Let's see some pics of some lifted and leveled

[01Konvict]

Huh. I just realized I'm not even entirely sure if the vibration is coming from the front or back yet. I don't do much highway driving and I only noticed it when the radio happened to be off. It's hard to localize with loud tires. I think I'll wait until after the alignment and see what 4wp thinks then take it to a driveline shop. In the meantime I ordered the Spohn panhard last night and it's a race to see if it gets here before then. I'm sure it will be fine either way. Install looks easy - Two bolts and you can do everything without a lift (since it's so tall). I'll adjust it, drive it a 1/2 mile or so then recheck and readjust as necessary.

I have bushwacker pocket flares arriving on Wednesday and have a blackout grille, mirror covers and door handle covers (yes, covers) in my ebay cart but still haven't pulled the trigger over concerns of quality. I'll peel the molding off when everything else is on.

And call me crazy but I like the air dam for some reason. If it was a different color than maybe it would be a different story. I will tint the fogs yellow as the finishing touch.

Well it could be the front or rear just depends. The front can act up but mainly in 4wd for yours. Put your hand on the floor in front of driver seat to feel front shaft and behind center console for rear. Also could let the guys at 4wp drive it as they're used to dual cardan for jeeps. The panhard shouldn't be bad to swap out and I'm interested to see how it looks with the lift.

The flares will give a nice touch but you will have to shave the rear ones at body to bumper line so they will fit. I would also get some 1/4" double sided tape to put on the flare moldings so they stick to body and don't rub the paint if you ever take them off. I like the stock grille just think black mirrors and handles would blend better with your wheels. The lower valance has to go for sure it makes the hoe look taller when off.

 

[JJ351]

Well it could be the front or rear just depends. The front can act up but mainly in 4wd for yours. Put your hand on the floor in front of driver seat to feel front shaft and behind center console for rear. Also could let the guys at 4wp drive it as they're used to dual cardan for jeeps. The panhard shouldn't be bad to swap out and I'm interested to see how it looks with the lift.

The flares will give a nice touch but you will have to shave the rear ones at body to bumper line so they will fit. I would also get some 1/4" double sided tape to put on the flare moldings so they stick to body and don't rub the paint if you ever take them off. I like the stock grille just think black mirrors and handles would blend better with your wheels. The lower valance has to go for sure it makes the hoe look taller when off.

Good advice, especially about the flares. I heard the door caps may slip off under certain conditions and you end up running over them.

In other (bad) news, I found out my alignment issues have nothing to do with the rear lift (duh!) and are entirely coincidental. I looked up how to align these things and most of it is at the upper control arms using cams (then tie rods). Fabtech calls for stock alignment settings and it seems 4WPs just just tightened and marked with a white pen 3 out of the 4 nuts in their stock location. The rear-side passenger must not have been tightened as it was the only one not marked (see below) and it slipped way out of spec. Kind of pisses me off because they already took a deposit on the alignment and said because I lifted the rear they have to charge for the alignment, which is still a week away. I have yet to show them these pics. After this I'm not gonna deal with them anymore. They take too long and they already voided the warranty on the rear lift because I added coil spacers. Anyway, the Spohn has already shipped. Should be here by this weekend. They sell adjustable upper trailing arms too so if I end up needing those for a new driveshaft I may as well get their lowers too. There's no way I anticipated all this shit.



Here's where it should be with pen mark:

 

[01Konvict]

Good advice, especially about the flares. I heard the door caps may slip off under certain conditions and you end up running over them.

In other (bad) news, I found out my alignment issues have nothing to do with the rear lift (duh!) and are entirely coincidental. I looked up how to align these things and most of it is at the upper control arms using cams (then tie rods). Fabtech calls for stock alignment settings and it seems 4WPs just just tightened and marked with a white pen 3 out of the 4 nuts in their stock location. The rear-side passenger must not have been tightened as it was the only one not marked (see below) and it slipped way out of spec. Kind of pisses me off because they already took a deposit on the alignment and said because I lifted the rear they have to charge for the alignment, which is still a week away. I have yet to show them these pics. After this I'm not gonna deal with them anymore. They take too long and they already voided the warranty on the rear lift because I added coil spacers. Anyway, the Spohn has already shipped. Should be here by this weekend. They sell adjustable upper trailing arms too so if I end up needing those for a new driveshaft I may as well get their lowers too. There's no way I anticipated all this shit.

View attachment 82833

Here's where it should be with pen mark:

View attachment 82834

Sorry for the bad news with the store and alignment. They should keep the front warranty and even rear considering fabtech states you may need a 1" spacer to level it.

Never heard of flares coming off but I taped mine down after a quick test drive hearing the rears flap against body. If I were to do it again I would probably leave them off to show off the wheel poke. I do like how they prevent stuff thrown down the body side though

 

[JJ351]

Sorry for the bad news with the store and alignment. They should keep the front warranty and even rear considering fabtech states you may need a 1" spacer to level it.

Never heard of flares coming off but I taped mine down after a quick test drive hearing the rears flap against body. If I were to do it again I would probably leave them off to show off the wheel poke. I do like how they prevent stuff thrown down the body side though

I just looked at your truck again. Looks like you swapped the front upper control arms but you didn't mention them. What kind and was it worth it? Also, didn't know you have a 6.2. Curious to know the weight difference vs. the 5.3.

And your flares look fine. Wheels stick out just enough in the front, but why you go no spacers in the back?

