Removing a lift kit?

[Splandman]

I recently bought a truck that is lifted and I know very little about lift kits. The truck has 35 inch tires on it. I would like to lower the truck a little. I was thinking of going to 33 inch tires and was curious what the minimum amount of lift needed for 33's would be.

How do I tell what type of lift I currently have? Meaning body or suspension. Is there an easy way to measure and see how much lift is currently on the truck.

I wasn't really looking for a lifted truck but I wanted a 3/4 ton with a big block, so I went ahead and bought this one when I found it. The truck is a 1983 GMC K2500.

I included some pics if that helps.

 

[Skweegle89]

If those are 35s, looks like 6" to me. Hard to say on minimum lift for 33s. Depends on tire width and wheel back spacing. Hard to beat a 4" 33 combo.


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[77 K20]

It is hard to tell in your pics. Do you have lift blocks in the back? Meaning is there a square block sitting between the axle and the leaf spring pack? If there is crawl under and measure how tall it is. I'd guess a 6" lift...


EDIT: In the second picture where you show the front axle I can see all the way back to the rear axle. You have lift blocks on it. I can't tell how tall they are though.

So it looks like you have a suspension lift on it. To drop the rear it would be taking out those lift blocks and replacing it with some shorter ones. To drop the front you'd need to buy new springs, or some say you can remove a leaf from the spring pack (I've never tried it that way).

Will you be hauling much in your bed, or towing a trailer? I ask because often when lets say you buy 4" aftermarket lift springs in the front and a 4" lift block for the rear the truck will be sitting higher in the front. This is because the stock springs in the rear of the truck have sagged a bit in the 30 years they have been used.

If that is the case maybe a 3" lift in the front and a 4" block in the rear will make it sit more level. Although with the weight of a big block that will make the front springs sit a little more flat. Tuff Country has HD front springs that are built for the weight of a big block, or a heavy bumper winch, or a snow plow.

You asked about a minimum lift to run 33" tires. Some guys do that at stock height. Depends on what width tire, what backspacing it has, and what type of terrain you go over. If you flex the truck off road then you need more of a lift.

 

[Splandman]

The truck will be used on the farm. Most of the time I won't be hauling too much, but once a month I have to go pick up different types of feed. My last load was 2500lbs (50 bags). I also will be moving a round hay bale trailer once in a while and that can get pretty heavy.

The truck will be going off road but not serious off-roading like I see a lot of guys doing. Mainly just through some farm fields and some fairly rough country roads.

 

[77 K20]

Then I'd think a 3" or a 4" lift will be ok for you.

How does the truck ride currently? One thing found I really liked is to remove the front sway bar. When going over uneven terrain it lets the front axle move around freely. When hitting a bump in the road where both tires hit and need to go upward it allows the axle to do that more easily also. I do not haul a slide in camper, so I didn't think it was necessary on a 3/4 ton. I have the Tuff Country HD front springs.

Easy to do if you want to try it. Just remove the 2 large bolts that bolt it on to the front axle and swing it up out of the way. Wire it in place and go for a drive.

There are even kits also that let you disconnect it when you are on the farm and then if you will be driving on a curvy mountain road then you can hook it back up easily. Think they were $100 or so.

 

[Splandman]

I will give it a try.

I don't have much to compare the ride to, since I have never had a lifted truck before. It rides a lot better than I thought it would. I don't live on paved roads and I thought that my stock height K10 rode pretty well on these rough roads but this truck rides a little better.

I would probably keep the lift but I am short and have some physical problems that make getting in and out of the truck tough.

My transmission cooler went bad inside my K10 and got transmission fluid all in my anti-freeze. I am currently changing the radiator in that truck and installing dual electric fans. Once I have it back together I will get to work on this one. Before I tackle the lift I have to replace the steering gear box. Always something.