Raising 4x4 suspension

[DiscoSpud]

Hey guys I'm looking for any help in regards to raising a pick up truck roughly a scale 6 inches so i can fit some huge tyre under it for an upcoming project. Does anyone know of any good tricks?

[RodneyBad]

Whatcha planning on lifting?

If it's got leaf springs in the rear, you can cut the axle off of the springs and add a 6"inch

lift block.

like so.

AMT 92 Ford F-150

Front is 2wd but I just extended the mounting points by a

scale 6"inches

Edited April 23, 2011 by Zukiholic

[Erik Smith]

It totally depends on what your lifting, how accurate you want it, and the purpose of the lift.

As demonstrated above, you can add blocks to a leaf spring suspension. I would note, though, that in the "real" world, a block lift of 6 inches would be considered unsafe for anything but a trailer queen. There's danger of the blocks tipping out and the suspension collapsing. The best way is to make new, higher arched springs. With strip styrene it's easier than you think. I haven't made a truck on a long time so no pics, but you just layer the strips together and bend as you go - add a round styrene piece at the ends and some shackles and, abracadabra!

Now, if it's not a leaf spring suspension, such as an IFS, than you will need to add appropriate blocks and brackets. It is a little different for all makes. I would recommend getting a few four wheeler magazines or do research online for the specific application you're working on. Look at the ads in the magazines - sometimes they show the components of a lift kit.

Or, you can go the cheap and dirty way - a body lift. While a 6 inch body lift would look pretty lousy, you can lift it a couple inches and combine it with a small suspension lift. A body lift is just that - add some spacers between the frame and body at the mounting points. Easy, and cheap in the real world.

You will have other things to consider when lifting a vehicle - lengthening drive lines and adjusting driveline angles, bigger shocks, etc.

Sorry for the ramble but if you made it this far, I hope it's helpful!

Edited April 23, 2011 by Coyotehybrids

[jeffs396]

Aaron, here's an extreme case of overlifted suspension, but it'll give you the idea...

you can see the leafs made from strip styrene...

Here's the best place for these kind of builds:

offroad models

and here's a tutorial for working leaf springs, but you could glue them rigid also...

working leaf springs

[crazyjim]

Strip styrene as jeff suggested.

Love that Jepp, Jeff.

[RodneyBad]

Aaron, here's an extreme case of overlifted suspension, but it'll give you the idea...

Killer looking Jeep

That started out has a diecast cab or resin?

New springs

Axle cut off of leaf springs and put under the springs

Or make a 4 link set up

[jeffs396]

Love that Jeep, Jeff.

Thanks Jim, dig that lil' Dodge of yours also, nice work!

Killer looking Jeep

That started out as a diecast cab or resin?

Thanks also Rodney! It's a diecast cab, but Ron @ RMR does offer a pickup (with bed) and the panel version of these Willys...

Nice job on that 70s Dodge of yours too

[Aaronw]

Probably the best place to start is a website like 4 wheel parts that offers 1-1 lift kits. Look at the aftermarket lift kits. Also any of the 4x4 magazines that include build up articles can be a great resource. 4 wheeler and 4 wheel and off road are two I used to read occasionally that frequently had good detailed build articles of 1-1 trucks.

Spring over axle lifts are fairly simple. Usually on a stock truck the spring pack goes under the axle, so repositioning the springs on top, will add the height of the axle (usually 3-4"). After this you have the cheaper block method, that puts a lift block between the springs and axle, and / or between the springs and frame. This is somewhat limited to about 2-4" in both locations (4-8" total). You will see much larger blocks available but they tend to be more for show, than functional as you can start to run into stability issues (the blocks can shift) when you start to use really tall blocks.

The higher end lifts will use new springs with more of an arch to them which adds another several inches of lift.

A spring over axle conversion, mild block lift and taller springs can easily provide 8-12" of lift.

Lifting a model truck, is done pretty much the same way as the 1-1.

Edited April 24, 2011 by Aaronw

[RodneyBad]

I got one more lifted rig to show.

Lindberg Ford F150 Flareside with IFS

I lowered the mounting points by 1/8"inch (scale 3"inch)

and made new rear springs and added a Lil Bodylift to fit 38"inch Swampers.

BTW: I started this back in 97

I'd do it about the same today if I redid it but a just do it with a little better detail.

Mmmmmmm, If I ever get bored, I could finish it, the Body is painted

and the engine is done.

