86 1/2 Ton Suburban lift help!!!!!

[86-K10-Burban]

I'm 19 turning 20 this summer. Last year I bought a 1986 chevy suburban from a guy down my road, been sitting for 15 years. Half barned half on driveway. I rebuilt a bunch of it and made it my daily driver while I gave me sister my 97 Burban for here daily driver. I use this truck to get to school, work, and to play in the mud. So far every other weekend me and my buddies go off-roading and the truck holds up pretty good. Its currently sitting on stock suspension with 285/75/R16 BFG Mud Terrains. Where I go offloading it favours short wheelbase. So I keep on running into the problem of my hitch in the back bottoming out as well as the gas tank skid plate. Gets me stuck sometimes. As well as the rear bumper bottoming out and bending here and there. So I would like to lift it to fit 35 inch tires. I know a 4 inch lift will fit 35s but would a 6 inch be better for offloading since my wheelbase is so long. I prefer not to run bigger then 35s since it sees pavement a lot as well I don't have the funds to beef up axles or swap ring and pinions. So I want to keep it nice and simple, plus with a 6 inch lift would I have to use a T-case drop for driveshafts or is that not needed. Prefer to install myself to save some money, less complications better. As well is a double steering stabilizer necessary for 35s or is the stock single good enough?

Thanks any help appreciated.

 

[77 K20]

A 4" lift would be cheaper. Less issues- drive line length, stuff like that.

Then with some of the $$ you saved by not dealing with 6" lift issues you could then look at maybe getting a custom HD rear bumper that if/when you do drag it around it will not be damaged.

Just a single steering stabilizer would be just fine.

 

[86-K10-Burban]

Okay thanks, so overall between a 4 inch and 6 inch there wouldn't be much of a difference running 35 inch tires then. is there any huge difference in flex or not much.

Any suggestion on who makes a rear good HD bumper. Like is Offroad Designs rear tube bumper pretty solid? For 750 dollars thats pretty fair compared to others I think.

 

[77 K20]

Flex would depend on which company springs you go with and if you disconnect or remove your sway bar. Depending also on the offset of your wheels there might be some rubbing with the 4" lift. Some slight trimming would take care of that if it happens.

I've been looking at that ORD rear bumper. I like how it it tucked high up there. I havent seen one in person.

 

[86-K10-Burban]

I was thinking rough country for lift but I kind-of want to get the tuff country springs from Offroad design since they bundle the kit with what you want, I want to get some of their upgraded shackles and what not and bolt in steering box brace kit. As for rims I'm changing them to a steel 15x10 with 3.5 inch backspace instead of those stupid 16s that someone put on and cause rubbing on inside fenders from flex, has no backspacing.

I was thinking of just removing the front sway bar. Would it make it handle terrible on the road? There isn't a rear sway bar and I already turn slower then usually.

 

[Chaz]

If you want to run 35,s I would go with 6 inch lift. If you go 4 inch lift id run 33,s. I cant comment on the 4 inch but im running a 6 inch lift with 35,s and it's pretty awesome off road. I've taken serious steep hills and never hit my rear bumper on anything. I have no transfer case drop,,,I think the long wheelbase of the burban helps driveline angle,,,and no driveshaft issues. I have my front swaybar connected,,,,it does steer a little better on the road with the swaybar,,,id keep it if you can,,,mine has some blocks under the front bushings to correct the angle and it has ord swaybar disconnect/correction,,,big problem with the lift and 35,s is the lift springs and gear ratio. Cheap springs ride like hell. Im running the tough country EZ ride 6 inch on the front and there not too bad but there still bouncy,,,I might go with a 52 inch springs up front in future,,,,gear ratio is also a prob,,,,you should find out what your gear ratio is,,,,because if your ratio is too low you can burn out your 700r4 with 35,s,,,,

 

[86-K10-Burban]

Hey Chaz, have any photos? So on your rig you never ran into those common issues then. My truck has the quad front shock system from the factory so I dont think it should be too bouncy. I have the factory 3.73 gearing for my axles. I want 4.56 but wont have the funds to swap, i know the chevy ring and pinons suck to swap. As well i beefed up the 350 chevy. Considering recent rebuild and that it made around 200hp stock it probabily sits at around 260hp now.

Also how are those ORD sway bar quick disconnects. They work pretty good?

 

[77 K20]

With 10" wide wheels and 3.5" of backspacing I'd think you will get a lot of rubbing with 35" tires.
And Chaz is right- it will take some power and proper gearing to run 35" tires correctly.

Perhaps instead of getting a 6" lift and 35" tires have you thought about getting a 4" lift, keeping your 285/75 tires, and getting some sort of locker for the rear end?

I found that with having a locker in the rear end would get me places I needed 4wd before. Some of the lunch box lockers are quite affordable.

You would have the same power and braking ability you have now...

Just a thought. Tires and wheels are expensive.

Here is Buckets Suburban. I love how this looks. It is supposed to have a 4" lift in the front, and around 5" in the back (to prevent the saggy butt syndrome). Tires are 305/70 R16. 285's would be the same height, just a bit more narrow.

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[86-K10-Burban]

I havent really thought of that. Would be much more affordable for me as well. So if put a 4 inch lift on the truck and keep my rims i have currently. I would guess about 8 inch wide rim and 4 inch backspacing. And when I need new tires I could bump them up to a 305/75R16 or 315/75R16 so there height is around 34s just a little bigger.

And with all the money I saved I can invest in some bumpers front and rear for protection. Was looking into DIY4X 's bumpers and they look good and there cheap at 550 for a front and like 530 for a rear.

 

[89Suburban]

I put a 6" skyjacker softride lift on this and no driveline issues. Had to extend brake & vent lines and install steering & sway bar drop parts and that was it. I spaced the transfer case crossmember down an inch or 2 also. Sitting on 31" tires in this pic. The body is '78 but the frame is an '85.

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[86-K10-Burban]

I put a 6" skyjacker softride lift on this and no driveline issues. Had to extend brake & vent lines and install steering & sway bar drop parts and that was it. I spaced the transfer case crossmember down an inch or 2 also. Sitting on 31" tires in this pic. The body is '78 but the frame is an '85.

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So basically a T-case drop, do you have issues with putting the transfer case in 4-low?

 

[89Suburban]

So basically a T-case drop, do you have issues with putting the transfer case in 4-low?

Now that you mention it yeah. That '79 body was off a 2WD half ton so I had to cut the trans tunnel anyway but I need to find a large boot so it would shift right since it was lower and had a longer throw at floor level. There were factory spacers already on the bolts holding the cross member I just moved them in between to space it down.

 

[86-K10-Burban]

I want to avoid that whole problem all together, thats why I'm sceptical on a 6 inch lift, cause if I need to use a T-case drop to fix driveline issues( it's just to much work for me to start hacking at the floor and what not to get everything to work properly).

And its not like theres any rust there so theres no reason, when I bought the truck the person before me redid all the flooring, as well the truck came from Arizona so theres like no rust on it. Underneath it looks like a 2014 truck.

 

[89Suburban]

I don't think you would have to open that hole up too much at all because it's already got the 4WD hump in the floor. I didn't pamper that truck either, I beat the **** out of it on and off road, twisted it, jumped it, never had a driveline issue. So that's just my experience. I only had the truck for about a year so I can't say for long term how it held up.

 

[86-K10-Burban]

Oh okay thanks, I have to think about it then. Was the truck sagging in the rear of the photo, or was it just the way the photo was taken?