98 Suburban needs more clearance

Tradarcher

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Creedmoor, NC
If you need an explanation then I'll give you one. Suffice it to say I need more clearance on my Suburban. I'm adding 31" MTR's soon but that is not why. I will be using it this hunting season and I need more clearance. I plan on taking off the running boards for hunting season but would like some more clearance to prevent high centering on the long truck and better approach and departure angles.

I don't need alot of lift. Certainly 3" or less will do. Won't do a body lift on it so I am looking for something for the suspension. Who makes a lift up to 3" that doesn't require any drop bracketry? Any other ways to get up to 3"?
 
torsion keys and blocks. Ebay has plenty
 
I've been reading up on the Torsion Key lifts. Seems like the only people that use them are street only and most don't recommend it offroad. I can't say mine will be street only but the type or offroading I do when hunting is mainly just a mudhole or boggy field. There will be some spots that I might get high centered too.
Anybody run a torsion key lift? How'd your alignment work out? Is it alot rougher on the road with poor performance offroad?
 
I'd recommend a cheap POS in place of the 'Burb.

what you spend trying to get it to do what you want will also cause added stress to the already old ball joints and torsion bars, and the alignment will suffer greatly ( even if properly aligned, it'll still wear tires with a key lift )

As for removing the running boards, you'll be hating life trying to get all the brackets off the rockers, especially if you have rear AC and heat, you have to move the lines ( they running down the inner rocker) and there is a GREAT possibility of damaging them due to age, and they aren't easy or cheap to replace.
 
I'm not gonna do the lift but I did check out the running boards. You're right about the brackets but they appear to be in two pieces. The bracket that mounts to the body that is shaped in a C can remain on the body which leaves the lines undisturbed. It looks like I can disconnect the running boards from those brackets and not disturb the lines. Am I off base here?
 
when i put them on it obviously threw camber out crazy, but i did the alighment and put it up on some 295s and it rides just as good as stock, no problems.
 
Kevin, I realize we all 'hate' body lifts for true rock crawling but to just get clearance I don't know that it isn't an ok idea.

"in theory" 1" of body lift would clear 2" more of tire.

Something else to consider might be the 'cut out' fender flares? I know some of the 2500 and 3500 series chevy trucks have them from factory, with more room?

Might be worth putting a set on to add more room for bigger tires and then no worries that the suspension will ride any diff than stock?

I would say a winch would be a solid investment here too, maybe one that is on a hitch setup so you could put on front or rear just as needed? That way if you are just a bit high centered a winch (and maybe a pullpal) will easily get you out.

I didn't have too many issues with my Excursion in the muddy field at our hunt camp once I put my BFG A/Ts on it. Full size trucks usually have 8-10" clearance stock anyway?

Sam Hinton
 
Well the MTR's are 245 75 16 so they fit fine in the wheel wells. After looking underneath the truck I did reconsider the body lift. The burb has enough body to hide a body lift. A body lift wouldn't do me any good unless I was putting on bigger tires which I am not. I still have that long frame between the front and rear tires that might cause me some grief. Once I get better acquainted with the club then I might determine if I need to take the Jeep. I can always use the hitch/haul for coolers and stuff and take the rear seat out for room for gear. My son is big enough to ride in the passenger seat now.
 
Just my quick $0.02 with IFS lifts...

Don't waste your time with the small lifts (2-3"). As Blkvoodoo kinda hinted, you're going to destroy all your ball-joints, TRE's half-shaft joints and wear out yout t-bars in a short period of time, even if it's only very very mild off-roading.

I put a 2" lift on my S-10 and then regularly changed suspension and steering components until I cut it all off.

A 5-6 inch "cradle lift" (though likely higher than what you think you want) will be much better for you. It maintains all the stock steering and suspension geometry so you aren't wearing parts like you will with the 3".

I know it's simply way more money, but it will be better in the long run, trust me.
 
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