solid axle lift on 01 burb z71

[RedRidr155]

hey, im new to the site, and i am looking into a solid axle lift for my z71 burb, but im not quite sure what axle or parts to use for the transformation, as well as being new to the site,im new to wheeling, and i would like to lift what ive got, i would go ifs but im against all the components involved, so if any ones got insight, id love to hear it. (other than to lift another vehicle)....

[spidr]

Read more talk less.


The sas can cost you as little or as much as you want. There are a ton of builds, ANY sas will apply, there are minor differances dependant on frames, but preferance has to be decided by you. No sense in asking anything else until you search, or you'll just end up calling us all pricks and running away.

[LegendKiller89]

Best post of the day there Spidr.

[mackthehack]

agreed, need to search to figure what is best for you. that is what I had to do before I did my sas.

[dfl701]

Just go to offroadunlimited and order up one of their kits. Unless you can fab

[BigRed05]

Originally Posted by dfl701

Just go to offroadunlimited and order up one of their kits. Unless you can fab

They dont make a kit for it if its a 1/2 ton only the OBS 1/2tons ORU offers kits for. Search then ask more specific questions. My bet is he already ran away

[ScottyB]

Originally Posted by BigRed05

They dont make a kit for it if its a 1/2 ton only the OBS 1/2tons ORU offers kits for. Search then ask more specific questions. My bet is he already ran away

Thats no fun How hard is it to search and figure out it's a pretty involved project then ask specifics when you decide this is a good idea for a mall queen?

[dfl701]

Originally Posted by BigRed05

They dont make a kit for it if its a 1/2 ton only the OBS 1/2tons ORU offers kits for. Search then ask more specific questions. My bet is he already ran away

ahhh i didnt even think about that...

[swampers1226]

off road direct makes a sas kit for half ton late model chevys. the basic sugestion is 78-79 ford 3/4 ton dana 44 or 60 front cuz the spring pirches are ideal (32.5) though they make the kit for later model(36.5) if u want. upgrading to a semi or full float 14 rear. if u stay semi u can use your factory brake setup on it with some minor altoations to the mountiong plate(http://www.virginia4x4.com)l. however gm made two designs of it in six lug the ones in the light duty 3/4 tons in the early 90s came six lug but the axle is 3 inches shorter overall so youl have to get 1.5 wheel spaces if you go that route. but the prime would be high weight class mid 90s half ton z71 14 bolt semi floater. then your tcase. if you have push button you should just swap to a np241 so the front stays disengaged or upgrade to a ford 205 or atlas whe some advanced adaptor goodies if you got the cash$$$$$$. drivelines for anything over 4 inches and defantly crossover steering. off road direct sells that to. bypass the abs or just pull the fuse to get you started. petersons has a page on how they made the abs rings ect off a late 90s dodge work easly into there 02 sliverado conversion. you can buy lockers and such during the prodject or later but for sure bearings, u joints and hubs are a must front and rear. no point puting crap in a new truck. im doing my 02 silverado soon but im going 4 link with coils. d 44 cost 120 at pick n pull.i already got the t case behing my nv3500 5 speed i need and i already upgraded to the 14 bolt semi rear with my sock disc brakes. i planned bout 3500 for it and its ab out right so far. but i scored on parts by searching the local pick ond pull wrecker for months.

[mackthehack]

1226, are you using a kit for the coils? or you doing a custom set up? if your doing a custom would like some pics. I did leafs from the rear of 3/4 ton gmc. rides rough as shit, trying to figure out to go coils or better leafs for a good ride. also wheel it, but not gnarly shit.

[Grumpy_old_fart]

Originally Posted by swampers1226

off road direct makes a sas kit for half ton late model chevys. the basic sugestion is 78-79 ford 3/4 ton dana 44 or 60 front cuz the spring pirches are ideal (32.5) though they make the kit for later model(36.5) if u want. upgrading to a semi or full float 14 rear. if u stay semi u can use your factory brake setup on it with some minor altoations to the mountiong plate(http://www.virginia4x4.com)l. however gm made two designs of it in six lug the ones in the light duty 3/4 tons in the early 90s came six lug but the axle is 3 inches shorter overall so youl have to get 1.5 wheel spaces if you go that route. but the prime would be high weight class mid 90s half ton z71 14 bolt semi floater. then your tcase. if you have push button you should just swap to a np241 so the front stays disengaged or upgrade to a ford 205 or atlas whe some advanced adaptor goodies if you got the cash$$$$$$. drivelines for anything over 4 inches and defantly crossover steering. off road direct sells that to. bypass the abs or just pull the fuse to get you started. petersons has a page on how they made the abs rings ect off a late 90s dodge work easly into there 02 sliverado conversion. you can buy lockers and such during the prodject or later but for sure bearings, u joints and hubs are a must front and rear. no point puting crap in a new truck. im doing my 02 silverado soon but im going 4 link with coils. d 44 cost 120 at pick n pull.i already got the t case behing my nv3500 5 speed i need and i already upgraded to the 14 bolt semi rear with my sock disc brakes. i planned bout 3500 for it and its ab out right so far. but i scored on parts by searching the local pick ond pull wrecker for months.

two words:



PARA Graph

[BigRed05]

Originally Posted by Grumpy_old_fart

two words:



PARA Graph

Agreed, my eyes crossed several times on the second line then gave up attempting to read that.

