YotaND

I'm looking to buy a lift for my 1991 PU ext cab w/ 3.0. All the kits come made for a 2.5'' or 3'' truck. I just want to make sure I measure the right part. Do I measure the Axle thickness or U-bolts? If I am measureing the U-bolts do I measure the ID or OD? The ID of mine is 2.5'' and the OD is 3''.

I am also open to any suggestions for a 3-4" kit in a box for $800 or less. I don't have the skill to research/build a lift peice by peice like most of you have. Simpler is better and the lift is more for looks and feel than anything. Not many places to take a truck in ND except for the highway.

04 Rocko Taco

I would think those measurements aren't of fof your truck, but are for the amount of lift you will receive from the lift kit.

HuskyRunner

What he said.

YotaND

here is an example. All the kits I have looked at are sold the same way. http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...ml?id=WIGwAFGx

norcalsvx

search for bj spacers

drew303

The 2.5 or 3" refers to the amount of lift the kit provides.

BJ spacers are cheap effective lift but you need a grinder =)

HuskyRunner

The link he posted actually talks about 2.5" or 3" axle diameter. I would have thought they were all the same, but...?

drew303

ah woulda helped if i looked at the link

hmm.. sounds like thats what the kit comes with. ..that is weird. The rear axle is same 85-95... what gives?

YotaND

all the lifts from skyjacker, tough country, superlift ect.. all come in 2 versions? Any idea on which version I need for my truck?

MudHippy

That has got to be wrong. I have 2 rear axle housings, 1 spare, both('87&'88) are 3" as far as the housings measure width/diameter wise. I can't imagine they make 4wd with 2.5" u-bolts. Maybe 2wd axle housing is smaller, I know the differential is 7.5" and the axle shafts are skinnier.

YotaND

If you look at the various pics here http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...37leafspri.pdf it looks like on some models the u-bolts wrap around the axle and on others they run parallel to the axle sandwiching the axle between two pieces of metal. My guess is that is the difference. So back to the origional question. Do I measure inner width or outer width of the U-bolt?

MudHippy

Yep, your right, that's also the difference in spring-over-axle, or spring-under-axle style u-bolts. The square ones are 2.5", the round ones are 3". The way you measure them is the inner width. Or, the actual diameter of the axle shaft housing(3" round type), or the actual width of the leaf springs(2.5" square type).

BeaterToyota

I don't know if there is any rhyme or reason to it, or if it varies depending the year of the truck, but there are two different size axle housings.

Like mentioned above, you want to go by the inside diameter of the u-bolts.

operose

there are years or models associated with the housing sizes...

I don't remember which went with which but I was just reading a thread about the u-bolts being too big in u-bolt flip kits from some manufacturers because they are using u-bolts for the bigger housings rather than the smaller ones

MudHippy

No sh....?, I'll be damned. Learn sumthin' everday.

Then there's this,
http://www.tuffcountry.com/miscellan...e-u-bolts.html
I geuss that explains what they mean by Tacoma, P/U w/ 2.5" axle 1986-04. Odd though, because lift block u-bolts don't bolt over the axle, they go over the springs(square type). So it should depend then on the width of the leaf springs, that's also 2.5" on 86-95 Pickups. I quit.

operose

sure do!

I've only had my 'yota for a week now

big_blue_goat

you are definitely looking at a 3" rear on your truck with the V-6. You need to be careful though because axles vary not just from year to year but from month to month. My new gears for my 94 were the wrong gears because my truck was manufactured in august, and in that month in 94 and at one point in 91 they used a V-6 carrier for the front of 4cyl pickup. The VIN number or the specs plate should tell you what you need to know. Or just measure the damn thing... I'm sure it's a 3" though. If all else fails just call the manufacturer of the lift and ask them, they're sometimes knowledgable.

YotaND

I just forgot the whole size thing and ordered a 4" skyjacker lift that fits both configs. Now knowing what size I need won't be a problem.

MudHippy

Ding!Ding!Ding! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!