Hey y'all. I might be buying a 4x4 truck and would like to know if there are any "shorter" lift kits available. Mostly I'd want to level the truck and remove some of it's ass-up stance. Are there any lifts around the 1.5"- 2.5" range for half-ton 4x4's? (I don't know if I could afford a 4" lift) I'm also not interested in body lifts. I like the 88-98 GM's... Any help???  

(Continued...) I've seen a "Rough Country" 1 3/4" torsion bar lift. Would that stiffen the ride as well or keep it like stock? I've heard cranking the stock torsion bars gives lift at the expense of a stiffer ride, less down travel, and weird tire camber. Also since I mostly want the ride levelled, could I install stock 2wd rear springs instead of the 4x4's for a slight drop in the rear? I've noticed stock 4x4's look about 1" to 1.5" higher in the rear...   

all the small lifts (3" and under) for chev torsion bar suspensions will torque your t-bars a bit, thats why they are cheap. 4"+ kits have complete sub assemblies that drop the front pumpkin, therfore no t-bar crank necessary.

Good luck.

How would an aftermarket torsion bar lift affect the handling?

2-3" cheap lifts fof IFS vehicles usually involve cranking the t-bars, these small kits usually offer longer upper a-arms to compensate for the increased height. Ride quality will be near stock, ball joints, rod ends, etc. will wear out faster.

Better lifts include complete subframes to drop the front pumpkin, which keeps your steering geometry and supension dynamics as they were from the factory. But big tires will now trash your ball joints and rod ends.

In your opinion, is it worth it to raise say an 88-98 GM4x4 with a 2-3" suspension lift?  If not if I want a 4x4 I might hold out for an 80-96 Ford 4x4 in good condition 'cause they had solid front axels. Also, could a truck like that run 33x10.5-15 tires without any problems?  

Your 80-96 1/2ton fords DONT have solid axles. They have TTB which is a type of IFS. They used D44 parts but arent the true Dana 44 as the offroad world knows it.

TTB is expensive to lift too there guy.

Honestly if you want 3" of lift? Body lift. $100 and a weekend with the help of a few friends. On the c/k trucks a 2" body lift isnt really noticeable, but for some reason a 3" on these trucks stick out like a sore thumb (anyone else notice this?).

Body lift? The clearnance for the frame won't improve then. It's still worth it? Underbody clearance is the main reason I want a lift.

If the body gose up you can put bigger tires in then everything gets lifted a bit.  

the only way to improve ground clearance is with bigger tires. I coud put a 12 whiplash susp in my truck and run 31's, but i'm not getting anymore space under the low points.

with a 2=3" susp lift, you might get 2" more under your frame. 2" for $600, not for me.

I know a suspension lift doesn't lift your diff or axles, but I thought it'd be nice "insurance" from getting high-centered. I also thought when fording or driving in deep snow it'd be better to have just the axles draggin' instead of the whole underbody. Opinions??? I appreciate your advice.

   I heard rumors that putting in any body lift can increase the risk of body-to-frame separation in a collision.  How much of a problem is that?

It is better to just have the axles dragin. And with a suspension lift you can get bigger tires. then a bith of triming and POW!!!!!!!! 36's lol  

wow guy, sounds like you should buy a factory H1. Seems lik every mod is scary to you.

Yes a body lift will increase the potential of the body seperating from the frame in a high speed collision. (a 3" body lift wont change this factor much)

A suspension lift will dramatically increase a vehicles centre of gravity, increaseing the chance of a high speed rollover during an evasive maneuver, but your body will stay on. ( a 2"1/2" susp lift will have no effect on this)

Bigger tires will increase stopping distances due to the increased rolling mass the the brakes have to overcome. (a full size truck can handle 33's like nothing)

So what? Keep it stock then guy. All the mods you are planning are so minute that your truck will feel and handle the same afterwards. If you were doing a 6" susp, 4" body and 42" swampers, you might have some concerns.

Good luck.

Part of the reason I like half-ton trucks is that I've seen them in collisions and the trucks barely have a scratch and the cars have 'accordioned.' So a truck with a 2-3" body lift will still feel about as solid as a stocker? In that case I might consider it.

Thanks for your help!

my brother totalled a 98 cavalier with his c1500. he got a crooked bumper. the cavie was total write-off