# 2000 chevy OBS front end suspension help........mount sits low before we lift it



## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

2000 chevy OBS 3/4 ton, unimount sits about 3" from ground with plow raised, 5-6" without it on. we need to keep it from sagging, ordered timbrens, but want the truck to sit a little higher without the plow on........any suggestions.......want air bags, cant find anything but torsion keys and shock brackets......ive searched quite a bit but cant find much.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

sitting low.....chebby wants some air bags.air shocks.something


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## maverjohn (Jul 23, 2008)

Have you tryer ballist weight in the back ?


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## MikeRi24 (Dec 21, 2007)

For some reason it looks like the plow is sticking out really far forward. When I had my '94 3500 with a unimount, the tower was no more than maybe an inch away from the front bumper. I'm really not a Western guy, aside from having the one Unimount, but even my '99 OBS 3/4 ton that I have now with a Boss doesnt sit that low, and Boss frames are known to hang pretty low compared to other plows I believe. 

You can crank the torsion bars, but on the OBS GMs they are a lot more sensitive that the NBS or NNBS in terms of how a t-bar adjustment will effect the camber. 

As I said, I'm not a Western guy, but I feel like the plow is sitting really far out in front of the truck and having all that weight hanging out that far in front of the front axle could be causing it to sag, or it could be because you don't have enough ballast in the back or a combination of both. But I have to wonder if somehow you have the wrong plow frame on there or don't have it on there right. I know with the Boss frames, theres some adjustments you can do to change the height of the crossbar and mount, but I don't really recall much to adjust on the unimounts like that.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

So nowadays you have to install the Ultramount set up first then by a conversion bracket to install the Unimount. The mount sticks out far from under the truck, then yes the plow does also when mounted. I looked at it at the dealer and asked why this was, this was his answer. We r currently lookng for a ultramount plow to put on this chebby. Until then i want to raise the truck a bit to sit higher, even without the plow. How have others lifted ther trucks? I cant find much for the 2000 chebby year truck, it might just b me. I would love to put air bags under her, but timrens and t bar cranked or new t bar keys looks like my option. It sits low, it sticks out farther than it should, but it works, My main concern was further damage to front end, It was rebuilt today at the shop, the shocks were leaking, brackets broken, only thing that was ok was the pitman arms. I will continue searching. the site


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

You won't be happy with just timbrens as they will not increase your ride height. I put firestone level rite air shocks in my 3500 hooked to a small compressor. Best money I ever spent on the front end. It rides better than the day I bought it. Crank up the t-bars as well.

http://www.truckspring.com/suspensi...olet&year=2007&model=C3500+HD+-+Cab+&+Chassis


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

http://www.autoanything.com/suspension-systems/69A4079A0A0.aspx
was thinking about these in conjunctionwith timbrens, and the t bar kit upgrade with the shock extedors. this should keep it from droppng and it will sit higher stock.anyone ever use this spacer thing.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

Mr.Markus;1409247 said:


> You won't be happy with just timbrens as they will not increase your ride height. I put firestone level rite air shocks in my 3500 hooked to a small compressor. Best money I ever spent on the front end. It rides better than the day I bought it. Crank up the t-bars as well.
> 
> http://www.truckspring.com/suspensi...olet&year=2007&model=C3500+HD+-+Cab+&+Chassis


I would put air bags in a second, i just cant find a kit for the 2000 chevy OBS. I dont wanna spend 2500 on a susp. lift kit. my options are limited with this truck. I think im gonna do the above.........unless someone has a better idea to give me 4" within a decent price range. I dont think i could do a 4-6" suspension lift on my own at any rate, so the shop will prolly charge me another 1k on top of the parts .


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

ACA L&L;1409289 said:


> I would put air bags in a second, i just cant find a kit for the 2000 chevy OBS. I dont wanna spend 2500 on a susp. lift kit. my options are limited with this truck. I think im gonna do the above.........unless someone has a better idea to give me 4" within a decent price range. I dont think i could do a 4-6" suspension lift on my own at any rate, so the shop will prolly charge me another 1k on top of the parts .


You can't put airbags on the IFS trucks hence the levelrite shocks.

