My suspension lift is installed!

[ShooterMcGavin]

Thanks for all the help I got from folks on this site! It was easier than I thought it would be

Toytec Boss coilovers in the front, LC 8-wraps with Tokico Blacks in the rear.

Center of the hub to the fender measurements (no fenders or fender trim):
Before the lift, 20-1/4" front, 20" rear
After the lift, 23-1/2 front, 25" rear

It all seems pretty high! I'm not used to it and it makes me feel top-heavy. BUT, on the good side, the truck has never handled so well!! I haven't taken it on the highway yet, but around town it feels more planted and less "dippy" when starting and stopping. I'm pretty happy with it. It's fun to be up so high, and I can't wait to see how it manages terrain offroad

 

[A.Wilson013]

Glad you got it done man.

How far off of center is the axle?

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Thanks!
Just from eye-ing it, it looks like it is about an inch off to the passenger side. I can live with it for a bit, but it would be nice to get a panhard drop bracket.

I took it out for a test drive after getting it all put together. I came to sharp right where I had to brake and then accelerate and, all of a sudden, a loud, metallic clanking started up - really bad sounding. I pulled over and looked all over underneath. Finally, I found that the rear drive shaft had contacted the gas tank skid and kept hitting one of the weights with every rotation. I got out a pry bar and bent it back. Seems to be solved now, but it freaked me out at first.

*ETA: For those who want to unscrew their factory rear shocks and can't get ahold of the shock body to turn it, I found a good solution - use a 14" pipe wrench. It worked great.

 

[Ed_C]

*ETA: For those who want to unscrew their factory rear shocks and can't get ahold of the shock body to turn it, I found a good solution - use a 14" pipe wrench. It worked great.

Save yourself the time and frustration and cut off the top nut at its base with a sawzall.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I don't own a Sawzall

 

[cashmoney]

Everyone needs to own a sawzall. Greatest tool ever invented.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Here's a day-picture, showing the rake.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I'll get right on that Sawzall

Here's my update on any "weirdness"...
The ride is nice! It is not too firm for my liking on-road, but my other car is a G35 coupe (for reference). I find this pretty comfy still. The dipping when stopping and starting is normal-feeling now, where it was excessive before. I have almost gotten rid of the annoying side-to-side rolling/swaying when going over small rolls in the road at speed; both F & R sway bars are off, but it feels much better now. Corning feels ok, but I think the feeling will be sured up after I get an alignment. I think I need an alignment badly. If I am taking a 90* turn through a green light, it really wants to dive into the turn when I turn the wheel. It feels uncomfortable, but I think it's because of a bad alignment now. I really love the firmer feel of the ride now. It is not excessive or jolting. The old suspension was semi-dangerous. I left lots of trailing distance when following traffic and I kept speeds on the slow side. The CoG was lower, but that was the only benefit before. There was more lean in corners, small bumps in the road would cause the wheels to be poorly controlled by the suspension, and then there was that dangerous swaying on the highway when I'd encounter some rolling terrain (not really bumps).

One thing I am very aware of now is my higher CoG. The firmer ride makes it not that bad (in terms of body lean and rolling), but I am wondering if I will have to be more cautious on the street. And, how much more cautious will I need to be on off-camber sections off-road? Or maybe, this is mostly in my head and the difference isn't that extreme?