Finally found a bag of money at a bus stop and am installing a MD lift today.

Wanted to get it done before it got cold. Of course now is roasting hot and I wish it was cooler. Whatever.

I had trouble last year with my 265/70/16 Guard Dogs very slightly rubbing every now and again. Summer is 255/55/18 which of course have no trouble. I'm hoping they don't end up lost in the hole after the lift. We shall see.

Anyway, here is a photo of things as they stand.



Gotta get it finished today, train to catch. Right now, on slightly uneven ground, I'm at a distance of about 19" from centre wheel to top of arch. Stay tuned for lifted numbers.

 

29" tires will look a little funny... especially with the black rims

I have 30" tires and the Terrafirma 3" HD lift. It looks a bit funny...


How do you like the Guard Dogs? I'd like to get a 33" set myself...

 

So, job going well, however I've hit a snag.

Finished both fronts. Photo.



But, my 2 1/4 ton Jack has decided this is the moment to fail me. Won't lift the back without slowly dropping. I'm assuming some seal internally has given up.

Am I able to drive the car with the front lifted but the back not?

Or

Is there likely to be a simple repair to the Jack?

Problem for me is that the clock is ticking. I won't have time to go out and get another Jack in the time I have today, so unless the Jack is an easy fix.... Im stuffed for today.

Thoughts?

 

You can drive it like that you'll just look like you have blown air suspension

 

Great. Thanks AR. I couldn't think of any reason, apart from odd handling. Got 2 x 8 miles easy trips to make before I will have the backs done.

For anyone contemplating doing this lift yourself, it isn't anything tricky.

Following the few well used tips it makes the job quite a pleasure.

The one thing I would change having done both fronts now, is having a 13mm ratchet wrench to hand. I could have learned a second language in the time it's taken to do those shock tower bolts. The tip is in Lucky8's YouTube video, but I thought "nah, I'll manage". I reckon I would gladly eat 50 mustard packets to get out of that again.

Oh, and the only other annoying part on the fronts were the sway bar nuts. Each side same. Very very stiff. Bit of heat helped, but I was worried about shearing something at one stage.

Anyway. I'll update with a fully lifted truck later in the week.

 

Subscribed for some more pictures and numbers hopefully to come

 

Be done in a few hours.

I've got a few photos to post of the main points of doing the fronts. The "easier" rears coming up.

 

Finished.

Rears were a walk in the park compared to the fronts.

So, my center wheel to bottom of wheel arch number was about 19". After fitting MD TF 2" lift i'm at between 21-21.5" My ground is not very even so i'm not getting a good idea how it sits on the level. Im assuming the stuff i took off was original. The bottom of the springs was in a bad way. Quite eaten through. no chance of suckering someone on ebay with my old bits.

As a general note, it is relatively easy to install this stuff. It would be easy to get into difficulties without taking time, and reading up and watching vids etc. There is quite a bit of lifting, jacking obviously. There is the very real hazard of trapping things between things. Fingers and car parts, for instance. Attack it confidently, but with a good slice of respect.

Some more photos.

Using bottle jack to push things apart. Easy Peasy.


I had to use the same technique to push underneath the brake disc to get the bottom shock bolt in. Front and back, the same technique. fronts needed pushing up to get the sway bar nut on. the new spring keeps things apart.





I had a moment when the springs wernt 2" bigger than my old ones. Of course they just compress less, giving the lift. Phew.



Rear springs come with top and bottom caps.


Unfortunately the Guard Dogs still rub on the front mud flaps. Im not too bothered, i have been taking them off anyway.



Im not sure a 3 or even 4" lift would avoid this, with this size tire. As things are going straight up and down. Just think 265/70/16 is too big, on an 04, with these flaps. smaller 1/2" on the diameter would be fine, in my case. interested to hear if anyone else runs the same size without issue.

As a celebration of the install I took it for some crazy insane off-roading, and I can say without hesitation the lift handled it impeccably.





Mega thanks to Erik at Lucky8. Great service and price. Answered my questions on which spring went where without any sarcasm or hint of boredom at all. Even though everything is clearly labelled and it would take a massive idiot to screw it up. Now, Erik, still wanna cruise and beat up some old people?

Oh, the springs are supposed to go a certain way up. I nearly screwed that up, like a complete idiot.

 

Glad I could help, and thanks again for the writeup and kind words. Truck looks sweet. Im ready when you are!

 

I have those same stupid running boards. I think I might pull out my sawzall and cut them off. I tried un bolting those things, but 13 years of rust really has the bolts seized.

Truck looks great by the way!