Add suspension travel?

[muadib]

1994 GMC 1500 4WD 350engine Manual TC. SAR/IFS drums and discs.
That should cover the basics.
Love this truck. Needs some TLC.

Want to add suspension travel. Don't need a lift, just would like more travel. The stock setup is marginally adequate.

This truck will be for
dirt roads
gravel roads
logging roads
oilfield roads
farm roads
the occasional hayfield

rock crawling? Zero
mud? mostly avoided
snow? In season.

Want larger diameter tires to step over the bumps but want longer travel suspension to step over at higher speed.
Will cut fenders for the tires and travel, no problem.
No SAS. ain't gonna happen and don't see how that would help, anyway.

What to do?

 

[M92PV4U]

4x4 Basic Long travel | Mysite

K1500-Upper/ Lower arms *Spindle NOT included*-Delrin Bushings-Extended brake lines-Hardware-Uniball bearings/ snap rings- 1" Lower uniballs/ 1" Upper uniballs-High misalignments spacers-Tie-rod extensions (The arms are 4" wider) -You get 14" usuable travel**Install separate...

www.schumachermetalworks.com

 

[bdkw1]

Taller shock tower for longer shocks. Redo the bumps to get max travel out of the BJ's. 3.0 shock and a bumpstop. Or 3.0 king IBP with smooth resi out the bottom can.

 

[total newb]

Your limited by short arms, stops, and cv opperating angles.

Change everything.

 

[Projectjunkie]

TTB

 

[Aggie06]

Ditch the torsion bars and swap over to a coilover.


How much do you want to spend on this?

 

[muadib]

Ditch the torsion bars and swap over to a coilover.


How much do you want to spend on this?

Yeah, see... that's kinda the point. $4grand for fronts? Nah. I was deep-down hoping for a $300 spindle kinda thing, being a cheap-ass and all.
Someday soon, I'll try a real class-A project with full whack components, but I kinda wanna do a proof-of-concept first. Besides, i have a few rust spots that need some TLC.

Save my money for tires, i think, and better shocks and bolt-ons.

 

[muadib]

4x4 Basic Long travel | Mysite

K1500-Upper/ Lower arms *Spindle NOT included*-Delrin Bushings-Extended brake lines-Hardware-Uniball bearings/ snap rings- 1" Lower uniballs/ 1" Upper uniballs-High misalignments spacers-Tie-rod extensions (The arms are 4" wider) -You get 14" usuable travel**Install separate...

www.schumachermetalworks.com

This is cool stuff, but my wallet aches just looking at it.

 

[rockota]

not sure if it's still around, but I believe Rancho had a 2-3" lift back in the day that increased travel. IIRC, torsion bars, upper a-arms and shocks.

 

[Aggie06]

Yeah, see... that's kinda the point. $4grand for fronts? Nah. I was deep-down hoping for a $300 spindle kinda thing, being a cheap-ass and all.
Someday soon, I'll try a real class-A project with full whack components, but I kinda wanna do a proof-of-concept first. Besides, i have a few rust spots that need some TLC.

Save my money for tires, i think, and better shocks and bolt-ons.

Maybe you could make something like this work.

COILOVERS

GM Torsion Bar to Coilover Brackets for Lifted Trucks - Atomic Fabrication

It would probably take some additional fabrication. Pairing this with an aftermarket upper A-arm, and some decent coilovers might be the cheapest way to go. Put some Deaver springs in the rear along with an upgraded shock.

 

[Sterlingfire]

You do all that^^^and the next issue will be cv shafts that you can't keep together... and you'll end up with less steering angle.
I've already been down this route, there is nothing easy or cheap that will have anywhere near stock reliability( yeah i just said that!!) or gain any usable wheel travel. Pick your poison is what i found.

 

[bdkw1]

GM Torsion Bar to Coilover Brackets for Lifted Trucks - Atomic Fabrication

Those brackets make for some really poor shock geometry.

 

[bdkw1]

You do all that^^^and the next issue will be cv shafts that you can't keep together... and you'll end up with less steering angle.
I've already been down this route, there is nothing easy or cheap that will have anywhere near stock reliability( yeah i just said that!!) or gain any usable wheel travel. Pick your poison is what i found.

I've done a couple dirtymax upgrades that I posted up earlier. They worked well. The axles were not the issue, the steering was. These were chase trucks in Baja that got beat on regularly.

 

[TrikeKid]

Without spending a bunch of money, you're probably best off improving the quality of the travel you have. Good shocks, good bumps and accept that you're gonna bottom the thing out on the bigger hits.

