10s had it on there when i bought it, plus my old el camino had them stock. lol

maherj · 10-22-2009, 10:41 PM

I have already messed with the pinion angle with the block and shim kit.

From JTR's driveshaft alignment kit instructions.

Quote:

For proper driveshaft alignment, the transmission output shaft should point at the differential pinion shaft, when the truck is at normal ride height.
To improve driveline angles, the transmission was raised 3/4" with an aluminum spacer. Ideally, the transmission should be raised slightly higher, however, if the transmission were raised any higher, the transmission would contact the floor of the truck...

They raise the carrier bearing up as well (1") and for both of them mention shimming with washers until it vibrates on the body to try to get a slightly better angle.

If I'm sitting just under where I want to be at ride height I get worried about loading it up and driving a few states away... especially after having to put all that money and time into it a few months ago. ha

So if the add a leafs bring me up to or just over ideal angle I'll feel much better powering up hills with 500 lb in the back and going over dips in the freeway.
Also talking to a Driveshafts Northwest I was told that part of the rear end problem with S10s are they have soft springs that allow the pinion to rotate too much under hard acceleration. So I wouldn't mind a slightly stiffer spring rate to help with that as well.
I'm planning to leave this in until I sell the truck (probably years) so I won't be swapped them out every season.

Thanks for all the replies so far, great forum.

maherj · 10-24-2009, 05:14 PM

Most of the ones I have found online say 1 1/2"-2 1/2" inches. Does any one have any first hand experience with ones that will give an inch or less.
Thanks.

BillsDuster · 10-25-2009, 01:09 AM

Add a leafs? I have short procomp adda leafs and get almost exactly one inch of lift from them. I've had them out and in a couple times with only one inch of difference. 2" of lift isnt going to happen with the ones for an s10, they are simply too thin to make that much lift.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EXP-13120/

snookaholic26 · 10-26-2009, 02:21 PM

i ended up doing the same thing with my extreme. lifting it. but i used stock blazer leafs. they will fit. the xtreme leafs are 1.5in lower than stock s10 leafs. get rid of those and replace with regular s10 or blazer leafs to get a full 1.5in of lift. plus you will kep that nice soft ride. aal's will stiffen the rear up pretty bad.

***What?*** · 10-26-2009, 11:16 PM

Fellas, he has Xtreme, aka rear drop leaf.

Solution, buy stock leaf for $20-$40.

Air Shocks are good, I've used them in past, VERY little leak on stock lines. But easily fill up at any gas station or portable air comp.

AAL will give you slight lift, but without load, it'll be very stiff in rear but with load, it'll ride like a cadillac.

Other choice would be buying Leaf Helper Spring, basically bolt in rear of leaf, adjust stiffness and it'll prevent sagging/axle wrap/wheel hop so no lift is necessary and no worries on ride height.

Good call on switching over double cardan to u-joint, I switch my 2 piece, double cardan to single piece driveshaft. Good reputable shop WILL know that's shitty design and WILL tell you that so will have different setup to make it fit and no double cardan joints(worse design ever).

maherj · 10-28-2009, 04:18 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by What?

AAL will give you slight lift, but without load, it'll be very stiff in rear but with load, it'll ride like a cadillac.

I'd be ok with a stiffer ride, I don't drive unloaded very often.

Quote: Originally Posted by What?

Other choice would be buying Leaf Helper Spring, basically bolt in rear of leaf, adjust stiffness and it'll prevent sagging/axle wrap/wheel hop so no lift is necessary and no worries on ride height.

Hadn't heard of those before, just looked it up.
http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...scon/550S.html
Looked interesting. Any down sides?
Definetly in the price range I was looking at.

Quote: Originally Posted by What?

Good call on switching over double cardan to u-joint, I switch my 2 piece, double cardan to single piece driveshaft. Good reputable shop WILL know that's shitty design and WILL tell you that so will have different setup to make it fit and no double cardan joints(worse design ever).

