Nuts Up...

[special-K]

U-bolts...

I have a question for those who have gone from nuts down to nuts up. I just got my '72 K2500 on the road with a 4" lift using Ruff Stuff u-bolt/plate set up. It's very beefy which is great, but prolly more than necessary. The plates are huge and it looks like they can hit on the bump stop mounts when springs compress. Do you all eliminate those? I see no need for them with 4 extra inches between frame and axle.

[b454rat]

Most of the time folks switch is for ground clearance going off-road. Not sure what you mean by extra 4" tho. If it's lifted it shouldn't hit, but maybe trimming bump stop just I case??

[obijuan]

i made a little bump stop pad for them when i was lower. at 4" i wouldnt expect it to be much of an issue but when i was 2.5" i would touch offroad. heres the best pic i could find and its the front. i just spanned a flat strap across the top to act as a landing pad for it. i had them at all four corners.

[special-K]

I mean I lifted it 4", so bottoming axle to frame ain't happening with the extra 4" between, right? It's not the bump stops, it's the bracket they are on being wider than the bump stop. I just hauled a big load that squatted the rear, and felt it bottoming on the right side a few times. Got where I was going and took a peak between the tire and body. It looks like that's what it was. Never had a problem with OEM nuts up plates, but I ordered Tuff Stuff to get it like now. That's all great the u-bolts are 9/16" and the plates are like 3/8", but pretty dumb to make them so oversized they don't clear the factory arrangement. It's not an extreme wheeler, just a heavy duty 4wd truck. I just got this thing going after a lot of work and this is something that needs attention. Everything else is great! All smiles

[special-K]

So, has anyone removed the bump stop mounts from frame on lifted trucks that will never need them? it's not loaded now, so I can't get a picture

[Stocker]

I ran without bumpstops for a lot of years...... no lift, just AALs and cheap coil overloads that u-bolted to the axle housing and contacted the frame when loaded. A few years back I ditched the coils and installed Hellwig overload leafs. At that time, I re-installed the bumpstops. IMO, you'll do fine without them, especially being lifted.

[special-K]

Thanks for the reply Mike. I am figuring on that. I could "trim down" the oversized plate that are causing the problem, but obviously easier said than done.

I figured with stock springs and Add-A-Leaf vs EZ-Rides I was doing the heavier duty thing. But, I think I'll be looking into a trip to the spring shop. I intentionally loaded ass-end heavy to better align the trailer with truck. I have a 2" receiver welded to the bumper and the bumper is braced around the spare way forward. Very beefy custom arrangement. But it came with the ball in the bumper, so the nut is in the 2" hole and I can't get a purchase on it to remove the ball. Been procrastinating doing anything about it for 15 years now! Now that it''s lifted I think the time has come. It's going to be a nasty job. I don't want to hurt the bumper.

[Cali72K20]

Do you have lift blocks in between the spring perches and the springs? That may be your problem putting the u-bolt flip kit closer the bump stops than the actual lifted spring height.

[Cali72K20]

Here is an option for you, do a shackle flip kit too:

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/shacklekit.htm

Here is picture of someone making there own bump stop:

http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/Dana44crossover.htm

[special-K]

Hey thanks Cali. I popped my head under there again, now unloaded, and it's just too darn close. I don't think this arrangement would work at all w/o the add-a-leaf. I'm 1 1/2-2" farther from it than stock. It not the width of the plates that's an issue. They are no wider than necessary. I don't ever recall any issues with this on my past 71/72s that came with nuts up. I ran Bushwacker traction bars that mounted by the u-bolts, which added more on top. That Blazer had 4" blocks and no issue. This is a mystery I'm not even going to think about any more. Don't know why, just need to do something different.

I got what I got as the cheapest possible method of lift. Add-A-Leaf + 2" blocks. I didn't like how the new nuts down u-bolts fit the plate on top for a stacked arrangement, so went with nuts up.
<Not liking P-Bucket these days

Shackle flip would be great, but my original springs are at least a little tired, so probably should buy 4" springs. Also, I'd end up with a stiffer riding rear than front. I'd be wanting to go to soft riding springs in front for sure. I got the Suspension Special from National Tire, which turns out to be Superlift. So good springs but your old school prior to softer ride concept springs. I only went 4" to run a set of 9.75" slots with 35s, which is marginal for a 4" lift, another reason I was ok with stiffer springs.

Those are gone no, ordering 16 x 8s, then waiting for funds to purchase 285/75s. I'm running out a set of 255/85s on 7" Accurides now. I'm working this through as I type, and now I'm thinking shackle flip soon, eventually EZ-Rides in front, and if rear springs seem tired when put to task I'll visit my spring shop for a rebuild. Or... just get the full set of EZ-Rides. Yeah, that's the ticket... I think

I hope I didn't make anyone else as dizzy as I am right now...hahaha

* I've decided the 4" is permanent. Original plan was 4" till the 35s wore out, then go 2-3. Another reason I didn't buy rear springs in the first place.

['63GENIII]

Wish I could help Tim. I just used Ruff Stuff plates for the rear of the '63. We must have different overloads. Mine fit real good but I think that the snubber brackets were on the inside of the frame and used to contact an arm on the lift block which was removed in my build. Since I went to the 63" rear springs, I don't have blocks anymore. Do you have any pics of the snubber / bumper and nuts up clearance?

