4 inch lift blocks vs's springs
 

4 inch lift blocks vs's springs
ok i have heard al sorts. blocks are better for towing and heavy loads. spring lift way better for drivelines. blocks can get knocked off and break drive lines when wheeling. springs ride better. blocks are cheaper. springs cant take the weight of towing....

i sure would like to know. i have the blocks, thinking about changing them. but i dont want to if i dont have to. 95 % on the road, 2 % off road, 2% in driveway getting worked on.

In my opinion - and I'll be interested to see what others say - definitely springs. More costly, but a lot better. You'll want to know the capacity of the springs, especially if you are towing/hauling heavy loads.

You get what you pay for!!!!! Cheaper blocks, more expensive springs.....Springs are made for the truck, blocks are used but factory never put blocks in. So why spend the $$$$ and buy lifted springs that are made and fit for the truck. I'd even look at lifted shackles or reversed ones.

Done it both ways
 

I just finished lifting my sub (71 1/2 ton) with a SkyJacker spring kit. I previously owned a 72 K5 and lifted it with blocks. The springs are a little more money (about $200 difference), but the ride is much closer to stock (stiffness wise). Also, (this may be a K5 concern, not Sub) when I used the blocks, the pin/pin hole in the blocks was offset and required paying attention to a left/right block (which I didn't and wound up driving diagonally for a couple of weeks.) My springs on the sub were exactly the same part for both sides, so I couldn't screw it up. ;) Definitely look at Summit for the parts. I got 4" spring lift + Shocks + steering arm + S/H = $867....and no sales tax!!

blocks & springs
 

I wonder why some of the newer trucks(Dodge,Ford) I've seen have stock blocks ? They can't be all that bad

If you use blocks, you will get more spring wrap. Not really a bad thing, but can cause your rearend to hop when you hammer it and the tires break loose.
On stock newer trucks... Yes they have blocks, but they usually aren't very tall. When you put a larger block on there, this creates more leverage on the spring to cause it to wrap into a 'S'.
What do I say... Well it depends on your budget. Lift shackels will only lift the truck half as much as they are long. Say you added a shackle that was 3" longer than stock, it will lift your truck 1.5". The longer shackles will hang down, and if the get long they can look pretty tacky.
From what you have said on how your drive your truck, IMO I would go with a combination of springs and a block (2-3" springs + 2" block).
Just remember not to use blocks on your front axle!!! Not a good idea/illegal.

Yeah tell me about it, when I bought my truck i didnt realize it had them. When I realized it it scared the hell out of me untill I got them out. I didnt know it was illegal till i started looking around for a lift kit.

:confused: wow. never even heard of them being put in front.

Split the difference, My truck had a 1" block from the factory, I removed it and added an add-a-leaf and a 2" tapered block. Also, if you need to relocate your axle forward or rearward ORD has zero rates that bolt to the spring pack that provide a little lift and the ability to move the axle front or back. It would be ok for the front since it has a bolt going through it and not relying on the u-bolts to stay put.