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my haynes manual says the axle ratio for series 1-7 is 4.56 for manual and 4.10 for auto. it doesn't say anything about series 8-12 or 4x4, 4x4 wasn't offered until series 9. my chevrolet shop manual for series 11 says the ratio is 4.10 for 4x4 and 3.42 for 4x2. i'm assuming all the 4x4s had the same gear ratio, so yours should be 4.10

Sounds like I better count the rotations huh?

I got a 2 inch body lift out of JC Whitney catalog. I helped left mine, though if I were to go to 33's Id have to cut the front fenders. On my lift I had to modify the cab for the steering column and my colunn came loose from the shackes that connect to the steering box. I went to take off from a stop light and the steering wheel turned but the truck went the other way. I didtn hit anybody and was able to pull over. Now I need the little collar/shackel that goes at the end of the steering column.

I believe they call that a rag joint. If your steering shaft is not lined up perfectly straigt with the steering box, it puts extra stress on that joint. That's one of the down falls of getting a body lift. I'm presently doing a lot of fabrication because I chose to cut the frame before & after the control arms and lower it 4 inches. Now I have to hone out the pitman arm & knuckles so that I can flip over the steering linkage & keep the proper steering angles. I also had to lower the torsion bar supports. It seemed like a good plan at the start anyway. I have one of those joints if your interested. $10 + shipping.

Gordo that is almost exactly what I am doing to mine in the near future. I am buildin my own frame, and lowering the points where the control arms, a-arms, and torsion bars mount. Then I am using shackles in the rear. I wanted to fit 33's with no body lift at all.

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Hammer to fit, paint to match.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
There's always room for duct tape and bailing wire.

WATCH YOUR PIEHOLE!!!!!!

Don't you dare use shackles in the rear! If your going through the trouble of doing all that work to the frame, unbolt the rear from the springs and put the mount bracket on top of the axel tube so that it may be mounted below the spring. it will give 5-6 inches of lift with less overhang in the back and much less sidesway caused by long shackles.

Plus you get the bonus of not having springs and shock mounts to hang up on all the stumps, ruts, and rocks passing underneath that axle.

If you can get the lift in the front to match it, SOA in the back is the way to go.

i have always been told that the autos and 4x4 had 4.10 and the 2wd had 4.56 in all series. i will be finding out this summer though when i rip my axle apart again to beaf it up for rock crawling. matt

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1980 4x4 header stock motor lifted 4 1/2 in. in the rear and 3 1/2 in the front

that sounds funny to me. usually autos have lower gears than a manual equivilant(to make up for power lost) and 4x4s usually have lower gears as well

I am going to see if i can get that joint at the wrecking yard this weekend, but they dont always have luvs. If they dont have it, I'll buy it off you.
what aboutthe spacer that goes between the two rag joints, mine might not be big enough, since the top one slipped down the column. Also I am wondering should I weld the rag join onto the steering column. It was not a fun experince having the steering go out while driving:!: I might consider another steering column if it would help. thanks

The only way your going to eliminate the rubber rag joint is to put a universal joint in its place. That collumn is not going to line up exact and the the rag joint or u-joint compensates for that. Another thing to consider is the fact that the cab is mounted on rubber bushings and flexes slightly causing mis-alignment between the steering shaft & steering box. The raising of the body will increase this flexing. If you can put a u-joint in place of the rag joint, I would highly recommend it. It will also cure the ground connection problems for the horn that are associated with that rubber rag joint.

I'm not sure how they fit the stock box and shaft, but Isuzu troopers had a U-Joint instead of the rag joint. You could always just take the power steering while you're at it if the u-joint won't fit the stock steering box.

I could not find a u-joint. The autosupply head stuff for full size fords, that was it. I got antoher rag joint, but it seems I can use all the metal spacer that go with the joint and make it bolt back on. I am consider welding part of the collar of the ragjoint to the steering column.

My parts truck has a u-joint off of an old pto shaft. They are common enough and seem to work pretty good. The way I am lifting my luv I will not need to change my steering angle.

_________________
Hammer to fit, paint to match.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
There's always room for duct tape and bailing wire.

WATCH YOUR PIEHOLE!!!!!!

What is a PTO shaft? (or off what truck or car?) Would you be
willing to "part" with your u-joint.

You can probably find a repalcement joint here. Mine is worn smooth out or I would give it to you. It is ruined.

_________________
Hammer to fit, paint to match.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
There's always room for duct tape and bailing wire.

WATCH YOUR PIEHOLE!!!!!!

How a bout this for lifting a LUV l just bought a 1992 ISUZU TROOPER 2.8TD. This is the best part lm just going to scrap the trooper body & put the LUV body on the TROOPER chassis it will be some truck once finished.

have you seen the prices on that direct link? I think the cheapest is
80 dollars and some are over 300. I dont think I can afford that sorry.

Well, try a google search for pto shaft u-joints. That might get you a cheaper site.

_________________
Hammer to fit, paint to match.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
There's always room for duct tape and bailing wire.

WATCH YOUR PIEHOLE!!!!!!

2.8TD? as in turbo diesel? that thing would have some grunt

if it's a 2.8 v6 though, it's that worthless boat anchor that gm made for s10s, isuzu used them too