i hear noises after i lifted 2.5 inches..

[The Roadie]

That doesn't make sence, I have all of my lift coming from and outside strut spacer. I have to say that it was engineered for the TB but it gave me 3" of lift

Who engineered it? I don't recall knowing that was what you had. I'd be shocked if your CV joints weren't binding at full extension. Easy to check.

[TangoBravo]

I have had it posted on my sig since I have had them installed, like I have said I haven't had any issues at all. They were engineered by an off road shop from my home town in Ca. I don't experiance any binding at full drop everything was checked and rechecked before it was given back to me after the install since they have to cover there 6 being that they made it. It's been just over a year and I have wheeled in Ca, Ut, and now Wy to include search and rescue missions. The only thing that was needed was longer rear shocks and an alignment other then that totally fine. However they were made to provide a total of 3" of lift, this does not mean they are 3" tall. Take it as you may, it seems the status quo for this forum at least with lifts is that if it isn't inside the strut then it won't work and I just wanted him to know that if done right it can be done with no ill effects.

[fishsticks]

I have had it posted on my sig since I have had them installed, like I have said I haven't had any issues at all. They were engineered by an off road shop from my home town in Ca. I don't experiance any binding at full drop everything was checked and rechecked before it was given back to me after the install since they have to cover there 6 being that they made it. It's been just over a year and I have wheeled in Ca, Ut, and now Wy to include search and rescue missions. The only thing that was needed was longer rear shocks and an alignment other then that totally fine. However they were made to provide a total of 3" of lift, this does not mean they are 3" tall. Take it as you may, it seems the status quo for this forum at least with lifts is that if it isn't inside the strut then it won't work and I just wanted him to know that if done right it can be done with no ill effects.

Need pics please.

[v7guy]

I have had it posted on my sig since I have had them installed, like I have said I haven't had any issues at all. They were engineered by an off road shop from my home town in Ca. I don't experiance any binding at full drop everything was checked and rechecked before it was given back to me after the install since they have to cover there 6 being that they made it. It's been just over a year and I have wheeled in Ca, Ut, and now Wy to include search and rescue missions. The only thing that was needed was longer rear shocks and an alignment other then that totally fine. However they were made to provide a total of 3" of lift, this does not mean they are 3" tall. Take it as you may, it seems the status quo for this forum at least with lifts is that if it isn't inside the strut then it won't work and I just wanted him to know that if done right it can be done with no ill effects.

With the upper mount replacement spacer and 89 springs i probably have one of the bigger suspension lifts here. While pulling out of an angle it felt like i got some bind for the first time in 8 weeks or so. Id be REALLY interested to see what you have that you have no problem with.

[Trail X]

Need pics please.

It could be something similar to BDS, where it's half inside and half outside.

Pics from the wheel well and engine bay would be helpful.

[TangoBravo]

It's not a half and half lift it is ALL outside strut not like BDS think more like rough country but slightly bigger. I have to say I am kinda let down by the fact that this seems to have such a negative following from most everyone on this forum seeing that this forum is based on doing what everyone else see's as impossible. I really expected a more welcoming vibe to something out of the norm. Hope the pics suffice because Im done trying to prove myself worthy of a lift, all I wanted to do was tel the OP know that it can be done if engineered correctly. If I wanted to catch this much crap for thinking outside the box I would have bought a jeep and joined there forum.

[Trail X]

Rob, for a military guy, you are so sensitive! Lighten up dude!

The reason I am so skeptical, is that I KNOW that my inner tripod joint would bind up if the suspension dropped much further than I currently allow it to. I dialed in the position of the top shock with washer shims. Fishy did the same thing when he dialed in his front setup. I believe he actually had to go backwards with his design to prevent binding.

I think skindigger's experience shows that it doesn't work for him... and that's because he went TOO tall, perhaps. I would still like to see where the top of your shock stud sits in relation to the shock tower plane. I'm wondering if the shop just used the stock mounting plate for proper compatibility with the spring isolator or something.

No one is saying that your system doesn't work, just that we'd like to see more, because the collective intelligence that we have states that something like what you have pictured could potentially bind up.

[fishsticks]

Rob, for a military guy, you are so sensitive! Lighten up dude!

The reason I am so skeptical, is that I KNOW that my inner tripod joint would bind up if the suspension dropped much further than I currently allow it to. I dialed in the position of the top shock with washer shims. Fishy did the same thing when he dialed in his front setup. I believe he actually had to go backwards with his design to prevent binding.

Indeed. I've been down this road all the way past the bind point so I could find out (and tell others) where that point is.

I think skindigger's experience shows that it doesn't work for him... and that's because he went TOO tall, perhaps. I would still like to see where the top of your shock stud sits in relation to the shock tower plane. I'm wondering if the shop just used the stock mounting plate for proper compatibility with the spring isolator or something.

Skindigger's is too tall. It looks almost Kuwaiti Death Trap tall. Tango's is shorter and probably OK for driving around town. I'll bet at full droop he binds the CVs a bit. I'll also bet that he'll never see that much droop because he probably still has a swaybar attached. So it works.

No one is saying that your system doesn't work, just that we'd like to see more, because the collective intelligence that we have states that something like what you have pictured could potentially bind up.

