The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Truck needs lifting

Howdy all, got a question.

After it rained about 12" this weekend, the bed of my truck is FILLED with water. The front of my truck sits consiberably lower than the back. I believe the stock heighth difference was 2", but mine is somewhere near 7-8". Any tips on how to raise the front, cheaply? Thanks guys,

Drive it UP a big hill with the tailgate down. Or, do what a friend of my father's did to a '58 Chevy sedan that got full of water - he shot holes in the floor!

just add another leaf.

LOL, no no, the problem isn't getting the water out, I can do that. Although sometimes, a shotgun sounds like a good solution....

KillerKnight - Adding another leaf? I thought that they came welded together and that you couldn't just add one? I am probably wrong. Should I just look for another one off of another Chevy truck, say in a junk yard? Or does it ahve to be a specific length?

why kind of truck are you talking about? i'm assuming that its that 86-87 chevy on your web page and i know what your talkin about kinda have the same problem mine is a 85 C10 that has real heavy suspension in the back but personally i like the rake stance but have a ton of steel in the back then it sits level but anyway looks like yours is a 2wd so its got the coils up front and they make spacers that strech the coils theres ones that just twist in and raise an 1" or ones that you spread apart with bolts like these on JC Whitney Coil Spring Spacers i had a set of the twist in type in a 85 dodge omni in the back and it did raise it and ride quality didn't seem to change
Nate

Thanks Nate, actually it's the same as yours, an 85. Thanks for the tips on the spacers, I might look into that.

Hey, those are only $7.00! For that, why not buy them! Do you know if you have to remove the coil springs from the truck to do that? Thanks

i've never used them but its one of those cheap quick things so i would assume you wouldn't need to remove them but it would help to lift the front end of your truck to fully flex your front suspension so there is no pressure on it
Nate

I'd put three or so big drain holes.. about a 3/4 inch in diameter in the cab end of the bed. If you make 'em too small, they'll clog easy.. but if you make 'em too big, stuff you're hauling will pour out (corn, dirt, etc)

Altho what I do is park on a hill when it's raining like that.. water pours right out.

Hardy you might check at ORileys or other local auto parts stores they have replacement springs and sometimes they are cheaper than you would expect. however that would be quiet a bit more work.....Ronnie

Thanks guys!

Jack the tire off the ground to relieve the spring pressure. Push the spacer in between coils and twist with a wrench. Your done. Quick solution for a slight lift. Good luck.

Guys, do I need to worry about the shocks not fitting after I do this? I was hoping to get about 1-2" with the extender. Hope I don't have to go buy new shocks for it because of that.

Also, does anyone know, after I "extend" them, do I have to leave them like that for a while, to hold? Thanks

My only experience with those spring spacers was years ago.. thought i'd use 'em to lift the back of a car I had as a kid.. just wanted to bring the [censored] end up a little for that 'hotrod' stance.

Seemed easy enough.. jack the car up a bit, sit the spacer in the coil, twist with a wrench, sit the car back down.. VOILA! Instand lift.

Problem was, the darn things regularly popped out.