straight axle

[Silverado Brethern]

has anyone with a 88-98 K-1500 swapped out the IFS for a straight axle? if so how much $ and how much better do you like it. im considereing this for the purpose of cheaper and better lift quailty but if the cost is too great i may settle for a 3" body lift.

[GMCMudBogger]

I have a IFS front end and haven't broken it yet, I ahve a 6" suspension lift and 3"body on 38" tires and I have no probblmes with it when off road, aside fron the tires hitting the bumper or body when stuffed. If you do want to change to a sold axle dana 44 from early broncos will work and is 6 lug since we have a driver side front drive shaft and the earlier gm's have a passenger side front driveshaft, If your gonna run tires bigger than 35"s get a dana 60 and change the rear end to a 14 bolt. It gets rather expensive the higher you go and more stuff breaks! Check Off Road Unlimteds web site for major info on this type of swap.

[Silverado Brethern]

my rear end now is a 14 bolt 9 1/2". i origionally wanted to get the exact same set up that you have but im pretty sure its out of my price range. how much for the lifts and tires and all of it? my only concern was which would be cheaper.

[GMCMudBogger]

Glad you have the 14 rather than the 10, The diff carriers on 10bolts break easily, I know. With all the stuff sone to much suspension I've spent well over $5k++ easily, if you have some really good friends and access to a lift you can save $$$ on labor but because it will take over a day too do it all it gets pricey. Not to mention having to get a tranny rebuilt because my tires were too big and killed the hi gears, Had the gearing changed to 4.88 which woke the truck up. There's so much too do when you start lifting your truck. like lockers, nerf bars, custom tow hitch, a lot of custom work to make it work correctly. Gets to be an obsession after awhile!

[GMCMudBogger]

Oh Yeah becareful on the body lift you choose since it should include the bumper brackets with it so the bumper is lined up with the body and there is somekinf of kit for the fan shroud because the radiator is lifted with the body but the engine is not and sits lower on the frame. This may and has presented cooling problems in the past tile we had to make a custom shroud out of the old one, I evetually want to get rid of the fan eventually and put in the dual electrics.

[GMCMudBogger]

Oh yeah the price of the acle swap is way more than a lift kit, and stay away from pro comp lifts the look cheesey on our style of trucks.

[Silverado Brethern]

i had in mind to get a 6" rough contry system becuz they say with that kit you can keep the stock drive shaft. with what i priced i could do it for around $3500 cuz i wouldnt need someone to install anyting for me.

[GMCMudBogger]

With most 6" lifts you won't need a drive shaft, but you will need to cut near the "Y" pipe that goes aroung the front drive shaft and reweld a new muffler section so it doesn't hit the front shaft, You will also need to cut off the mount on the front diff with a sawzall or cutoff wheel, Some of the mounts on the frame so the new subframe will mount correctly. It's got a lot of little details but if you got the tools go for it. I have an RCD kit and it came with new knuckles that enable to top "a" arms and suspension geometry to stay in their original position, Stay away fron kits that lower the top "a" arms or you will have alignment problems and possibly steering issues. P.S. Get a steering stabilzer they help and just an FYI my ABS has not worked correctly since the lift, 1 the knucles don't have a mount for the sensors and the since it works off the speedo sensor it's all jacked up cuz of the bigger tires. If you have any questions let me know.

Later.