Update: Just found these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Specialty-P...Caster-Lock-Plates-for-Chevy-GMC/121643586374



Even better ones:

 

[01Konvict]

I just looked at your truck again. Looks like you swapped the front upper control arms but you didn't mention them. What kind and was it worth it? Also, didn't know you have a 6.2. Curious to know the weight difference vs. the 5.3.

And your flares look fine. Wheels stick out just enough in the front, but why you go no spacers in the back?

Update: Just found these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Specialty-P...Caster-Lock-Plates-for-Chevy-GMC/121643586374

View attachment 82854

Even better ones:

View attachment 82855

I ended up with FTS uppers cause the stock ones hit the droop after the lift. Those plates look good and do they offer more adjustment over stock?

Not sure weight difference but sure it's not much if any. The power is worth getting a 6.2 though.

I did get some rear spacers. 1.25" bora. Stock front is .25" wider than rear and lift kicks out 1" extra so now it's dead even.

 

[JJ351]

I ended up with FTS uppers cause the stock ones hit the droop after the lift. Those plates look good and do they offer more adjustment over stock?

Not sure weight difference but sure it's not much if any. The power is worth getting a 6.2 though.

I did get some rear spacers. 1.25" bora. Stock front is .25" wider than rear and lift kicks out 1" extra so now it's dead even.

If yours hit the droop I should check mine. I had the idea that as long as I needed a new alignment I might want to upgrade to the Fabtech arms.

As far as adjust-ability of the plates I assume not as they don't have the same freedom of range as the stockers do, but should be as close enough in approximation. Would have been awesome if they squeezed in one more hole though. They get here Saturday. I'll place them up against the stockers to see which hole they'll most likely use. I have a feeling 4WP parts will have a problem with them as they do everything. I'm talking to my sales guys about everything tomorrow.

Your wheels still look narrower in the back than the front for some reason. I measured mine by placing a yard stick across the wheel wells and sat it on top of the tires and measured the difference front to back. Exactly 2 inches. Of course the body might be slightly wider in the back, and I just expanded the track width based on that.

 

[01Konvict]

If yours hit the droop I should check mine. I had the idea that as long as I needed a new alignment I might want to upgrade to the Fabtech arms.

As far as adjust-ability of the plates I assume not as they don't have the same freedom of range as the stockers do, but should be as close enough in approximation. Would have been awesome if they squeezed in one more hole though. They get here Saturday. I'll place them up against the stockers to see which hole they'll most likely use. I have a feeling 4WP parts will have a problem with them as they do everything. I'm talking to my sales guys about everything tomorrow.

Your wheels still look narrower in the back than the front for some reason. I measured mine by placing a yard stick across the wheel wells and sat it on top of the tires and measured the difference front to back. Exactly 2 inches. Of course the body might be slightly wider in the back, and I just expanded the track width based on that.

I do think the fenders play into what looks wider or not. The front fenders tuck a little in towards the bumper so the wheels might appear to sit out more. If you measure from frame to each wheel front and rear mine are true even. I saw one truck with 2" and I could see they were wider in the rear than front and didn't like it. The fabtech may use wider cv spacers off the diff. Mine measure 1" and those might be 1.5" so with a .25" factory difference the rear would only be .25" wider with 2" spacers. See what 4wp says about the plates. I think your UCAs are ok and not touching or close to the droop stops. Mine were an issue because the drop was closer to 8" and shock extension more about 7" so it pulled the UCAs down.

 

[JJ351]

I do think the fenders play into what looks wider or not. The front fenders tuck a little in towards the bumper so the wheels might appear to sit out more. If you measure from frame to each wheel front and rear mine are true even. I saw one truck with 2" and I could see they were wider in the rear than front and didn't like it. The fabtech may use wider cv spacers off the diff. Mine measure 1" and those might be 1.5" so with a .25" factory difference the rear would only be .25" wider with 2" spacers. See what 4wp says about the plates. I think your UCAs are ok and not touching or close to the droop stops. Mine were an issue because the drop was closer to 8" and shock extension more about 7" so it pulled the UCAs down.

I could see that. I guess something in my mind needs it to look even over it actually being even because I looked at hundreds of pictures (trucks and suvs) beforehand and almost all the ones I liked had 2" spacers. Though if I could do it again I would have gone 1.75" just to feel that much safer about them.

Checked the control arms. You're right, don't need them. Still haven't talked to busy sales dude so I sent him pics an hour ago. Haven't heard back.

 

[JJ351]

Ok, I made 4WP a deal: They will redo the alignment and install the cams and they can keep the deposit and I don't pay the other half. I think that's fair.

 

[JJ351]

Ok, parts came in. Starting with a pic of one of the cams. They are beefy. I'm wondering if they should have been made in aluminum so that they can have some crumple effect in a side impact. Might save your frame.



I'm debating whether or not I should get new bolt hardware. The OEM hardware have this notch about them that seems kind of unsettling. Should be fine just annoying.



On to the Spohn install. Had to disconnect sway bar endlink to access bolt with torque wrench. Looks like someone got too happy with an impact gun and crushed the collar inside the rear sway bushing:



It didn't need much adjustment. The Fabtech comes with a bracket that compensates for most of the lift shown here. Still, I'm glad I got it because it was off center by too much.



Here it is installed, adjusted, and loctited. I forgot to note whether or not the parking cable sat in front of or behind the sway bar end link. Needs to be relocated in front of according to many pics. Four zip ties because I could only find those skinny ones. Will redo everything later.



That's it for today. I got my new grill and door handle covers too but this is the lift thread.