Sweptline.ORG

What type/size of suspension lifts are you guys/gals running? any pics to share? Any problems with installations? I'm looking at a '68 W200 Crew-cab, and if I get it i think i'm going with the Skyjacker 8" with 38" SSR's (if they fit). Thanks! --Neil

Neil, Make sure they have a drop drag link or pitman to sell you. With that much lift the stock one will bind and come apart.

Extend your rubber brake lines and check driveline U-joint clearance also.

38s mean you had better plan on power steering or really big arms. I'm running 35" with no lift but I had to cut the fenders. I'm planning to put a 4" lift in mine because its still not enough clearance.

Post some pics when its done. I wanna see!

Don

Thanks POW for the lift info, The truck does have power steering.

just to add to what powag said, at 8 inches of lift, i would look into recurved springs front and back. in my opinion, an 8 inch lift block out back isnt a very strong set up. id also be planning on at least one steering stabilizer with 38's. tires that big tend to take over on an uneven road. you will also need axle wedges to correct your pinion angles. other wise, you better buy stock in u-joints. and at 8 inches of lift, you will ned to lengthen the drive shafts. most stock set ups wont take over 4 to 6 inches of lift with running into trouble. i would also look in to heavy duty ujoints and a heavy or re-enforced drag link if you plan on anything but street driving. you get them big tires spinnin and hit a bump that stops one rapidly, or grab traction suddenly, your gonna break something if it is left stock. just my 2 cents, helped build a lot of mud runners back home, with everything from 31's to 44's, just sharing the mistakes we made in the past. the bigger the tire, the taller the lift, the more leverage there is working against the chassis parts. you have to compensate for this, or you will be spending a lot of time at the end of a tow line:Thumbsup

I'm with wideblock. I would not run a lift block of that size in the rear. They have a tendancy to fall out if you don't weld them in. Spring lifts are much safer and also will give you a better ride. Don't forget to lower your transfere case as the angles will be bad and a lot of driveline vibration will occur. You may also need to rotate your axles a little for better driveline angles. Remember that the angle of the pinion must be the same as the transfere case or you will get undue u-joint wear and severe driveline vibration.
Ken

just a suggestion, but you might be better off going with a 6 inch suspension lift to make the mods less and doing the other 2 or 3 inches in a body lift. this route give you the tire clearence you will need, without a lot of huge drive line mods.

Neil,

I saw a '69 W200 in a custom car show in Portland today. It had a 6" lift under it with 35" TSL Thornbird tires. Was really a great looking rig. The '68's and back sit higher than the '69 and up so I don't know if that lift would raise a '68 6" over stock or not. It definitelysat taller than my '67 which has 33's and stock suspension height. If he did any off roading (he doesn't) with it the tires would rub the front corner of the front fenders at full suspension stuff. No amount of lift would prevent that unless you had stops before it contacted the fender. Otherwise you would have to cut the front edge of the fender. 38" would be worse. Actually my 33's look like they might hit with chains on but that has never happened. He also had double shocks at each corner and long locating arms on the rear axle.

The steering arm was a modified stock one. Essentially he cut the arm, welded a vertical piece in between and and gussetted the inside of each curve. Not sure that explains it very well or not. It looked like he may have done it himself although it appeared strong enough and well done. I think it was a bit more complicated than that since I think he used 2 arms so there was overlap for the gussets.

The owner is from Vancouver also. I first saw the rig and met the owner about 10 years ago before I got mine from Dad. I moved over here about 6 years ago and have only seen it on the road once. I did not see him at the show but he had a display with the Mopar Muscle, April 20001 issue which had his rig in it.

My 71 Adventurer SE is running a 4" Skyjacker lift and 36x12.50x16.5 Goodyears. I do not know when it was lifted, but many year?5{ I'm gonna run it like it is for awhile, but plan on dropping back to the ride height that was normal for a 68 W200(that's where my axels, trans and drive lines came from).

Where did you get the mirrors on your doors? I have the 'old' style that is drilled into the door and upper window frame. I am now repainting the truck and am looking for a cleaner stock appearing, functional mirror. Thanks!

Veriwide wrote:My 71 Adventurer SE is running a 4" Skyjacker lift and 36x12.50x16.5 Goodyears. I do not know when it was lifted, but many year?5{ I'm gonna run it like it is for awhile, but plan on dropping back to the ride height that was normal for a 68 W200(that's where my axels, trans and drive lines came from).

Those were the factory mirrors in the 71 Adventurer SE trim package.