hi i have a 97 f250 hd with 94 f350 solid axle suspension. it has leaf spings in front and back. i just bought a shackle lift kit from an auto store near me. question #1 i bought one box for front and one for back. after getting home realized the box says rear lift kit...so can i install these in the front too? #2 do i only install these spacers in the front leaf sping bolt holes. the kit contains 4 bars so im assuming its 2 in the front bolt for both. the set was only $17 each any insight would be greatly appreciated. and do i need to make any modifications

 

i have heard that the bigger shackle in the front puts more stress on the frame and will crack the frame

 

thanks for the tip. im going to use blocks between axles and leafs in front and rear. this kit was ridiculous i wouldnt trust it to lift a ranger. it was 4 skinny than stock bolts and 4 peices of flat bars with holes for the lift adjustment so i cleaned em off and can hopefully return em to auto palace for the 32 bucks(for 2 kits)

 

can som1 please post some links or pics of cheap lifts i can do and does any know what lift i can achieve without having to modify drive shafts or steering? shox and brake lines arent a problem 4 me....i am very green on lifts

 

if you have a solid front just do a shackle reverse, talk to guys on the 4x4 thread on here. buncha guys have done it and yoou can use stock parts from the boneyard

 

DO NOT PUT BLOCKS IN THE FRONT!!! Blocks in the back are bad enough, look in to a shackle reversal for the front, and a shackle flip for the back. SKY manufacturing should have everything you need.

 

ok thanks i will lookinto shackle reverse and i will not put blocks in front then either....why are blocks bad anyways ty

 

They tend to spit them selves of from in between the axle and spring and let a brand new 35'' micky tompson hit your front spring mount bolt... They also increase axle wrap, possibly breaking U joints.

 

Not only are lift blocks illegal in the front in most states, almost anyone will tell you it is a dangerous and ill-advised way to lift your truck.

 

The cheapest lift kit for your truck is to flip the shackles over, giving you about 6" of differential in the mounting point which in turn gives you about 2.5" to 3" of actual lift, front and back.

Blocks introduce so many dangerous vehicle behavior I'd strongly urge you to stay far away from them.

Longer shackles do work and do not really increase stress on the frame moreso than flipping the shackles, but I've had aftermarket shackles break before and that would leave you stranded. If you can weld you can make your own shackles easily enough using common materials of a heavier thickness for strength.

The best cheap way of lifting a 4x4 with leafs all around is to buy springs with a higher arch which will locate the axle further away from the frame. If you go to far, you'll need a panhard/panhand rod front and back to ensure the leafs don't bend sideways causing the axle(s) to slide out from under the truck a little bit for a nasty roll-over type situation.

The absolute best way to lift a truck "really high" is a 4-link pivot system. I lifed a 1981 F350 crewcab with this method, many weeks of fabrication, but ended up with 20+ inches of lift giving lots of travel room for the 48" tires I slapped on it.

Your method depends really how high you want to go, how much you're willing to spend, and the purpose of lifting it. Certainly lifting it for appearance reasons is less work than engineering a serious off-road suspension for serious abusing

You can also make your own stuff:

 

thanx so much for that detailed informative response. i just want a badass lookin truck which can go off road if i want but id not be takin out as its my only transport/ work truck so id be screwd. im looking for a bout 3 inches of lift so i believe i can get away without out any mods to diff and steering; maybe shox tho but i gotta get new ones any way i will continue to look for shackle reverse pix on here what i gather now is the leaf spring is moved to the bottom of axle so there is enough clearance to put the extension in between leaf spring bolt hole fronts nd the existing pivoting connection from the frame. but in the back ill have to put the extension s also in the front of the leafs as the backs of the leafs on my truck sit in a cradle type thing. This sound about right????????im gonna look around more right now

 

man my eyes r burnin friom reading so much about the shackle revers on here.....from what it sounds like the the sky kit is good for 300 but i still need to get other stuff(blocks for the back i think cause i will have full heavy loads from work) to level it out or at least hav the back highr ill call that company and ask em everything and i got a fisher old der style plow frame so we'll see. if i can get the 5 inch lift withou,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ill ask them tomorrow or so im beat thanx again. it seems like such a simple concept if i could get some welding experience or somethin maybe icould make something lik pointed out earlir i hate spending money on @#$% that i dont hav to i just got to get the exact principles down and find why some people seem to be having trouble with the bending and not installing flush or what ever o well