I was going to run a pretty sizeable outside-the-assembly spacer after I did my bracket lift... at least until I could afford coilovers.

[TangoBravo]

Im not at all beine sensitive about anything, more like annoyed. May be this would go easier if you provided me with EXACTLY what it would take to satisify the collective intelligence who mind you seem to lack the collective experiance with THIS lift design. In the morning provided it isn't snowing too bad I can take measurements if you can tell me what it is exactly you guys are looking for. Im no expert and don't claim to be all I know is I paid for a 3" outside strut lift that will function fully, and that's exactly what I got.

[fishsticks]

the collective intelligence who mind you seem to lack the collective experiance with THIS lift design

To the contrary, we have quite a bit of experience with that lift design. All of that experience shows that when actually used for something other than pounding pavement, it creates problems.

Skindigger's is an extreme example, he's even having problems on the street.

If yours functions fully, great! Post some pics with the axles crossed up so we can all see it work.

[Trail X]

Robert, the most definitive measurement you can get for us would be the distance from the top of your strut (the tip of the threaded part) to the top plane of the upper shock mounting bucket (the part of the frame). This would tell us if they did any inside the spacer trickery.

Was Donny correct that you have the front end swaybar still connected? Those things are very strong and won't allow the front end to drop out all the way. That could possibly be the saving element.

[TangoBravo]

Robert, the most definitive measurement you can get for us would be the distance from the top of your strut (the tip of the threaded part) to the top plane of the upper shock mounting bucket (the part of the frame). This would tell us if they did any inside the spacer trickery.

Was Donny correct that you have the front end swaybar still connected? Those things are very strong and won't allow the front end to drop out all the way. That could possibly be the saving element.

Alright James I will take a look at it tomorrow weather permitting and get those numbers for you, also the front sway bar is connected maybe that's the key. I did after the lift was installed run with it disconnected for awhile but not long enough to expose any issues it got reconnected for our first cross country trip. Maybe while Im under there tomorrow I will disconnect it again and see how it goes I don't expect any issues but we will see.

[TangoBravo]

the collective intelligence who mind you seem to lack the collective experiance with THIS lift design

To the contrary, we have quite a bit of experience with that lift design. All of that experience shows that when actually used for something other than pounding pavement, it creates problems.

Skindigger's is an extreme example, he's even having problems on the street.

It doesn't seem to me that anyone could have any experiance with my kit but me, this isn't a rough country off the shelf kit. I did research before I lifted my TB I decided that I liked the outside strut lift but did not like the problems that seem to come with the kits that were availbale at the time, so I took the idea to a buddy at my then local offroad shop and we tossed the idea around. After several months and many measurements my lift kit is what was born. I don't know what kit skindigger is using but I would bet your 6 he isn't using mine.

[fishsticks]

It doesn't seem to me that anyone could have any experiance with my kit but me, this isn't a rough country off the shelf kit. I did research before I lifted my TB I decided that I liked the outside strut lift but did not like the problems that seem to come with the kits that were availbale at the time, so I took the idea to a buddy at my then local offroad shop and we tossed the idea around. After several months and many measurements my lift kit is what was born. I don't know what kit skindigger is using but I would bet your 6 he isn't using mine.

Skindigger's is a big piece of UHMW or something similar.

Yours is a couple pieces of scrap plate welded to a piece of tube.

They both do the same thing; lift outside the strut assembly.

What measurements did you take? I have all of mine right here. Want to compare notes? Here's the post: viewtopic.php?p=18308#p18308

You need to chill out.

[Skindiggers]

Hey guys.. you don't have to argue about the lifts... I think that all the guys from here have more experience with trailblazer than me and i accepted their advice.. I lifted many trucks in my life , all were with solid front axle , and that is a different thing ..
I ordered the 2.5 inch lift kit from MarkMC ...
In the mean time i cut my front lift spacers , now the spacers are 1.5" , i can drive the car on the street without any problems , BUT, if i lift the front wheels i still can not turn them .
Why ? Because the spacer is pushing the spring down and nothing is stopping the wheel for going in the point were the cv joints will have a tight angle .
With the other kit , the shock absorber will stop the wheel for going too low !

[Skindiggers]

P.S.: fishsticks said: "Skindigger's is a big piece of UHMW or something similar."
What is UHMW ??

[Trail X]

UHMW = ultra high molecular weight... normally referring to a type of polyethylene plastic.

Essentially - long string polymer. With plastics, the long string is how they create high strength and rigidity.

[Skindiggers]

Yes.. you are right
That's the material i used for my spacers..
I didn't know it was called like that in English .

[bdp1978]

It doesn't seem to me that anyone could have any experiance with my kit but me, this isn't a rough country off the shelf kit. I did research before I lifted my TB I decided that I liked the outside strut lift but did not like the problems that seem to come with the kits that were availbale at the time, so I took the idea to a buddy at my then local offroad shop and we tossed the idea around. After several months and many measurements my lift kit is what was born. I don't know what kit skindigger is using but I would bet your 6 he isn't using mine.

I'd be willing to bet that some of us may have pretty close experience to your set-up.........notice any similarities?

[djthumper]

That there looks like a Readylift kit.