3 inch rake after tuff country 4 inch lift.

[Brysonsproject]

Recently installed a 4" Tuff Country lift on my 1978 chevy K20 and there's about a 3" rake now. Here are the fenderwell height differences before and after lifting:
Driver front: +3". Passenger front: +3 1/2". Driver rear: +5 3/8" Passenger rear: +6 15/16".
I'm not sure if the big difference in lift between the front and rear is normal, but the truck sat really flat before and now it does not. The part numbers on the springs are correct, but maybe they put the right part number on the wrong spring and actually send me 6" lift springs or 4" heavy duty instead of EZ rides? Should I contact tuff country and ask about the possibility of new springs? Also just what is your opinion on how the truck looks now compared to if it were lifted evenly front and rear.

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[TotalyHucked]

That amount of rake is how the truck would've sat from the factory. If it sat level before, the rear springs were likely worn out. Personally, I like them to sit level so I'd have to add a zero rate up front or swap the rear springs for a smaller set.

 

[Bextreme04]

I would say that the fact you measured height before and after, and have a 6" lift in the rear should answer your question. You obviously got the wrong rear springs.

My truck looked just like this when I put 63" rear springs on my truck in combination with a 4" shackle flip. I had read that the 63" springs would give it a 2" lift on it's own, but wanted to see it first. When I changed them for a 2.5" lift shackle flip, they settled back down to level-ish.

 

[Bextreme04]

That amount of rake is how the truck would've sat from the factory. If it sat level before, the rear springs were likely worn out. Personally, I like them to sit level so I'd have to add a zero rate up front or swap the rear springs for a smaller set.

No, not at all. That is WAY more rake than the stock 3/4 ton. Mine sat that way when I had 6" of lift in the rear and 4" in the front. It still has a slight rake with the lift being mostly leveled out, but nothing like that.

 

[TotalyHucked]

No, not at all. That is WAY more rake than the stock 3/4 ton. Mine sat that way when I had 6" of lift in the rear and 4" in the front. It still has a slight rake with the lift being mostly leveled out, but nothing like that.

I've seen several relatively low mile, original 3/4 ton trucks that looked just like that

 

[Bextreme04]

I've seen several relatively low mile, original 3/4 ton trucks that looked just like that

Mine was a heavy GVW 3/4 ton with the F44 heavy duty front suspension and had all the original front and rear springs on it before I redid everything. Absolutely did not look like that. Mine looked just like that after putting 6" of lift in the rear and 4" of lift in the front.

I think part of it is the way the pics are slanted from the driveway also. Mine would look somewhat ok from some angles and then in other angles you could tell it was WAY off. It also was a much stiffer and more uncomfortable ride like that. Once I got the rear down by going to the 2.5" flip instead of the 4", it improved a bunch. Then I added the HD spring in the front, I had originally left it out thinking it would be better with the small block and I could put them on when I put the big block in. That was a mistake because it only gave me ~3" lift in the front without the big spring on the bottom and actually had a rougher ride.

After doing all of that, it now sits at about the factory orientation, which is about 1-1.5" higher in the rear than the front. at one point it was probably 4-5" higher in the rear than the front... and looked just like these pics.

 

[Shorty81]

Leave as is. Rake is good!!

 

[MPWILSON33]

Did you put the weight of the truck on the springs before tightening the bolts at the bushings? If not it can bind them up to be a lot higher than should be. Don't ask how I know....

 

[Blazerbiker]

Did you measure how much it's off when it's parked somewhere level? Measure the body line over the tires for the most useful measurement. Not the fender lip but the body crease. Are they 56" rears? the 56" springs are a little extra stiff and tall since they come on higher rated trucks and that could be part of this. You could put a longer shackle in the back to drop it down an inch. We (ORD) have a slightly longer front shackle that would help too.

 

[Grit dog]

Well the truck looks badass either way!!
It also doesn’t look like one side is 1-1/2” higher in the rear than the other.
But springs could need to break in, bolts tightened in the air (could explain why one side is much higher in the rear.
Sitting pointed downhill makes it look exaggerated.
But what matters is the height from tire to fender lip.
And remember the rear fender lip is idk 1.5-2” lower so same measurement F and R is actually a 1.5-2” rake.
For comparison, 5” of front lift and 4 of rear (4” block, healthy stock rear springs) is 10” +/- of tire to fender lip clearance at all 4 corners.
So looks level ish, has 1-2” of positive rake.
What’s your tire to fender measurements?

Also, before doing anything major, fill that thing plum full of firewood or gravel or a concrete eco block and go drive it like you stole it for a while. See if them rear springs settle down.
I haven’t done a lot of springs but they could just need broken in.

 

[RanchWelder]

How's the drive shaft slip yoke compare?
Before vs after?
Relatively centered at rest empty or biased towards slipping off the shaft?
How about drive line angle?

My concern and possible consideration for your situation, is if the perches on the springs you installed, require additional perch angle?
Is the drive line too far out of degree limit?
Somebody please chime in: 2-1/2 degrees? Or more? How much is too much?

If they gave you the wrong springs, modifying the drive line angle might have been required for a 6" lift?

I'm swapping my 10 bolt to a 10-1/2" FF and I'm interested in how much room for error there is with the transfer case slip yoke and drive shaft.
If you jack up the body from the rear bumper, and let the rear axle hang on the springs, do you still have enough yoke inside the transfer case, so you feel OK with it not falling out or binding?

Was considering adding a 1" block to my rear perches and mounting the axle back an inch on the adjustable perches I just bought.
So my rake, in order to avoid moving the engine mounts forward, might have to be similar to yours.

Hoping the two mods, with a little bit of added rake, will allow me to use the factory 10 bolt shaft, for now.

Your feedback and the other comments posted, are really appreciated,

Whichever rout you go, good luck.

 

[mtbadbob]

It looks to me like something is amiss in the right rear, it's too high causing the inconsistent measurements on the other corners. Everything seated right over there???

 

[kkgp81]

Did you leave the bolts somewhat loose until you put it on the ground? My guess is something is up with the rearmost hangers because I have ran accross a few that have been in place so long that they wouldn't budge even if you pulled the bolts.

I replace them every time I mess with a lift.

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