Custom Lift or Buy a Kit?

Lookin at putting a lift kit on my truck. I've found leaf springs for $150 that give the rear an extra 4 inches, and I've found spindles for $300 that are a 4 inch lift, do you think that this would be better then to buy say a 6 Inch kit from Skyjacker or Rough Country?? It's sure a hell of a lot cheaper and I dont see what would be the problem with leaf springs. I'd much rather do leaf springs than 4" blocks. And what's the difference between the lift spindles and the front ends that come in a kit. I know the front differential is still gonna be in the same spot but 4 inches shouldn't matter too much for the CV shafts. I've also thought about control arms for up front too but haven't had the luck in finding any as of yet.

So what do you think the pros and cons are of doing this custom lift versus buying a pre fabbed kit?? In my eyes it's much better, you've got the benefits of it being cheaper, better because it's not blocks or springs. It replaces the spindles, in which some kits do this but not many, and some kits come with the option of rear leafs but they are highly expensive. I mean 450 bucks for a 4 inch suspension lift?? C'mon that's better than doing a body lift right there. My only questions now are can I buy the control arms and the differential drop bracket seperatley from a company that makes the kits?

P.S. Is this gonna effect my torsion bars much, cuz then I'd prob want the cross member dropped where they keys are at too.

Technically speaking this isn't a custom lift. I would just assume by a kit, I would recommend Pro-Comp, unless your gonna go bigger then I'd say Bulletproof or something like that. So which do you have torsion bars or control arms? Spindles are a good choice.

What year of a truck do you have?

Technically speaking this isn't a custom lift. I would just assume by a kit, I would recommend Pro-Comp, unless your gonna go bigger then I'd say Bulletproof or something like that. So which do you have torsion bars or control arms? Spindles are a good choice.


Sorry I don't have my own CNC machine to make it custom, although if I did..............haha

If your recommending Pro Comp to me then get away, far away. Sorry I just hate Pro comp, their tires....shocks..everything. On these IFS trucks you have both torsion bars and control arms, control arm up top then the lower A arm, in which the torsion bars are connected to. In a torsion bar setup they dont have springs, just shocks. I like the idea of the spindles too but I think the ones I was looking at were for a two wheel drive.

Oh, it's a 1992 K1500 Silverado.

I'd just buy a kit. It doesn't sound like you really know what your doing to fab the stuff on your own.

But, if by custom you mean buying all the individual parts individually...I say go for it IF it does end up being cheaper. I'd research everything you need really well before you buy anything though.

Keep in mind, the "kits" usually have all the little stuff you need and often overlook. Things like extended brake lines, shims, and all that other good stuff.

I'd just buy a kit. It doesn't sound like you really know what your doing to fab the stuff on your own.

But, if by custom you mean buying all the individual parts individually...I say go for it IF it does end up being cheaper. I'd research everything you need really well before you buy anything though.

Keep in mind, the "kits" usually have all the little stuff you need and often overlook. Things like extended brake lines, shims, and all that other good stuff.


No, it's more like I don't have the resources to make them, if I had half million dollar machines I'm pretty sure I'd know how to use them. Brake lines, pitman arm, and possibly little things such as bolts and washers. Do you realize the leaf springs would be a direct replacement?? I'd get new U bolts though, stronger ones too, and the spindles would basically bolt on in place of the old ones. I seen some SS brake lines that would likely go on there and the pitman arm would be mainly because of the bigger tires. The only reason I'd rather do this than buy a kit is because there are also things coming in that kit that I don't need and I've thought that I could end up just selling those pieces on ebay, such as shocks, If I'm replacing my shocks then I'm going with either Rancho or Edelbrock's, but generally if you want to buy something that comes in a kit, in seperate pieces they're more expensive per piece.

I would shy away from the spindle lift. I will not lower your front differential which in turn will increase your CV joint angles. Most of the lifts that are sold for that truck are designed to keep the factory angles, CV joints, drive shafts, etc....
You go too much lift and dont comensate for it your asking for constant repairs.

I would shy away from the spindle lift. I will not lower your front differential which in turn will increase your CV joint angles. Most of the lifts that are sold for that truck are designed to keep the factory angles, CV joints, drive shafts, etc....
You go too much lift and dont comensate for it your asking for constant repairs.
That's why spindles a usually a good thing. They keep the factory angles of everything far closer than changing other things.

So if you drop the spindle (which would be the only way to get lift) and you do not drop the front differential how are the cv joint angles not going to be changed?
I can see where this does not matter on a 2 wheel drive but on a 4-wheel drive the cv joint has to drop with the hub. Maybe there is something here I am not catching but I cant see how this would work and still keep the same drive train angles.

First of all, why would you need half a million dollar machines to lift a truck?

And, why do you make it sound obvious that the leaf springs would be a direct replacement? You could be replacing the shackle and hanger mounts to get more lift there for all I know.

With most "kits", you can ask them to include a different type of shock....or anything else that you would prefer. The only reason it would then be more spendy is if the new shocks you wanted were more spendy than what is normally included in the kit.


I think you still need to shop around more and do some more research.


And by the way, you're not getting a dropped pitman arm because of the bigger tires. You get them to compensate for the effect that the lift has on your steering components.

I would go with a Dick Cepek 6.5" Lift. Its a great lift that has been tried and tested, I love mine, way better than a Hack job.