The Marvelous Mystery Lift

[_STUCKY]

I suggest different wheels with the correct backspacing. On my truck, I basically did the MML minus the body lift. Rides and drives great. As far as wheels:

Pro Comp 15x8 with 5 inch backspacing steel wheels Part # 98-5861S5
Goodyear Authority A/T 31x10.5x15 tires





I don't rub on the frame and rarely rub the fender anymore. But I don't offroad this truck much.

[Hartleybl]

I thought the factory 4x4 wheels had 5 inch back spacing

[DannyBFresco]

Since many of you have had this setup for some time now, what are your experiences with the life of steering/front end components? More specifically with 33's

[_STUCKY]

I'm pretty sure the stock wheels are 15x7 with 6 inch back spacing. As far as steering parts, I replaced the pitman and idler arms and control arm bushings. Idler and pitman because it wondered a little and the steering wheel was kinda loose. Control arm bushings because they were seized and couldn't align it correctly. Also I had a cv shaft start slinging grease so re packed it and put on another clamp. Other than that it's all been pretty good. I'll find part numbers later but they on here somewhere...

[Hartleybl]

Thanks for the rim info I wasn't sure if it was 5 or 6 on the back spacing so 4.5 would really make them stick out right now they stick out about like yours maybe a little more but they are 33/12.5/15 what did you have to do to use your factory flares in the back with the skidz cuts.. i need to do the rear but i dont want to run w/out flares or mess the flares up

[DannyBFresco]

I'm pretty sure the stock wheels are 15x7 with 6 inch back spacing. As far as steering parts, I replaced the pitman and idler arms and control arm bushings. Idler and pitman because it wondered a little and the steering wheel was kinda loose. Control arm bushings because they were seized and couldn't align it correctly. Also I had a cv shaft start slinging grease so re packed it and put on another clamp. Other than that it's all been pretty good. I'll find part numbers later but they on here somewhere...

Oh ok I see. Do you feel like the wear n tear has been accelerated?

[_STUCKY]

what did you have to do to use your factory flares in the back with the skidz cuts

Nothing. I have the Boise Springworks kit and the bilstein shocks. I didn't cut any on the rear.

Do you feel like the wear n tear has been accelerated?

Not really. Bought the truck with like 60k miles on it. Basically did the majority of the suspension work over a week or so, and the truck rode and drove a lot better. Been driving on the same setup for a little over a year now and it all seems fine. Kinda wish I'd have done it sooner. However, I know the ifs has it's limit, and I'm pretty much there. I have a sfa axle in the planning and parts gathering stages.

**after copying and pasting the list below, I remembered I also replaced my ball joints. I did not do the tie rod ends though.

Part numbers:

Poly control arm bushings:
Upper: Moog part # K6418
Lower: Energy Suspension part # 3.3167g

Ball joints:
Upper: Moog part # K5320
Lower: Moog part # K5335

Tie rods:
Inner: Moog part # ES3584
Outer: Moog part # ES3462
Tie rod adjusting sleeve: Moog part # ES2004S

Idler arm: Moog part # K6251T
Pitman arm: Moog part # K6255


There's a ton of great threads on this website. Check these out:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8786

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8630

[Hartleybl]

if i plan on keeping 33's i'm gonna have to skidz cut the rear some how and make my factory flares work... i dont think i'll have to trim the front of the rear wheelwell but behind the tire is for sure gonna need trimmed... i have the multi hole autozone shackles that i welded a cross bar on to add strength... even with them maxed out if i get into some rough stuff and flex alot they will rub bad like bottom out in the fender.... but that doesnt happen exept crossing a ditch or something like that but i want to make sure it cant happen... with them maxxed out it gives me 37inches from ground to fender lip in the back... and the front is a little under 35.5 maybe a 1/8th of an inch or so less.. orange keys on stock purple bars with the bolts set the factory setting and thanks those are some good threads... getting your thumb nail ripped off like that.. ouch !

[_STUCKY]

Haha. Yea I don't suggest ethering tires. I linked that though because I've posted and shown about everything I've done to the truck haha

As for the cuts with the flairs, fallsvital did that. I'll find the thread, but I don't think a lot of the pics work anymore

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7448



Also, this guy just took the flairs off, I'm sure that he had to do the cuts. I think it looks pretty good. Not many pics though:

[Hartleybl]

thnaks again it doesnt look "bad" with the flares off the back.. but i dont think it looks right around the wheel well compared to the front it would drive me crazy lol i wish there were more pics to go by i saw one of fallvitals truck but i cant zoom in far enough to see the cuts.. but the fender wells look huge maybe i should take a bit more off the front of mine... i have 1.5plus inches between the 33's and the back of the fender on the front of the truck it clears fine only rubs the frame but i guess diff offset wheels would fix that because i can almost get 2 turns out of the steering wheel... maybe like 1.7/8 turns before it rubs for some reason it seems like i can turn sharper to the passenger side before it rubs is that normal ?

