Hello this is my first time posting. I usually just browse around but I'm in need of some help.

I have a 1980 pickup, its the sports model or the "SR5" before they called it the SR5. This was my dads first car back when he was in high school and now its mine.

The problem I'm in right now is that my dad recalls putting on a lift kit at some point but doesn't remember how much of a lift. It needs new suspension and leaf springs badly. It sags super bad in the front and the leafs are starting to bend the opposite way.

I'm going to be putting all new leaf springs and shocks on here soon and I was wondering if these would work fine with 31in tires. It's going to be a 2in lift.

http://www.rocky-road.com/old-man-em...ta-pickup.html (At the bottom)

http://www.bilsteinus.com/products/t...ht-adjustable/

If you have any better suggestions please let me know. And the reason I want the 5100 adjustable ride height shocks is because I think I will be buying shocks first. If I buy the leaf springs first I don't know if my current shocks will fit with them or not. So this way I can put the shocks on and adjust them when I can afford to buy the leaf springs.

 

Coilover shocks? Is it 2WD? If it is 4WD the coilovers are not what you are looking for.

I would definitely recommend OME. I have 2" OME leafs with Bilstein 5100 shock and 31x10.5 tires on all 4 corners and I LOVE the setup! If you need part numbers for the Correct length Bilsteins they should be on the first page of my build thread.

 

The front shock is part #24-185684 (Collapsed 12.87" / Extended 20.49" / Travel 7.62")
The rear shock is part #33-186542 (Collapsed 15.12" / Extended 24.31" / Travel 9.19")

 

And just so you know, pretty much every stock 79-83 I've seen has negative or nearly negative arch on the front leaf springs. They were basically flat when they rolled off the factory floor.

Not saying you couldn't use new springs, just saying. That's pretty normal. These trucks sit pretty high with no lift, and 31s fit easily on a non-lifted 1980 4x4.

 

My truck doesnt have a lift and its running 31s no problem.

I did order new leafs though for the front. My front springs themselves are just looking pretty bad. Everyone I've seen have been pretty negative.

 

33s will fit with no lift. But there will be some rubbing here and there.

 

So the springs I choose are pretty good? I should of mentioned I do like to go off-roading with friends, nothing serious though. It is a daily driver but I'm an 18 year old high school student and it's only a town car so I'm not looking for the best ride quality. How are the shocks you reconmended? My budget for shocks are around $100 per shock, give or take some, so I'm open to any options I have.

 

I didn't know that. I'm wondering if my dad just got new shocks and didn't get a lift. I'm about the only 1st gen around where I live and the other ones I have seen are pretty built up.

 

The Bilsteins that I bought are GREAT! I have no complaints at all with my suspension. I ended up getting my shocks new off eBay for around $80 per corner. Pretty good deal there and definitely within your budget. My whole suspension (Bilstein shocks, TG shackles, OME springs, Energy Suspension Bushings) Cost me around $900 total - shop it out and you'll get some good deals. Again, on the first page of my thread, I have a list of where I bought most of my parts. I spend money, but I spend it wisely so that list contains the cheapest place I could find the parts at the time. If you can find a cheaper price, I would be highly surprised!

 

I'm set on those Bilsteins and the OME springs for sure. Would I need the new shackles? Or were those an optional thing that you chose to do. I love your build thread it's very helpful!

 

Technically they are optional, but my shackles were pretty well corroded when I took then off. I also got new hanger pins too because the originals were pretty well destroyed by the time I finished whacking them out.

 

I bought both front and rear OME shackles for mine, mostly because they can be greased to keep from binding and squeaking, unlike the stock rubber.

 

I think lowrange off road also offers greasable shackles if you needed an alternative. Almost bought them myself but decided to save the cahs and just use my old ones.

 

I am going to very strongly urge you to follow Kawazx's advice on shocks, and not just because the ones you listed are the incorrect application.


Shocks are not a load-bearing part of a vehicle. Using shocks to adjust ride-height is a great way to break your mounting points. I have seen this many times. Particularly, with high-school age kids who think it's cool to use air-shocks on the back of their old car to make it sit like a bracket racer.


The weight of the vehicle should rest on the springs. Some people get away with using adjustable ride-height shocks (different from the coilovers listed above) for a little while, but it will always eventually come around to bite them in the rear. The shock mounting points on the front axle of our trucks are pretty stout, but the rear wouldn't last long at all, even with a relatively light truck like this. Especially in a hard-use application.


If you would like to add adjustability to your suspension I would suggest airbags as they are both efficient at load-bearing and relatively inexpensive. They come in handy for the rear if you like a level truck under load. Shocks only dampen rebound, springs support weight.