[swampers1226]

im making my own set. im gona try a set of bronco springs to start and im hoping the ride is nice but not loose to much of my trucks handling capacity. im thinking 1 1/2 dom rods with balistic joints and balistic coil buckets. with the off road direct crossover you get the pitman arm that should alow me to use my stock stearing box but ive heard rumor that its a bit touchy so if that fails im gona swap to a 80s 2wd box. my goal is to stay six lug to keep all of my stock brakes im not planing on running anything bigger than 36s cuz it is my daily driver. when i dig in to it im posting picks for sure. right now im going through the axle and just got my six lug outers. its timly but im hoping if i get it all in order itll go in on a weekend but you know how those things go.

[k9cqk]

Just completed a 3 link front SAS on my 95 GMC 1500 using a high pinion D60 out of a 88 f-350. It works sweet. Order your rod ends and fire up your welder. you'll be scratching your head alot but will be psyched when its done.

[mackthehack]

K9 do you have pics? Would like to see that set up. Trying to figure out what to do with my truck. I have the same damn axle. And have been told it's not possible to use that axle and do a link set up. Was told I should find a 79 axle. To me its waste of money getting another axle at this point. Could you send pics. to mackiemurphy@pirate4x4.com thanks

[swampers1226]

anything is possible to do a four link on with enough wheel base. people hav don bulletions on it here before but dont post much info.you could even do radias armsis you wanted. ive seen a few guys here on pirate convert dodge radias arms and springs on late model chevys which is great for a daily driver. check petersons off road web page they did two chevys. on was a 01 ext.cab and the other was a 04 avalanche. and this suburban which is spring trust me im not the first to do it[IMG][/IMG][IMG][IMG][/IMG][/IMG]and this chevy has radias arm[IMG][/IMG]

go to 4wheeloffroad.com an[IMG][/IMG]d
that ones linked
if you coil over your truck youll have no probllem doin links. however.
if you have the later axle ford(80+)you may have problems running regular coil springs cuz the diff if closer to the driver side and my be to close to the frame rails and the spring would have to sit on it and that wouldnt work. but im not positive if it will be in the way . and you do have one more option.
run a chevy front axle and get a np208 outa a 80s truck to convert the output to the passanger side drop. like the pic above.you just gota search around bro thousands of trucks have been done thousands of different ways. but for a budget its a sas leaf spring kit. it comes with instructions and you can even read um on the web page of most companys to see if your up for the challange.coils are the next up on the budget and if you do a 4 link with a panhard bar or radias youl be road worthy and have a way smoother ride.
Think all dodges and fords(04 and up) come with radias with coils. the only differance is the frame is wider and steering design. and you can buy that now. off road unlimited sells the steering kits with the knuckle if you cant get it machined local.

[BigBlueToy]

Radius arms are way easier to setup than a fourlink. get your panhard bar setup properly with the draglink and make your radius arms as long and as horizontal as possible. Radius arms can also eliminate the need for a swaybar depending on the setup. You can’t get away without a sway bar on a four link.

Cut everything stock off the frame and then figure it out from there, it’s way more fun than planning ahead!

[silver98Z71]

Originally Posted by BigBlueToy

You can’t get away without a sway bar on a four link.

Sure you can. With the right spring rates, you wont need a swaybar.

[mackthehack]

I have looked at all these companies for info on their kits to work with my axle. Off Road Evo said their kit would work with my axle, just have to use custom axle brackets. As for Cage, in the write up on that truck they used an 80's 44 if I remember correctly. I emailed them about this radius arm kit, and never replied. And with their kit I wanted to run coilovers instead of two shocks and a coil. What do you guys think about the Evolution Machine Canyon with radius arms? Thanks for everyones info. Should of started a new thread on this....oh well.

[mackthehack]

I have thought about doing the exact samething as Offroad Evo did with the Z71. Use a Chevy Dana 60, but those are low pinion. Plus I think I might run into clearance issues with my 4" down for my exhaust on the pass. side.

[silver98Z71]

Originally Posted by mackthehack

Should of started a new thread on this....oh well.

No you shouldnt. This thread is just fine for questions to a project you will probably not tackle in the near future.

[Grumpy_old_fart]

I put a radius arm setup on my racer, and never looked back. its hack, but it works. Right now, i am in the middle of building a new frame, and I might post some photos to show how shitty i weld.. I havent begun to hang the front axle, but that should be the simple part. setting up the rear four link for drag racing will be more fun.

Im still in the process of making brackets, making minor adjustments to the frame to get a front steer van box on it so i can move the front axle to under the front frame crossmember. I want to lower it as much as I can, even with the 18 inch travel air shocks. So far, i have figured that by going to 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 square tubing, i will be lowering the truck 7 inches in front, which it needs.

the extended Radius arms do flex well *(mine are 14 inches longer than factory ford arms), if you have the right spring rate. I used ford 6" coils and put it all on a chevy frame when i started. it worked ok when used with a fullsize pickup. i switched to an s10 body, and air shocks and it got even better.

first pic:
radius arms and air shocks, trying to get a front tire off the ground.. thats a 60" hi-lift...

Second pic: out on the trail, piddlin around.

third pic: left front caliper locked up, and the front posi'd up just a bit, pulling a tire...

[mackthehack]

Originally Posted by silver98Z71

No you shouldnt. This thread is just fine for questions to a project you will probably not tackle in the near future.

Actually I am looking to tackle this soon to make it better. There are pics of my truck as it sits here photobucket.com/mackthehack

Old Fart, thanks for the input, and the pictures. Think I might just go with radius arms or different leafs to keep cost down. So I can pick up an old chevy to put some hurt on.

[RedRidr155]

yeah thanks, ive already sort of looked into kits, but i didnt find anything other than ifs so im assuming ill just have to fab my kit, thanks for the critique, but i will take all of your advice and keep looking and come back when i actually run into something.

[mackthehack]

check ORU they have a couple burbs on there that are done.