Best lift spindles for a newbie poseur?

[Scott_F]

My friend has a 04 Chevy 1500 2wd, and he wants to lift it 3", and he will never go off road. I talked him out of the lame body lifts, and I figure a lift spindle would suit his needs. Which ones are the best? Will he need longer shocks or brake hoses?

He said the rear is spring under axle, so how do you lift the rear? Do you convert it to spring over axle?

[matt_helton]

first off, the truck is spring over axle. a small lift block would be best to lift it and not affect ride quality.

secondly the best cast lift spindles i think are the fabtech ones. if you want a little more bling and "strength" id go with the fabricated CST spindle. but if he will never go offroad id just go with the fabtech units.

and he wont need different shocks or brake hoses on the front with either spindle.

[Scott_F]

Thanks Matt.

[Motorider]

Just for refrence, I have a 04 1500 and I put lift spindles on it, the 4" CST spindles, I don't like to think I'm a poseur, just can't take the company truck and put coilovers on it. I stuffed some 295/75r16s in, the rub just a little with trimming the bumper, I will post some pics of it so you can see. I'm happy with how it turned out, and the ride is still good.
Pat

Can someone help me upload the pic. For some reason Safari can't connect with race-dezert to up load.

[McClintock]

email pic to mc1497@gmail.com

[Justin]

With the 4" CST spindles you can fit 315/75/16 with only a little trimming.

[Motorider]

With the 4" CST spindles you can fit 315/75/16 with only a little trimming.

Justin, what do you mean by a little trimming? I had to cut about 2" out of the metal part of my bumper, and on the drivers side there is a resivor that the tire will hit if I turn all the way to the right. This tire is only 33.4" tall, I don't really think the 315 will fit. Not trying to start anything, just curious. I heard that if you run a fiberglass fender in the front you can fit the 315, but you have to move stuff around in your wheel well a little.
Pat

[matt_helton]

a 315 is equivalent to a 35", and i agree that would be a tight fit.

[Justin]

Ill get a picture of it tonight when I get home, trimmed the bumper and air dam, folded over the body seam on the firewall, and then trimmed off part of the mounting tab for the washer resi. Still rubs a little when backing up but not bad.

[McClintock]

Posting for Motorider, sorry its kinda big..

http://www.desertrides.com/forum/files/s_truck_295.jpg

[jeff]

Make sure your friend knows he can't run a factory wheel with a larger than stock tire. Some factory wheels barely clear the Fabtech 3" lift spindle but add a wider than stock tire and you are almost guaranteed to have issues. This means aftermarket wheels or wheel spacers, another expense. The Fabtech 3" spindle is plenty strong for a street pounder. The CST spindle is stronger than the Fabtech (fabricated steel vs. cast iron) but requires a taper sleeve to work with the stock upper control arm ball-joint... which is sort of a hidden expense that some people don't think about when considering the CST route. The rear can be lifted using a block and U-bolt kit. Watch out for some of the 1" and 1.5" cast blocks, they've been cracking in half lately. I've got a fat stack of Fabtech lift blocks that have broken in half. Most of the 2" and taller lift blocks have enough beef to them that they aren't as prone to failure.

Aloha