 

[Aggie06]

I've done a couple dirtymax upgrades that I posted up earlier. They worked well. The axles were not the issue, the steering was. These were chase trucks in Baja that got beat on regularly.

Link to those? Seems like I kind of remember them. You may have passed some steering info at the old place along to me when I was messing with my old 2010 2500 a few years ago.

 

[Aggie06]

You do all that^^^and the next issue will be cv shafts that you can't keep together... and you'll end up with less steering angle.
I've already been down this route, there is nothing easy or cheap that will have anywhere near stock reliability( yeah i just said that!!) or gain any usable wheel travel. Pick your poison is what i found.

For sure. It’s going to be and endless cycle of what needs upgraded next like it always is.

Those brackets make for some really poor shock geometry.

Hadn’t looked into them much. Just remember seeing those along the way. It’s a jumping off point if nothing else.

 

[bdkw1]

Link to those? Seems like I kind of remember them. You may have passed some steering info at the old place along to me when I was messing with my old 2010 2500 a few years ago.

The steering was JD Fab. The rest I don't have pics of anymore. It was just upper shock mount and relocated bump and droop mounts. 6" travel 3.0.

 

[Sterlingfire]

The steering was JD Fab. The rest I don't have pics of anymore. It was just upper shock mount and relocated bump and droop mounts. 6" travel 3.0.

I think you're over op price point

 

[Sterlingfire]

I mean hell, why not cut all the gm junk off and assimilate a Ford raptor front suspension on? I bet that would be the cheapest route

 

[YotaAtieToo]

Some of these guys are funny, the only way is full long travel with big bypasses.

Does old man emu make a lift for these? I used thier coils on my ifs 4runner and it's impressive how much better it rides.

If not maybe bds. Or just adjust torsions up and some decent shocks.

 

[Byro]

Some of these guys are funny, the only way is full long travel with big bypasses.

Does old man emu make a lift for these? I used thier coils on my ifs 4runner and it's impressive how much better it rides.

If not maybe bds. Or just adjust torsions up and some decent shocks.

Cognito does some really nice stuff for th GM IFS.

One of theirs leveling kits with some UCAs and some good OE style bumpstops is going to be the best option without going full custom.

 

[Aggie06]

Some of these guys are funny, the only way is full long travel with big bypasses.

Does old man emu make a lift for these? I used thier coils on my ifs 4runner and it's impressive how much better it rides.

If not maybe bds. Or just adjust torsions up and some decent shocks.

I mean, he ruled out a SAS, so that’s the next logical step.

Pretty sure OME doesn’t have anything for that Gen of Chevy, but I could be wrong.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

I mean, he ruled out a SAS, so that’s the next logical step.

Pretty sure OME doesn’t have anything for that Gen of Chevy, but I could be wrong.

SAS for a better ride on dirt roads...?

 

[total newb]

Does it matter?

Hes only got $300,

The only thing hes getting with that is a sack lunch and an ass whopin

 

[Aggie06]

SAS for a better ride on dirt roads...?

It was a joke about the cost.

 

[Sterlingfire]

It was a joke about the cost.

That was obvious to meJust the same as my raptor suspension comment... it's terrible that sarcasm doesn't come across so well on the web

 

[bdkw1]

That was obvious to meJust the same as my raptor suspension comment... it's terrible that sarcasm doesn't come across so well on the web

Not totally a bad idea. There was a guy on the old board that made front suspension for his Mercedes van using a combo of raptor and 2500 parts. It worked well in the end.

 

[Sterlingfire]

Not totally a bad idea. There was a guy on the old board that made front suspension for his Mercedes van using a combo of raptor and 2500 parts. It worked well in the end.

You'd be better off building custom upper and lower control arms for the stock mounts and going a nice set of 3" ibp's if they will fit IMO...(but over the $300 budget of op) Trying to figure out the geometry for raptor control arm mounts would be a pain in the ass. There would be a bunch of leg work in measuring a stock setup before committing if it were me, unless you could just get the entire front frame section from your donor.
It would be bad ass, but I'd save a build like that for something old like a 51 Chevy 5 window pickup rocking an over powered big block and trailing arm rear setup...Doubt that it would all fit right though, pretty tight in those old front ends

 

[Beat95yj]

Does it matter?

Hes only got $300,

The only thing hes getting with that is a sack lunch and an ass whopin

I used to chase in Baja in a GMT 400 Tahoe. All it had was good shocks and a little torsion tweak to it. It would keep up with my friends first GEN Tacoma with coilovers and an arms and shit. It’s all about the shock, and he can’t even afford a set.

Edit it kept up until the shocks faded. But it was great at cruising down dirt roads all day.