[special-K]

No, I'll take some. I just happened to leave my camera overnight with the homeowners I'm working for so they can upload pictures of water damage before I tarped over it for the night. I'll take some tomorrow and put them up.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Cali72K20

Do you have lift blocks in between the spring perches and the springs? That may be your problem putting the u-bolt flip kit closer the bump stops than the actual lifted spring height.

I don't see how that could be. The blocks space the axle 2" farther "down" from the bump stops. The plates are on top of the springs which are 1 1/2"-2" more arched than stock, so farther from bump stops than stock. It is as if I have 2" lift springs

Originally Posted by Cali72K20

Here is an option for you, do a shackle flip kit too:

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/shacklekit.htm

Here is picture of someone making there own bump stop:

http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/Dana44crossover.htm

I know all about shackle flips. There are 4" and 6". I would have done that if there were 2" kits. I just did this lift after doing my homework and decided to go this way, not looking to change it. The reason I went this route is to not have a permanent 4" lift, so I could drop back to 2" later on. The only other method I could have done was 2" springs and 2" blocks. Whenever I go down to 2" I'll go to 2" springs

Again, it's the bump stop brackets that are an issue, not the bump stops. Thanks for the suggestions either way

['63GENIII]

Hey Tim, I did a couple of searches on the 72 for pics of your frame and in particular the bump stop brackets. The only thing that I came up with was a 70 k20. Im hoping they are the same. The 70 had the bump stop brackets riveted to the bottom of the frame above the axle, is that right?
If yours are like that, Id lose the brackets. They should never contact the axle with the 4" lift and if they did, you have more problems than just the springs being tired.
TBH, what I would probably do is pull the bump stops off, look into a set of Firestone Ride Rite air bags and mount those to the top of the "nuts up" plate. I ran a set on an old crewcab that sat down when loaded. Just 15 psi in those bags controlled the "sag" that the tired springs allowed.
Even with the 63" rears that I have now, although they ride silky smooth like an '05 silverado, they still don't carry like the 52's that I took out. I plan on putting bags on the rear soon.

Sorry for getting sidetracked. Id grind and pop the rivets for the brackets. save the brackets though. I know as soon as I scrap something like that, Id want to use them for something else.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by '63GENIII

Id grind and pop the rivets for the brackets. save the brackets though. I know as soon as I scrap something like that, Id want to use them for something else.

That's how I removed my bumpstops (post #6 above) -- I should have said 'brackets' instead of 'bumpstops'. Anyway it's moot because I ended up bolting the brackets back in place. Just realized I should clear that up....

[special-K]

You're right on track, and all that is what I figure on doing. I just thought I'd run this by you all to see what others had experienced. I'm keeping this truck work ready and don't want it sagging like in that "first load" picture. Till I get that hitch ball out of the way of the 2" receiver so I can use a drop hitch, it's not a bad thing. Can you imagine the silly angle my utility trailer would be on if the truck was level? What, a 45 deg angle ? I'm a proud man, can't be seen runnin' like a first time trailer hauler, now can I? (that laughing face would fit here again). I'd rather squat! (ditto)

On my '92 K3500 the long springs got tired. The truck ran around 8k# with the Reading work top and tools/equipt. I put Air Lift aux. air springs (bags) on to level her up rather than a rear spring rebuild. That's what the '72 needs, so we are together on that.

Also, I have every piece set back that I removed, even the tired springs. A shop could bring them back to life again. I did toss the shocks. Rears were antique Monroe HD air shocks and fronts slid like a trombone when disconnected. The truck bobbed and rolled like a boat on rough seas to the point that even with everything rebuilt in the f/e, including a rebuilt steering box, it was a chore to keep straight on a country road. Those are "high crown" back east to run water off, I think.

This one came from Modesto when I bought it. It was set up to haul. It has a trans cooler, had a trans temp gauge in the spare dash hole, a vacuum tuning gauge mounted on the dash, and has a 5th wheel mount with a hoist on the passenger side to lift the platter up and into place. The driver side wheel house has a 7-pin mounted for the 5th wheel. It's 5th wheelin' days are over being lifted (and I have no such equipt), but that neat little hoist will stay. Purdy dang cool unit there, though I have yet to use it since '01 when I got the truck.

Thanks for the help. I'm stuck between still wanting to build it into my fantasy K3500 (got all the goods) and leaving it as built (or reversible) since it's still just an aged original fairly well optioned example... not that axles, trans, transfer case, emblems, etc can't all be swapped back later on. I guess I'm not confident I'd be up to all that too many years ahead. I'm thinking get it how I like, as build, and run it out till I run out. If I'm still into blowing trucks out in another 10 years or more I'll just find something else. I've always wanted a hot rod/street rod pickup and really want to get back to earlier trucks. Basically, I want it all!

Mike, you're still making sense. I don't know how you do it but, at least to me, you seam to still be of sound mind (what's your secret?) I don't think I was too clear on this at first. I'm used to that, but I hope it's not to hard on others

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by special-K

Mike, you're still making sense. I don't know how you do it but, at least to me, you seam to still be of sound mind

Well, I have at least one person fooled!! Now if I could just convince my wife....

[special-K]

Good luck with that!

Got my camera back. Now it's just a matter of remembering to snap some shots before one eye goes to sleep