[Hartleybl]

sorry cant get them to show as pics but heres links https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?f ... =1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?f ... =1&theater

[Hartleybl]

Can anyone please post pics of how to cut the factory flares on the rear ?

[LMs10CrewCab]

Here is a link to an area on this forum you probably do not know about... By clicking on the "s-10crewcab forum" logo on the top of the screen you can go into an area called modifications, in there is tons of great write-ups, one of them is the skidz flare install in which he shows how to cut the rear flares.

http://www.s-10crewcab.net/og1/modinfo/ ... kidz1.html

That should help you out!

[Hartleybl]

Thanks it doesn't show how to cut the flares tho... I already cut the fenders and bed but it looks terrible without the flares the post that had the how to on factory flares doesn't show the pictures any more

[DannyBFresco]

Just ordered my bodylift for $163 & the gap guards for $69. If anyone's in the market for them, I included the links to where I ordered them:

PA 192 Body Lift:
http://www.carparts.com/details/Chevrol ... 64192.html

PA Gap Guards:
http://www.carparts.com/details/Chevrol ... 46527.html

[Hartleybl]

thanks... i'll prolly get those after i get mine going again

[DannyBFresco]

No problem. I'm still waiting for them to arrive, but I'll be doing my own installation (fingers crossed)

[mfulaytar]

sorry cant get them to show as pics but heres links https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?f ... =1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?f ... =1&theater

this looks really good.... so you made the correct cuts and just put mud flaps on it? that's genius. a lot cheaper. what mud flaps are those

[Hartleybl]

just some universal mud flaps i got from orielly's for like 14 bucks a pair... they have different numbers and sizes for what size vehicle they suppoed to fit also my truck doesnt have a body lift yet.. im looking forward to that and my t-bars are not maxed out i did put orange coded keys out of a bravada in it but they are technically set lower then my stock ones by 2 turns... and there is a blazer in town with 31's and a RC 2.5 lift im a good bit taller than him.. im actually a tad higher than a stock Zr2 pickup and with the 33's i have a noticable amount more clearance under my diff's

[Hartleybl]

Man that looks good I am think I'm gonna get a set and try to make them work with my trimming I'm thinking about a set of 235/80/16s true 32 inch tires according to tire rack specs ..thanks for the pics I'm definitely inspired now

[Hartleybl]

Cool I'm guessing the 97-03 f150 ? I may go to pull apart and see if I can find one with a flare just to test fit thanks for the info.. I did find a website with a south American s10 with flares but I can't read spanishthey looked just like bushwackers but they were advertising a 3 inch body lift but it deff had an Isuzu bed and flares it was Adams something if I find it again ill post a pic

[HenryJ]

Those do look good. Same front as the Skidz Flares. Fit for the Isuzu bed too. Nice. Lots of good accessories over there. I really wanted to get the bull bar and light bar. Tried for quite a while, but never did find a way. We had one or two members, but they disappeared pretty quickly

[DutchBiker42]

Anything more recent with links and pictures that actually work?

[DutchBiker42]

Just thought I would say to those thinking of installing the MML, you cannot run 31s without rubbing. My CC sits higher by about an inch or so than the MML and I rub my 31s going into a simple driveway. It won't rub if you're going straight but it will rub in bumpy turns. Just thought I'd say that so you're not disappointed like I was after installing the MML. The ONLY way not to rub running 31s is a 6'' lift or more. You can install the MML and cut as much as you want but it will still rub 31s. Hell, you can take the fenders off and it will still rub frame supports in the back of the wheel well. IMO, leave them stock or go with a SFA swap, it's really the only correct way. Cranking on torsion bars only ruins your ride quality and tears up front ends and ruins alignment........and most lift kits, even 5+ tear up the front ends. Only speaking from experience and I'm not baggin on the MML, it's just not a miracle worker. The front ends of s10s are very weak and should be left alone or replaced entirely. (I even went with all moog parts, control arms,bushings,tie rods, sway bar bushings....EVERYTHING MOOG)......and it still only held an alignment for about a month.
I've done stock, I've done T-Bar leveling kit, 6'' lift........everything but stock tore the front end up within months. I am now going SFA and I will never look back.