Soon to be M1009 owner with some ?s

[DanR7985]

Hi there. This is my first post. I looked around for the answer for this question, but nothing real definitive was said to me. This coming week I am going to be buying an M1009. It is bone stock. I want to put a 4 inch suspension lift on it, with a transfer case drop, and run 35 in tires. My main question is regarding after that. I have a matching set GM Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear from a late 70's truck with 4.56 gears. Will the axles bolt right in, and match up with the drive shafts, brake lines, spring perches, while using the same lift kit, or will I have to do a lot of mods to get it to work. This will mainly be on road driving, but with a little offroad now and again. Would I be better off just keeping the stock 10 bolt since I wouldn't have to go through the trouble, or would the swap be easy as cake. If there is any real mods I couldn't do it, but if it is just bolt in I could manage. Thanks for the answer.

 

[Westech]

Give me a PM.. I just did this to my truck.I can give you all the answers and BIG money saving tips.

 

[Cucvnut]

you dont need a T case drop.

 

[Cucvnut]

also check out this thread for lifting a K5

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/40370-anybody-know-good-2-inch-lift-m1009.html

 

[Westech]

I call that one.. I lifted mine 4.5 and it needed it BAD!

 

[Cucvnut]

really ? even with longer drive shafts ? i have my burban lifted 6 inchs and i did not need a t case drop.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Thje burb has 21" more wheelbase. The 70's axles you have, what did they come out of. After 72 GM didn't used the 60R anymore. If you have pics of the axles, post them.

 

[drgreg]

Give me a PM.. I just did this to my truck.I can give you all the answers and BIG money saving tips.

Are these great tips not for the rest of us low lifes?

 

[DanR7985]

Thje burb has 21" more wheelbase. The 70's axles you have, what did they come out of. After 72 GM didn't used the 60R anymore. If you have pics of the axles, post them.

I just got home from work so I will have to check in the morning when I wake up. I will let you know though.

 

[Armada]

you dont need a T case drop.

Ditto on you 'will' want to drop the t-case. It won't need much, though. The shorter the shaft, the greater the angle, and blazers are short so do anything you can to extend u-joint life. I would recommend new u-joints and balancing the driveshaft too. The factory balance is fine for stock, but they are not that well tuned. You will need to adjust the shift indicator on the column after the drop. You'll want to add a swaybar drop too.

 

[DanR7985]

With the way the 60 is positioned I can't tell the year(shoved in a place I can't get to easy, and a big PITA), but I can tell that it is a 60 by the 60 stamped right by the cover. I know the other is a 44 by the other 44 I have. After some in depth pondering I remember the seller said it came off an early 70's GM. I got confused with the year because the other 44 which is a Dana 44 HP came off a late 70's Ford. Sorry about the confusion.

 

[Westech]

OK here we go.... if you want to run 35's you will need a 6 inch lift kit. No joke the best place I have found a kit is a guy on ebay has them for 390 with shipping. It comes with the shocks and steering arm. you will need to get new brake hoses, hoses off a 2WD pick up of the same year works great! Just have to remove the bracket. The rear hose A Napa can hook you up with a longer hose with the same ends. sorry that was one part number I did not keep for some stupid reason. With the diesel engine you might have to add the Zero rate block in the front to get the front to match the rear. I would install everything and see where your wheel well highs are at and adjust fire from there. I will include a list of web links. Your going to want and get a after marked steering dampener also the stock one cant even keep up with my 33" tires. you might need a new rear drive shaft but try this first.... lower the t case, how you do that for FREE si take the bolts out of the cross member and there should be 1 inch spacers on the top of the frame with the bolts. Put the spacer in between the frame and cross member and put the factory boles back in. Free as can be. The other thing you will have to do is on the front drive shaft you have to trim off the tabs on the shaft at the transfer case end. you will see what I am talking about. It wont let the u joint bend any more then a 5 inch lift MAX! you will have to change gears or axles to run 35's the stock 308's wont take it at all and the truck will be a HUGE DOG! also going to want and shim the axle to get the drive angles close to stock. for my 4.5 inch I used 6* in the rear and 2.58 in the front. I know there is more but that's all I can crap out at a time lol

ebay # 180307284306 lift.

zero rate lift blocks : Add a Leafs, Zero Rate for 4x4 Suspensions from Offroad Design

 

[Westech]

This was the first lift.. I did replace the front springs with 4 inch super lift and did all new brake hoses and the u bolts are 5/8 think not 3/8 also I installed the front stock spring plates and installed the sway bar.. if your going to use it off raod alot drop the sway bar. Lot more flex with out it.

 

[12vctd]

depending on the use of your vehicle and when swapping axles you dont need a 6 inch lift to fit 35's. I have a k-5 on 36's with 4 inches of lift, but I did trim the fenders as this truck see more woods than anything else. If you really plan on offroading the truck and want the best articulation out of the suspension, I wouldnt recomend a 6 inch lift. unless you have custom spring rates. A 52 inch spring conversion on the front will net you 4 inches of lift can be done for very cheap (depending on your source of rear leaves). ord and many others sell a 4 inch shackle flip for the rear. ORD also has a 1 inch zero rate that works wonders and if your swapiing a rear axle and have to put new spring perches on its alot better to make them out of 2 inch square tubing so you can lengthen the perch and help reduce axle wrap. again a 6 inch bolt on kit is great but I personally wouldn't use one unless i was strickly driving on the street. if your also having to move the rear spring perches on the rear axle fix your pinion angle then. I personally use highangle driveline front shafts on trucks i have lifted in the past that saw alot of road driving( I make my toys shafts but they dont seed pavement). Again this post is not to challenge anyones opinion just suggestions for people wanting real flex from thier truck. Always remember the lower the center of gravity the better and being able to keep all 4 wheels on the ground is better also. Now after re reading your first post if the truck is mainly on road driving the stock axles would be fine as well as using a 6 inch lift. Connect your swaybar and regear the stock axles for most use out of the truck, the front dana 44 will bolt in no problem, if its a gm 44 8 lug, the 60 rear will need perches moved, shock tab's and a conversion ujoint(simple to do if you have the proper equipment) and could be cheaper than buying and gears and having them installed.

 

[DanR7985]

Well I just got the M1009. I haven't really had time to do anything yet, but I will when I do get some time.

 

[Cucvnut]

i jsut think with longer drive shafts its the correct way to fix the u joint problem. not a t case drop.

 

[12vctd]

The best possible way to correct pinion angles and driveshaft issues is to reweld the rear axles perches correcting the pinion angle and then extend the shafts as needed, for the front shimming can drastically change your steering geometry and caster, thats wh the best way is to remove the knuckles and re weld them at the pinion angle you desire and lengthen the shaft if needed.