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M1009 lift kit recommendations

jmartin1340

New member
12
0
1
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Okay fellow M1009 owners I need some input. I am looking into lifting my truck and adding 33in tires but I can't decide which lift company to go with to achieve a good balance of on-road ride quality and off-road performance/articulation. I know with the diesel engine the EZ-ride Tuff country springs with their 295lb spring rate will be too soft I expect but I want to see what you guys use on your trucks. which brand has worked best for you? Rough Country, Tuff Country, BDS, Superlift, Skyjacker, etc. Any help or info would be greatly appreciated.
 

richingalveston

Well-known member
1,715
120
63
Location
galveston/Texas
tough country HD plus shackle flip.
go 4 inches instead of 3 so you can do cross over later.

the extra inch wont hurt you and the shackle flip works great for your rear driveshaft angle
rich
 

jmartin1340

New member
12
0
1
Location
Jacksonville, FL
If you don't mind me asking rich, how much did your set up run you including the cost of the 1-ton axles? I've been really looking into doing the axle swap but can't really find them online for less than $3k a set. Did you pull them at a junkyard?
 

richingalveston

Well-known member
1,715
120
63
Location
galveston/Texas
my truck consist of 4 vehicles. 2 - 1009's one 1008 and one 87 suburban. One 1009 I purchase for $1 and most of it was junk only salvaged a few items from this one. but it did serve as my deer lease vehicle for a couple of years. The second 1009 I purchased from gl for 3600 and went to Barstow to pick it up. of course they beat it up with forklift and it cost me another $1200 to get the body work done. It is however a completely rust free 1009.

I purchased a 1008 from gl for $2000 out of ft riley Kansas. I sold everything I could and kept the axles. I still had to rebuild axles and replace all rotors. The rotors were bent causing bad wheel vibrations. With selling all I could from the 1008, I still have at least $1000 in the axles (along with a lot of time and work) I had the dana 60 rebuilt and added an eaton e-locker (the rebuild and e locker cost me another $1200 e locker was $750 in the box) I did the disc brake conversion on the 14 bolt which has the Detroit locker in it but did not rebuild entire axle, it was in good shape to begin with.

If you can get axles in good shape that need no work, 2k is a good price 3k a little high but they are getting harder to find.
I purchased a used 205 t case for $400 rebuilt it myself with ORD parts including the fat shaft. I bought a used two wheel drive 4l80e for $150 purchased the parts to make it 4 wheel drive for $60. I had to rebuild the tranny twice because of a tci programmer that was junk over pressured the tranny. the first rebuild cost me $600 and the second cost me $900 (much better shop than first) I threw the $900 TCI programmer in the trash and got a us shift controller and harness for $750 and have had no issues.

I also purchase an ORD magnum planetary drive and the double stick setup for the 205 for a lot of money (you can find these prices on ord website)

The suburban I purchased for $800, I used the front bucket seats, tilt steering column, gauge cluster, power windows and locks. I traded the 350 gasser motor in the burb for a 205 t-case (this is my backup case). Then I scrapped the rest of the vehicle and got $600 back in scrap so this turned out to be a good deal.

I have the tough country EZ ride springs in front (4inch) with ord zero rate for 5 inch total. I have shackle flip rear with zero rate.
Using bilsteen shocks and my truck rides like a Cadillac (all these prices can be found on ORD website)

purchased two sets of Michelin xzl 11X39 tall x 16 inch rim with border patrol Hutchinson double bead lock wheels and I think I have around $3k in all the tires and wheels but the ones on the truck are new and I have 4 more in storage

I am now working on a new GEP 6.5 turbo motor, just have the exhaust left to get done.

this has been a 5 year plus project so all of this money was not spent at one time but it has been a lot of money. When finished I will have around 20k+ in the truck.

hope the info helps, I am not putting this out there to brag in any way, just letting those thinking about these things see what it cost.

Rich
 

richingalveston

Well-known member
1,715
120
63
Location
galveston/Texas
make sure those are the tough country HD's
you need them for the weight of the engine.

As of yet I have not seen anyone on this site give the tough country HD's a bad review
 

Ilikemtb999

Active member
694
44
28
Location
Denver, CO
I've actually been contemplating taking out the extra HD leaf out of my tuff country HD springs. I feel like they don't flex as well as they could and I wouldn't mind bringing the front down.
 
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