Any way to beef up my front end?

[DieselSlug]

solid Front axle swap

HECK YEAH!!! I wish they stayed with the solid axle in the heavier trucks!! Mine would hold the plow up like a dream then!

 

[Detroit Dan]

I've got my t-bars turned up to where I gained 1.5 inch measured at the fenders. I have put 60,000 miles on it like that, only recently had any front end work, that was inner tierods and stabilizer shock. Did the cranked bars wear out the inners? Maybe, or perhaps it was just that they had 165k on them, nothing lasts forever. I don't mind replacing original wear-item parts when it's a 12 year old truck with almost 170k on it. And if my mods cause stuff to wear somewhat faster that's the price of having the truck be as functional and look exactly how I want. My balljoints are still original, and I carry a bigger plow than most people.
I added a bodylift to get a little more clearance over the tires, which are 255/85/16, essentially a 33x9. If you aren't doing HEAVY towing the cooling issues aren't a big concern with a bodylift. I haven't killed mine yet, but it runs a little hotter with the camper behind.
As I understand it, replacing the keys with re-indexed keys only unloads the torsion bar, then reloads it so it's at a less stiff setting while at normal travel. It doesn't however change the fact that you are twisting the control arms down toward the ground.
I like how my truck rides with 1.5 on the bars (biggest bars available,btw). I know everyone loves to talk about SFA, but in my experience the K3500 IFS is unbelievably strong. Maybe the early 1/2 ton IFS, particularly when lifted, had a lot of breakage and earned it a bad rep, and admittedly the Dana 60 is strong, but I have broken a lot of Dana 44hd front axles, and when I was plowing with old 3/4 tons I was doing ball joints and axle shaft u-joints every winter. My hd IFS has never let me down, and I have put it through ten times worse than what I did to the SFAs I've had. Try pushing a Blizzard 810 offroad year after year without breaking anything.

 

[Pepperidge]

Here are pic's of how they work on the newer trucks. I have not yet installed a set here but these go like hot cakes for the 01-up 8-lug trucks.

I can vouch for these...I have done many a boosted launch while drag racing the truck and they (along with the Cognito HD tie rod ends) have held up well...the pitman and idler arm braces even tightened up a majority of the slack in the front end!

 

[mr_goodwrench_06]

There is NO difference between putting in keys and turning up your stock bolts. Both do the exact same thing with the exact same results. If you can't get your truck high enough by cranking your stock keys, you should look into a different aproach to lifting your truck.

Dan, what did you do to your intake after the bodylift? I'm installing mine and obviously something needs to be done. I found a can that is the perfect size to fit inside the rubber boot that goes from the turbo to the stock air box, but the OD is like 4" or maybe a bit more, I don't know if I can get a k&n that big...

Bill

 

[Detroit Dan]

Dan, what did you do to your intake after the bodylift? I'm installing mine and obviously something needs to be done. I found a can that is the perfect size to fit inside the rubber boot that goes from the turbo to the stock air box, but the OD is like 4" or maybe a bit more, I don't know if I can get a k&n that big...

Bill

You're talking about the air intake, not the intake manifold, right? I didn't have to do anything to the intake. But I've got a 97 with the newer style airbox, maybe that's why. I guess the rubber intake tube had enough play in it where it is bendy. All I had to modify was the hose running to the overflow tank, it was jammed under the intake. So I lengthened it and wrapped it with some heat shield tape.

 

[TurboTahoe]

I am seriously looking at the Pitman/Idler braces. They DO look expensive, but the steering is pretty sloppy on the Tahoe. Has anyone installed these?

I realize you'll need to get the car aligned after install, but has anyone installed these themselves? Did it help?

-Rob

 

[chevyCowboy]

the steering on my 93 was really sloppy and then i redid the whole front end and it tighted up a ton i did ball joints idler, pitman arm tierod ends. i tried to get it alligned and they couldnt beacouse the stuff was so wore so i changed it all and they alligned it and its was like a new truck

 

[TurboTahoe]

OK, after doing a lot of searching, THIS looks like a decent solution:

http://hendersonslineup.com/uncategorized/supersteer®-4x4-idler-kit/

I just talked to the guys in Grants pass, and they seem to know their stuff. There's a 10% discount for phone-in orders. The kit with idler arm replacement mount AND the brackets is under $500 shipped. Looks like it would take 4-5 hours to install.

Unless the idler arm, pitman arm and end links are completely worn, this seems to be a good option. However, it would be something like $1000 installed at a local shop. That's a lot of dough for fixing the front end.

Any opinions?

-Rob

 

[guybb3]

Rob, I think I'll install that in the Spring. Thanks for finding the super idler kit as I have never seen that before. I was going to do the Cognito kit anyway but now I think I'll do the whole thing, thanks to your research.

 

[Anubis]

solid Front axle swap

HECK YEAH!!! I wish they stayed with the solid axle in the heavier trucks!! Mine would hold the plow up like a dream then!

This is truly the only way to "beef up" the front end. the SLA torsion bar version of IFS is about the worsted system out there for a 4wd ...... the ride is not as good as a coil over system, the axle set up is week, and it is expensive to fix.

It may ride rougher but for Lift and "BEEF" on an SLA style IFS truck .... Straight axle swap is the only way to go...... and as big blue has shown can be done for the roughly the same cost as rebuilding the IFS.

 

[TurboTahoe]

I agree that a solid axle is no-doubt a more robust solution, but I do like the way the Tahoe rides, and if I can simply solve the steering issues, I'll be a happy camper. If I could put the SuperSteer and Cognito kit and basically drive it for the next 150K without issues, I'd be very pleased.

What do you guys think?

-Rob

 

[Anubis]

spring rate spring rate spring rate. The straight axle from the 91 and older burbs, blazers, 1 tons, and 87 and older trucks suffered from not having decent spring rates. If we knew then what we know now about spring rates and variable spring rates the straight axle would still be in use today....... when I do my SAS I will be using coil springs..... it WILL ride better than Torsion bar IFS.


now on a 2wd...... IFS is the way to go........ if I ever get around to building my dream 1970 Mustang .... it will independent on all 4 corners......