lift kit clearance

**rrc80** · 10th March 2012, 12:42 AM

im sure this will have been covered befour but cant seem to find anything on it? (please link me to it if theres already a thread)

this might be a bit hard to follow but here goes...

i have a 1980 2 door v8 4spd manual, and the problem im having is that at some point in my cars life it had a lift kit put on it. when i first bought the car i put it up on the hoist at work and instead of the front axle botteming out on the shocks as it should, the front prop shaft was resting on the chassis cross member and thats what stopped the axle from dropping any further, which im sure we all agree is not ideal.

since my car has had a hard life (ex comp) the lift kit has sagged to normal looking height over the years. since i was just trying to get it road Worthy at that time i just put a set of standard ride height shockies in it as it was bouncing about with the old ones, and next time it went up on the hoist there was about 1cm clearance between the prop-shaft and cross member with the std height shocks fitted.
now i want to put a 2" lift kit on it and dont know what to do with the shocks? i see rrc all the time with lift kits in them so surely its possible? but the std ride hight shocks are only giving me 1cm clearance at full axle drop between the prop and cross member? do i leave std height shocks in the front or will the 2" lift top-out (i guess you could say?) the std shocks?
i know that the prop will clear the crossmember when on/off the road because atleast one wheel will have weight on it, but as its up on a hoist a fair bit i dont like the thought of the axel resting on it atall. does anyone cut the crossmember and modify it to help clear?

i am planing on putting a double cardon prop in the front so maby that would help, but i dont know if i need the double joint for just a two inch lift

. (it will be getting a 2" body lift aswell but that doesnt have anything to do with anything.)

cheers, andy

**bigdog** · 15th March 2012, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by rrc80

im sure this will have been covered befour but cant seem to find anything on it? (please link me to it if theres already a thread)

does anyone cut the crossmember and modify it to help clear?

cheers, andy

Andy, I think you will find that most will drop the crossmember down an inch or so by re-drilling or welding on a new mounting plate.

**rrc80** · 15th March 2012, 07:26 AM

cheers mate, ill have a look at that later.

cheers, andy

**Vanderz** · 20th March 2012, 07:52 PM

be interested to see some pics.

**rrc80** · 20th March 2012, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Vanderz

be interested to see some pics.

agreed. if someone would kindly brave the oil pools and falling rust and take a pic it would be great!

cheers, andy

**bigdog** · 21st March 2012, 03:39 PM

Take a look at these. The crossmember has just been dropped slightly and new holes drilled. It is only held by the bottom bolts but as this is an interference fit (you need a jack betwen the chassis rails to ease the pressure on the crossmember for removal) this should not be a problem.

**bigdog** · 21st March 2012, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by rrc80

now i want to put a 2" lift kit on it and dont know what to do with the shocks?

cheers, andy

Normally the springs and shocks would be matched. Springs giving a 4" lift would require shocks appropriate for both length and travel.

**rrturboD** · 21st March 2012, 03:59 PM

Lots of Trucks you will see MINUS the cross member. That may be an option. The cross member you have pictured is not original, as in 1980 it was a large rectangular section unit.Mine was minus the cross member (6 years at least) till recently when I changes the transfer case mounts and put in a disco unit that fitted behind the auto box. No clearance issues.

**bigdog** · 21st March 2012, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by rrturboD

Lots of Trucks you will see MINUS the cross member. That may be an option. The cross member you have pictured is not original, as in 1980 it was a large rectangular section unit.Mine was minus the cross member (6 years at least) till recently when I changes the transfer case mounts and put in a disco unit that fitted behind the auto box. No clearance issues.

The Pics are from my 1992 so it is original.

Regarding leaving the crossmember out there was a recent thread on this one....

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Look, I can't figure out why they put a damn crossmember there anyway.
It weighs a tonne , prevents you from changing trans oil , needs immense effort to move.
They should have just left it out. The car would be lighter, cheaper to produce, servicing easier.
Come to think of it , there must have been SOME reason they went to all that effort.

and

Originally Posted by superquag

Without it the chassis rails will flex, steering will become vague, transmission and transfer case will be at risk of falling on the ground...and chooks will peck down your dunny...
Just because the nuts/bolt heads are awkward and the holes rarely line up is no reason to take the Easy Way Out !

Mine is staying in....I like my dunny......

**rrc80** · 21st March 2012, 08:28 PM

ye bigdog, as rrturbo says mine is different, thanks for the pics though.

im aware of the springs and shocks being matched sizes but didnt want the +4 shocks in as the prop would fowl the cross member if they travel any further than they do now, i think somehow dropping the cross member will be the go. thats a bit down the line anyway as im up to my neck in cooling systems at them moment and its just on my to do list.

what do you guys do to jack the chassis rails apart? i dont have one of those big 4wd jacks, just a bottle jack and some sturdy spacer?

cheers, andy

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