I really like my truck but I was so discouraged when the more I dug into it the more common problems I found. It feels great now, I just want to keep it that way. ha

10-22-2009, 04:13 PM	#1
maherj Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Seattle User is: OffLine	looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme I have a 99 extended cab xtreme. It has been great for years but this summer I put $900 and 5 weeks of my time into fixing the vibration from the rear end. I replaced the axle bearings and seals, had the main and pinion bearings replaced, replaced the drive shaft with a new non double cardigan one and installed the JTR alignment blocks and shims. The truck feels great now but I worry about going forward. During the summer I regularly haul my motorcycle and in the winter I keep a few hundred pounds of sand bags in the back. I'm concerned about squating the truck and accelerating the wear and tear on the rear end again. I'm looking for some add a leafs that will add an inch or less of lift. From searching it looks like people are getting 1/2"-3" of lift. Any first hand experience or suggestions? Thanks.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 04:56 PM	#3
alarm_the_alarm '00 Dime Age: 19 Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 817 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme i belive the extreme is lowered in the rear from the leafs. Look into getting a set of stock s10 leafs. IM not 100% on thats they way they are lowered someone should back me up before you go buy a set.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 05:02 PM	#4
maherj Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Seattle User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme I considered an air bag set up but heard stories about leaks in the bags. I'm looking for a low maintenance and inexpensive option. If the ride turned out really bad I had thought about keeping two sand bags in the back when unloaded but that isn't very often. btw this site is great. I was able to figure out how to fix most of my problems by searching around.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 05:12 PM	#5
maherj Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Seattle User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme I considered that as well but that would be a 2" lift. Then I would be using lowering blocks so I wasn't driving around with the back end jacked up. I was actually looking forward to having a stiffer ride in the back. Ideally I would like to lift just under an inch so I would be around stock height with a load in the bed.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 05:23 PM	#6
90blueS10 Calico 1st Gen Age: 17 Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4,101 Location: Ottawa, Kansas User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme Run a small compressor and air tank. And some air bags. Wicked Mayhem did this on his fullsize chevy. he mounted air over the axle with the compressor and tank so he can fill/dump on demand. Its not all that expensive either.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 06:56 PM	#7
BillsDuster Riding High 2wd Age: 27 Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,101 Location: Muskegon, MI User is: Online	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme Short add a leafs will give you one inch of lift and only cost 35-40 bucks. Air shocks are ok but are not the answer when you have weight in the back for an extended length of time. They will begin to leak, its just a matter of time. Last edited by BillsDuster : 10-22-2009 at 06:58 PM.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 07:58 PM	#8
maherj Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Seattle User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme Quote: Originally Posted by BillsDuster Short add a leafs will give you one inch of lift and only cost 35-40 bucks... Awesome, just what I'm looking for. The axle shims lowered the back end slightly so an inch of lift should be close to what I'm after. Any vendors or site sponsors you recommend? Any you don't? With out installing them is there a way to get a good idea what the exact lift will be: lenght of the leaf, thickness?
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 08:34 PM	#9
travisn Registered User Age: 23 Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 396 Location: Batavia, NY User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme wont you have to mess with pinion angle and the PITA of changing leafs every season? air bags or shocks is the best answer for your needs. plus air shocks only take 15 mins to change if you feel the need. you wont need a compressor or switches or any of that with air shocks becuase they just use a simple schrader valve like on a tire. one of my s10s had it on there when i bought it, plus my old el camino had them stock. lol Last edited by travisn : 10-22-2009 at 08:35 PM.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 10:41 PM	#10
