Finally got the truck of my dreams 2004.5 Duramax. My first question is for those running a 9inch lift or higher. What do you run in the back, leaf spring or add a-leaf & block. Do you tow anything over 8,000 pounds. Just courious if I should go w/leaf & air-bags. My trailer loaded weigh's 10,000 plus. Thankshttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cool.gif

I personally would not recommend pulling a trailer weighing this much with a lifted truck. I know that there are some that do and maybe they will chime in, but I use to have a 12" on my other HD and pulling over 10K was a pain in the a$$.. It would yank the truck all over the place and trying to stop a trailer that weighs that much and with bigger tires than the brakes can handle is a chore. Good luck.. And go with full leafs with air bags to level and overload springs if you want. Gonna ride not so good, eh.....

I agree with GMC2500HD. I have a 6" lift with 35's, and tow a fifth wheel with it's own 6" lift, around 10,000lbs loaded. It's about as heavy as I care to go with it. I can feel it wanting to move me around back there, but not enough to make me nervous, just letting me know it's there. It still handles good, driveability and braking is fine, and no problems with power, but I am considering getting some airbags, just to stay on the safe side.

I would hate to get that thing is a "twist", with that high CG it would be a heart attack and would probly jackknife and flip. Good luck but not me.

Have to agree with everyone.


Where in OC are you?

DURAMAX1 if you are set on going that big then yes full springs and air bags are a must IMO. I wouldn't touch blocks. If you really want to do it right I would upgrade the brake setup to larger rotors to compensate for the big meats. Unfortunately many guys that run around with these 9" and 12" kits do everything but the brakes.

I agree with GMC2500HD. I have a 6" lift with 35's, and tow a fifth wheel with it's own 6" lift, around 10,000lbs loaded...
I would like to see some pictures of your setup if you don't mind. What did you do for the fifth wheel? Spring over?

Twister, I live in Santa Ana, close to the block. I am really set on the CST kit. Had a 02 hd w/6.0, 6 & 35's. Towed good, but got crappy gas mileage. Planning on running 35's on the 9 inch, not 38's.

How about upgrading the shoes to Alcoa 19's or better too?





There is some guy out on ebay selling a white GMC with 24's

I would like to see some pictures of your setup if you don't mind. What did you do for the fifth wheel? Spring over?


Sorry y2kboti, at this point I don't have any pics. The 5er has about 2ft. of space on either side next to the house, and it's difficult to take a pic at a good angle. I will be taking it to Oregon next week, and will get some pics when I get some room around it.


To answer your question, the axles were already flipped when we bought the trailer, and it was still about 6" low. What the dealer did was basically take a 6in. "I" channel the length of the trailer springs and welded it in between the trailer frame and the springs. Sorry I don't have the right terminology for the parts. Service Dept manager said they did this all the time and it was the safest way they knew of to do it. Personally, it looks like a pretty solid setup to me, tows great, and doesn't look as gaudy or obnoxious as I thought it would. I can take some pictures of that and post tomorrow.

Thanks for the info HD. Thats the first I've heard of anyone doing that so I would definately like to see some pictures of the modification and of the trailer hooked up to the truck.

DURAMAX1 if you plan on running 35s there is absolutely no point in buying the 9" kit. Go get the CST 6" kit and you'll have plenty of room not to mention it will be easier to hook up a trailer to. Don't expect to get stock mileage with 35s just cause you have a diesel.

Here's the pics I said I would post when I had time. The channel is not an "I" channel as stated above - I had "I" on the brain, as the salesman said that's how they did it.


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/DSCN0649_2.JPG


Not as obnoxioius as I thought....


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/DSCN0650_2.JPG


The channel and the welds.....


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/DSCN0651_2.JPG


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/DSCN0653_2.JPG

Looks pretty good to me. Let me guess, your wife needs a step ladder to get in though.....http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif


-Zorganov

That is probably the best way to lift the trailer that much, but if it were me, I'd have some more braces welded in there.but a couple of the welds look as if they may be cracked. I hope it is just the angle of the shot. I hope you keep a good inspection routine of it.


Is your trailer a tall profile trailer or the mid profile? because it looks like a mid profile. Some of the tall profile ones are near the 13' 6" limit without adding a 6" lift kit.

That is probably the best way to lift the trailer that much, but if it were me, I'd have some more braces welded in there.but a couple of the welds look as if they may be cracked. I hope it is just the angle of the shot. I hope you keep a good inspection routine of it.


Is your trailer a tall profile trailer or the mid profile? because it looks like a mid profile. Some of the tall profile ones are near the 13' 6" limit without adding a 6" lift kit.





We just bought the trailer a few months ago. I am checking it on a regular basis, at least for a while. We run it through the sand quite a bit at the beach, and have given it a few stress tests this way, and she seems to be holding up pretty well.


I had them check the height once they raised it. It came in at a hair under 13ft. It is the mid profile. Our friends have a tall profile (not lifted), and their's is still taller than ours by a few inches.