Edited April 29, 2011 by Zukiholic

[RodneyBad]

Okay, one more.

Suzuki SideKick.

added spacers to the Struts and stretched the A Arms down and wider

Longer coils in the rear and longer control arms.

[RodneyBad]

Only for 1/48 scale! on the truck you pictured it is about 3".

Ya got me, I used the wong wuler.

But the Lindberg Ford is lifted total 9"inches.

New rear springs and dropped the front mounts by 1/8"inch and extended the front knuckles by 1/2"inch

Bent down the Front A arms a bit to make up the difference.

+ 1/8"inch body lift = a scale 9"inch lift

Something like that

[DiscoSpud]

Aaron, here's an extreme case of overlifted suspension, but it'll give you the idea...

you can see the leafs made from strip styrene...

Here's the best place for these kind of builds:

offroad models

and here's a tutorial for working leaf springs, but you could glue them rigid also...

working leaf springs

Mate this is spot on what I want to achieve, only with a ford bronco... cheers!

[mopar01lee]

Ok theres some awsome looking lifted trucks so i gotta add mine in here too..... 80s ramcharger fully scratched susp..

heres the link to the build pics ...

My link

[made007]

Okay, one more.

Suzuki SideKick.

added spacers to the Struts and stretched the A Arms down and wider

Longer coils in the rear and longer control arms.

do you have wip pics, or can you take a pic from under the car?

[RodneyBad]

do you have wip pics, or can you take a pic from under the car?

I'll give it a shot.

I'm using a round tube for the rear to get the hieght and then I'll wrap a spring around it.

Then made longer rear links (well, It had No links to begin with )

Lowered and extended the Lower A arms

Extended the front strut

Pushed the front A arms forward to make room for bigger tires.

In Reality, you can only lift the front 4"inches but it's a model so it works just fine.

[made007]

great work, i like it , thanks man, is that mica blue?

[RodneyBad]

great work, i like it , thanks man, is that mica blue?

Yes, That is Tamiya Mica Blue.

I used Tamiya white Primer but rushed the paint job so some paint didn't quit get into

some bodylines.

It is fixable with some black wash to deepen the bodylines.

[Chuck Most]

I pretty much went back to the drawing board when I built this '79 Ford- scratchbuilt body lift, and a suspension made up from scrap monster truck parts! I basically built the truck as an excuse to buy those Iroks!

Yes, a stock '79 F-350 would not have coil springs up front, but this ain't no stock truck!

[JamesW]

I've been working on this but I'm stuck as to how to raise the front and add the differential. Also if anyone knows where I can find a differential for the front as well as a transfer case it would be appreciated.

Should I scrap the I beam front suspension and builf leaf springs?

Edited May 13, 2011 by grimreaper

[RodneyBad]

I pretty much went back to the drawing board when I built this '79 Ford- scratchbuilt body lift, and a suspension made up from scrap monster truck parts! I basically built the truck as an excuse to buy those Iroks!

Yes, a stock '79 F-350 would not have coil springs up front, but this ain't no stock truck!

Those Iroks look right at home on it too.

Great looking Truck.

[RodneyBad]

I've been working on this but I'm stuck as to how to raise the front and add the differential. Also if anyone knows where I can find a differential for the front as well as a transfer case it would be appreciated.

Such a big truck makes those tires look small

A Monogram Bronco could work and do you plan on using Leaf Springs?

Monogram HIghRoller Ford F-150

[Chuck Most]

Thanks, Rodney! The paint job's pretty sucky on it, though! I built it five or six years ago, before I really cared about how my paint jobs looked.

I've been working on this but I'm stuck as to how to raise the front and add the differential. Also if anyone knows where I can find a differential for the front as well as a transfer case it would be appreciated.

On the '79, I replaced the somewhat soft fron axle with a scratchbuilt one. The pig is a reinforced Ford 9" which I robbed from an AMT Pro Street '70 Super Bee, then I made new axletubes from styrene rod. (Might have been an old length of sprue, now that I think of it.) The Pro Street Super Bee kit also still includes a stock Dana 60 axle you could modify the same way. The '79 kit came with a transfer case, but the AMT Monster Trucks have a pretty nice one, so does the '72 Blazer kit. If I were building what you're building, I'd get another Dana axle from the Monogram F-250/350 kit, cut out the pig, and make up new axle tubes from plastic or metal to the desired width and offset.