hello all,
i bought a truck from a tweeker. i'm also a new member. got it for $800 and it runs like a champ, tranny and tcase are new/rebuilt...

that said, it has a lift on it i cant identify and there is some crazy stuff going on in the back. i dont have any pictures on me that i can post.

the thing has huge lift blocks in the back, about 6". the u bolts look like they were put on upside down and there are about 10 ratchet straps wrapped around the block and ubolts + a c-clamp?!? on the drivers side... then the same thing on the passenger side, plus a strap tying all that mess to the frame. [i know you all are really curious now, i promise to post pictures asap]

it's gonna take a bit of patience and work to unravel the mess i bought, but it should be well worth it in the end.

i was wondering if y'all could point me in the direction of some clear pictures of how the rear is supposed to look? i could really use some clear pictures in the area around the u bolts, which end is up, factory lift block. that would get me off to a great start untangling this mess.

 

Some folks will flip the u-bolts to get a bit better clearance under the axle. After all, you don't want those stubs sticking out getting hung up on rocks, or whathaveyou, and ripping stuff off. Probably not really an issue there. (but, pics will certainly help with that observation.)

The trucks come stock with 3" blocks between spring, and axle. Not my favorite design, but, it is what it is.

If things are held together with ratchet straps, and clamps, I would NOT drive it, until you get that sorted out...... That sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

You can download a service manual for your truck from here. (grab the 98 version, as it is closer to your truck than the 00-01 manual will be.) There are illustrations of how things SHOULD look.

Welcome to DF! Put up some pics when ya can.

 

I agree with Hey You (he's never wrong, lol) on taking care of the strap issue before driving it. If the engine and trans are in good shape, you most likely got a great deal.
What are your plans for the truck? Is this going to be your daily driver?
Get some pics up of that rear end mess.

 

ok, here's the pictures if i did it right...

 

All I can say is WTF!

Maybe some kind of limiting strap? Who knows...

 

thank you very much, off to a great start i appreciate it! pictures are up, can't wait for the responses...

i would like for it to be my daily... feels like forever since i last had a truck and this is my first 4x4 truck... not that i ever hesitated 4x4 my 2x4's lol. i had a 2011 wrangler i had to let go, been pretty bummed out since, but house is more important than toy's... giving it another go minus the $300 month payment. i guess, like my jeep, it won't be a mall crawler, but i'm also not going to bash it against rocks. at least not intentionally.

 

if i had to guess, i would say he didn't do something right putting it together and spit out one or both of the blocks at some point. i personally don't like anything bigger than a 4" block and prefer no blocks, just leafs and maybe shackles.

 

Take all the money you saved from the tweaker deal and take it to your local shop and have them put a new lift kit on. Then enjoy your great deal. FYI make sure you look everywhere for used needles and have the interior cleaned up good.

 

Ok, spacers up front, and a cluster fark out back..... It looks like the bump stops were moved on the frame, and now contact the spring forward of the axle?

I would be REAL tempted to replace the rear springs with some appropriate lift springs, dump the blocks completely, and maybe do a shackle flip if you need more lift..... Either that, or just pick up a real lift kit, and replace EVERYTHING under there.... That mess does not bode well for the quality of any of the other work on the truck........

 

from the last picture, to me, it looks like there is no bolt connecting the leafs together, and the straps were put on to do that.