Removing Lift

[ArcticYukon]

Yup... you read it right. Bare with me guys, I'm new to IFS suspension lifts, so I might not get the terminology down right. The truck has a 6" suspension lift - no body lift. 4" blocks in the rear and the 6" control arm drop (this is the part I'm fuzzy on - I think it's called a drop - lifts the front of the truck by dropping the control arms below the frame, right?). The components are red - my brother in law believes it's a Skyjacker, but I don't see any markings on the kit anywhere... the shocks are Rancho so I think it's a rancho lift... but when I go onto the websites to look up lifts, I see nothing that looks like these components.

Here's the problem... I have to remove the lift and return the truck to stock height (I won't get in to why - too irritating). Is this something that I can do in my driveway with the help of someone else or will I need to take it to the local 4x4 shop and have them do it. Also, when I remove it, am I going to wind up missing factory parts and have to buy them to return it back to stock height?

Hopefully, it won't be to hard to give me some advice on this without knowing the exact kit I have... I'll try to post pictures when I get a chance.

Thanks in advance...

 

[ChrisAU]

Wellll there are some irreversible (or not easy at all lets say) things that are done when a lift kit is installed on these trucks. #1 the factory control arm bumpstops have been cut off and ground smooth, as well as one of the mounting tabs for the front differential. You could probably make do with out the mounting tab (though not recommended), but I definitely wouldn't drive without the bumpstops. One deep pot hole and you will break everything in your front end.

 

[bowtiefreak]

Yeah, download the instructions for the lift kit to get an idea of whay changes were made

 

[arveetek]

I would suggest selling the truck and buying another one without a lift. It would be easier and probably safer.

Just my opinion.

Casey

 

[SunlitComet]

Yup... you read it right. Bare with me guys, I'm new to IFS suspension lifts, so I might not get the terminology down right. The truck has a 6" suspension lift - no body lift. 4" blocks in the rear and the 6" control arm drop (this is the part I'm fuzzy on - I think it's called a drop - lifts the front of the truck by dropping the control arms below the frame, right?). The components are red - my brother in law believes it's a Skyjacker, but I don't see any markings on the kit anywhere... the shocks are Rancho so I think it's a rancho lift... but when I go onto the websites to look up lifts, I see nothing that looks like these components.

Here's the problem... I have to remove the lift and return the truck to stock height (I won't get in to why - too irritating). Is this something that I can do in my driveway with the help of someone else or will I need to take it to the local 4x4 shop and have them do it. Also, when I remove it, am I going to wind up missing factory parts and have to buy them to return it back to stock height?

Hopefully, it won't be to hard to give me some advice on this without knowing the exact kit I have... I'll try to post pictures when I get a chance.

Thanks in advance...

noticed you said it was the wife's. i hope that is not the irritating issue. perhaps we can squeeze it out of you anyway.

---------- Post added at 01:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:02 PM ----------

if they dropped the differential in this lift you may need a new one as well as some other new or used parts.

 

[Donnie Yukonie]

i had the same questions when i lifted my truck. you have 2 common lifts a BRACKET style AKA drop kit (OLD) lift and a knuckle/spindle lift(NEW), the good thing about a knuckle lift is that it can be easily reverted back to stock as it only drops the knuckles and cranking the keys to achieve the lift. where as the bracket drops the arms and diff with if any crank in keys (imo a better design) not to mention knuckle lifts tend to increase in track width which is debatable . a easy way to tell (if your truck has AUTO-trac) if the front drive shaft has 3 u joints in it , most likley a bracket lift as 90% of the time knuckle lifts do not require a new drive shaft if you can take some pictures i would be glad to tell you

If it is a bracket lift , unless you got the time and advil and of course the correct tools let the pros do it
knuckle i would attempt it , with directions and someone who is familiar with lifted trucks

 

[LittlePearl13]

Willing to sell it when you take it off??? If so PM me, please! If you give me a discount, I'll give you my stock height shocks and my driveshaft if yours was replaced when it was lifted.

 

[bowtiefreak]

Not sure the trouble is worth taking it off. May uncrank the keys....as much as possible and drop the back to match. I bet you could get it close to stockish height maybe

 

[Donnie Yukonie]

yea i agree i forgot to add as well dependin on how old the bracket lift is (if this is what you have) some parts are spot welded to the truck to help maintain alignments. a downfall of some bracket style lifts another is the "creak" with age but i have yet to encounter this

 

[ArcticYukon]

Well guys... this is pretty grim news.... and yes, the irritating issue is that it is the wife's and I told her not to get a lifted truck because she's pregnant, 5'3 and already has 2 kids she has to hoist into the truck... then once she has the baby, it will be 3... I also told her it would be horrible on gas mileage... I hate being right sometimes...

lo and behold, 4 months and 10mpg later... she pretty much admitted I was right.

I've tried selling the truck to no avail, now I'm just trying to reverse the lift to make the truck more practical... I really hate to... but I really need to

from the description, it sounds like a bracket lift - which sounds like it's not gonna be a good outcome for me...

I'll try to take some pictures of what I've got and you guys can tell me further... as far as instructions - I can't identify which brand of lift it is, so I wouldn't know where to begin looking them up

@Little Pearl - if I am successful in removing the lift, I'll be more than happy selling it to you, but I'm FL so the shipping would probably kill the "worth while-ness" for both of us