Lifting a 2wd hardbody?

[bec1488]

Sorry if this has been covered before, but I searched without much luck.

My best friend just picked up a 95 hardbody pickup with the ka24e. The truck is in great shape (a rare find up here in Nova Scotia, where rust eats everything). The only problem he's having with it (aside from a dead tach) is that it has very little ground clearance, and will scrape over just about every decent sized bump.

What I'm wondering is if there is any way to get a bit more clearance without sacrificing the reliability of the truck? I've been reading about cranking the torsion bars up front and adding a leaf or buying shackles for the back, but the talk of throwing the truck out of alignment and stiffening the already stiff ride makes me think this method might be a little iffy. Will 4WD D21 suspension components swap over? OR am I missing any other options.

Thanks for your help, I'm heading back to the S13 forum before my head starts to hurt

[JL-KA]

Add-a-leaf would be a good solution for the rear. A t-bar lift will get you about an inch but it's not the best way to do it. Another option would be a body lift which would allow for larger tires and thus get the frame a little higher from the ground without sacrificing ride quality or changing your angles. If he really wants to go all out (and has the funds) then check out Total Chaos Fabrication. That's where I'd go if my HB wasn't 4WD.

[mexicana]

all right the best think to do and i have done it with my 91 hardbody was to get some big tires i have 265/75/16 toyo on mine and cut the front fenders a little bit here and there and youll have about a foot to a foot and a half of clearence

[Desert Rat]

there's a downside to big tires on a 2wd hardbody - GEARING. going to a 30-31" tall tire from the stock 25-26" ones will make the truck a slug on the road, particularly on hills.

3.54 gearing in an H190 gearing is most likely what you have. 98+ 2wd Frontiers with the same H190 axle have a little deeper gearing at 3.7:1, which helps marginally.

It's something to keep in mind. These things aren't exactly power horses. Going to a tire size like what was just mentioned will render 5th gear all but worthless.

[NM50]

1"spacers on the rear and 5 1/2 turns on the front torsion bars and align the front end. it looks ridiculous but accomodates bigger tires.

[mexicana]

not at all weve got some pretty big hilles around where i live and the truck powers through them like there was nothing. 5th gear works just as good as if it were stock