maherj Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Seattle User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme I have already messed with the pinion angle with the block and shim kit. From JTR's driveshaft alignment kit instructions. Quote: For proper driveshaft alignment, the transmission output shaft should point at the differential pinion shaft, when the truck is at normal ride height. To improve driveline angles, the transmission was raised 3/4" with an aluminum spacer. Ideally, the transmission should be raised slightly higher, however, if the transmission were raised any higher, the transmission would contact the floor of the truck... They raise the carrier bearing up as well (1") and for both of them mention shimming with washers until it vibrates on the body to try to get a slightly better angle. If I'm sitting just under where I want to be at ride height I get worried about loading it up and driving a few states away... especially after having to put all that money and time into it a few months ago. ha So if the add a leafs bring me up to or just over ideal angle I'll feel much better powering up hills with 500 lb in the back and going over dips in the freeway. Also talking to a Driveshafts Northwest I was told that part of the rear end problem with S10s are they have soft springs that allow the pinion to rotate too much under hard acceleration. So I wouldn't mind a slightly stiffer spring rate to help with that as well. I'm planning to leave this in until I sell the truck (probably years) so I won't be swapped them out every season. Thanks for all the replies so far, great forum.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-24-2009, 05:14 PM	#11
maherj Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Seattle User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme Most of the ones I have found online say 1 1/2"-2 1/2" inches. Does any one have any first hand experience with ones that will give an inch or less. Thanks.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-25-2009, 01:09 AM	#12
BillsDuster Riding High 2wd Age: 27 Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,101 Location: Muskegon, MI User is: Online	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme Add a leafs? I have short procomp adda leafs and get almost exactly one inch of lift from them. I've had them out and in a couple times with only one inch of difference. 2" of lift isnt going to happen with the ones for an s10, they are simply too thin to make that much lift. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EXP-13120/
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-26-2009, 02:21 PM	#13
snookaholic26 Registered User Age: 22 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 370 Location: Tampa Bay, Florida User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme i ended up doing the same thing with my extreme. lifting it. but i used stock blazer leafs. they will fit. the xtreme leafs are 1.5in lower than stock s10 leafs. get rid of those and replace with regular s10 or blazer leafs to get a full 1.5in of lift. plus you will kep that nice soft ride. aal's will stiffen the rear up pretty bad.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-26-2009, 11:16 PM	#14
*What?* Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 18,059 Location: AZ User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme Fellas, he has Xtreme, aka rear drop leaf. Solution, buy stock leaf for $20-$40. Air Shocks are good, I've used them in past, VERY little leak on stock lines. But easily fill up at any gas station or portable air comp. AAL will give you slight lift, but without load, it'll be very stiff in rear but with load, it'll ride like a cadillac. Other choice would be buying Leaf Helper Spring, basically bolt in rear of leaf, adjust stiffness and it'll prevent sagging/axle wrap/wheel hop so no lift is necessary and no worries on ride height. Good call on switching over double cardan to u-joint, I switch my 2 piece, double cardan to single piece driveshaft. Good reputable shop WILL know that's shitty design and WILL tell you that so will have different setup to make it fit and no double cardan joints(worse design ever).
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-28-2009, 04:18 PM	#15
maherj Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Seattle User is: OffLine	Re: looking for low lift add a leafs for xtreme Quote: Originally Posted by What? AAL will give you slight lift, but without load, it'll be very stiff in rear but with load, it'll ride like a cadillac. I'd be ok with a stiffer ride, I don't drive unloaded very often. Quote: Originally Posted by What? Other choice would be buying Leaf Helper Spring, basically bolt in rear of leaf, adjust stiffness and it'll prevent sagging/axle wrap/wheel hop so no lift is necessary and no worries on ride height. Hadn't heard of those before, just looked it up. http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...scon/550S.html Looked interesting. Any down sides? Definetly in the price range I was looking at. Quote: Originally Posted by What? Good call on switching over double cardan to u-joint, I switch my 2 piece, double cardan to single piece driveshaft. Good reputable shop WILL know that's shitty design and WILL tell you that so will have different setup to make it fit and no double cardan joints(worse design ever). I really like my truck but I was so discouraged when the more I dug into it the more common problems I found. It feels great now, I just want to keep it that way. ha
	[Reply w/Quote]