There aren’t a lot of aftermarket parts out there for lifting a 2WD C10, so we had to figure a lot of this stuff out along the way. Things you’d think would be interchangeable between the K and C series trucks are not (like brake hoses, for example). Up until recent, there were no direct bolt-in lift options for the front of a 2WD truck. A lot of people used another method involving using a lower control arm from a ¾ ton Squarebody, and ball joints & lift spindles for the OBS model trucks (there are a couple of write-ups out there on the forums if this interests you). But with these new spindles available through Jayson at CAMods in El Cajon, CA, the process has never been easier. Stock ball joints, stock springs, stock shocks.

 

The following list is what we used to accomplish the lift on True Blue. There may or may not be better options out there, but this will at least give you a place to start on your project. Hope this helps!

 

• FRONT LIFT – 4 ½” LIFT SPINDLES

  • Available from CAMods in El Cajon, CA – (619) 813-4278 or @camods on Instagram

• REAR LIFT – 3” lift blocks, angled for corrected pinion angle

  • Available from CAMods

• FRONT SHOCKS – Bilstein 4600 series, part number 24-192941

• FRONT COIL SPRINGS – Stock springs for ½ ton with a V8

  • Available from Eaton Detroit Spring, part number MC1640

• REAR SHOCKS – Bilstein 5100 series, part number 24-187084

• EXTENDED U-BOLTS – Tuff Country U-Bolts, part number 17753

• EXTENDED FRONT BRAKE HOSES – available special order from Crown Performance in Vista, CA

• WHEELS – Stock 8” GM Rally Wheels

• TIRES – BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2, 33x12.5 R15LT

 

SIDE NOTES

• There are two front brake options for Squarebody C10’s; with a 1” rotor or a 1.25” rotor. These spindles are designed to work with a 1.25” rotor, so if your truck is equipped with the 1” rotor brake setup (like ours was), you’ll need to purchase new rotors, bearings, and calipers (brake pads are interchangeable). It’s all bolt-on with no modifications needed.

• Because this is just a spindle lift, the stock steering geometry is not altered. Stock coil springs and stock front shocks will fit just fine. Getting it aligned is a cake-walk too! 

• Because it is a spindle lift, you will need longer brake hoses. We already had 4” longer stainless steel brake hoses on the truck due to the altered steering geometry when the truck was lowered with dropped coil springs. These hoses were barely long enough to reach the calipers after the lift, and the way they’re routed is not ideal. So we strongly recommend an extension of 6” longer than stock.

  • As you may find, there aren’t a lot of over-the-counter options for extended brake hoses for a C series truck  (none that we could find, anyway), so we had to get ours custom made at Crown Performance here in Vista, CA. There may be a shop near you that could make you a custom hose, but you’ll have to do your homework. Our advice is purchase a stock brake hose from the auto parts store, take it to the shop so they can match the fittings, and tell them you need it to be 6” longer than the hose you’re providing them.

  • We’re currently in the process of working with Crown Performance to offer a hose with a unique part number so they can be ordered from them directly with ease.

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In closing, I believe that should be everything. Again, there may or may not be better options out there for your specific build, but at least now you have a place to start. If you have any questions about anything or feel I've left something out, shoot me a message on Instagram or email me at contact@bubs-garage.com. Thanks for reading!