The airbag that is built into these shocks is much smaller and susceptable to temperature changes. If you do go this way get the onboard compressor as well. It would be a PITA if you had to stop and pump them up manually. The same ones fit your truck.
http://www.truckspring.com/suspensi...make=Chevrolet&year=2000&model=Silverado+2500


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## badazzbulldog (Nov 24, 2011)

i have a 97 3500 gmc, first off dont waste money on torsion bar keys,jack up front end and with an 18mm socket crank the bolt on each torsion key in not all the way but do the same amount on each one and let it down and check height difference with the plow on and tighten more till you have it where you like the way it sits,also gabriel hyjacker air shocks work well i dont offhand have the part number for the ones that fit in the front of the obs trucks but i'll see what i can come up with we have done those in the past to raise front some with plow on


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

badazzbulldog;1409501 said:


> i have a 97 3500 gmc, first off dont waste money on torsion bar keys,jack up front end and with an 18mm socket crank the bolt on each torsion key in not all the way but do the same amount on each one and let it down and check height difference with the plow on and tighten more till you have it where you like the way it sits,also gabriel hyjacker air shocks work well i dont offhand have the part number for the ones that fit in the front of the obs trucks but i'll see what i can come up with we have done those in the past to raise front some with plow on


Thank you guys for the info, I have succesfully raised the truck a full 2" before the plow is mounted, with the timbrens this should hold close to that/. The shop that rebuilt the front end yeasterday(pick up truck now) called and said they had to trim the frame to do the alignment correctly. Two full hours of shop time. im still gonna try and get some air shocks for it, i like the idea of being able to add height when needed to level it out, gonna put airbags in back on this one as well. For the two dodges, timbrens and HD springs should do the trick, they sit high already. Ive been searching the net/plowsite/ for almost 3 days, ive put eyeballs on every possible thing you can use for raising a truck/supporting it and i must say the options for the OBS 2000 chevy truck options are limited.........Thank you to everyone for the help, i will post a pic of truck tonight.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

Mr.Markus;1409436 said:


> You can't put airbags on the IFS trucks hence the levelrite shocks.
> 
> The airbag that is built into these shocks is much smaller and susceptable to temperature changes. If you do go this way get the onboard compressor as well. It would be a PITA if you had to stop and pump them up manually. The same ones fit your truck.
> http://www.truckspring.com/suspensi...make=Chevrolet&year=2000&model=Silverado+2500


I saw these as was not sure if they would work on my year model, reading it again looks like it will work, do you think I should still install the timbrens, could find anything to say it would hold the weight well, or at all.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I've tried both, in fact I just left the timbrens in when I installed the airshocks, They're not in the way of each other. The air shocks give you an adjustable cushion of air to give you a bit of height and much smoother ride(adjustable meaning you can inflate and deflate to preference). The timbrens once collapsed under weight have a hard ride to them just like your bump stops.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

Mr.Markus;1409869 said:


> I've tried both, in fact I just left the timbrens in when I installed the airshocks, They're not in the way of each other. The air shocks give you an adjustable cushion of air to give you a bit of height and much smoother ride(adjustable meaning you can inflate and deflate to preference). The timbrens once collapsed under weight have a hard ride to them just like your bump stops.


Good info......thos is best case scenario, adjust the height, timbrens will kick in when plow is mounted, adjust height when u want, kinda like a poor mans air bag..........Got truck back from shop today, rides lkike a new car....well not really but 9 times better than before, and we were able to raise it 2"+ he had more but dialed it back cuz the front was taller than the back, he also knew we would probably be adjusting as we see fit, the front end work they did was short of perfect, all the guys in the shop were woking on it and each of them seemed to like the truck, or had a story about a similiar truck......now all we need is another storm or two this year and we will be set.......pics on way of front end work with T bar cranked a bit.........


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

before 1st pic after 2 nd pic.


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## MikeRi24 (Dec 21, 2007)

glad you got it resolved! that makes sense now about the ultra-mount to uni-mount conversion. I think I have heard about that somewhere before, seems kinda stupid if you ask me. Maybe its just their way of getting you to buy a new plow....

Oh, and if you find somewhere to get actual air shocks for the front of the truck, let me know. I've been looking for them for my '00 OBS K2500 for a while now and haven't come up with anything yet.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

MikeRi24;1410133 said:


> Oh, and if you find somewhere to get actual air shocks for the front of the truck, let me know. I've been looking for them for my '00 OBS K2500 for a while now and haven't come up with anything yet.


Here's your sign............
http://www.truckspring.com/suspensi...olet&year=2007&model=C3500+HD+-+Cab+&+Chassis
http://www.truckspring.com/suspensi...make=Chevrolet&year=2000&model=Silverado+2500
This is where I got mine.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

Mr.Markus;1410149 said:


> Here's your sign............
> http://www.truckspring.com/suspensi...olet&year=2007&model=C3500+HD+-+Cab+&+Chassis
> http://www.truckspring.com/suspensi...make=Chevrolet&year=2000&model=Silverado+2500
> This is where I got mine.


Hey Mr Markus
,#1. thanks for the link earlierlike, #2 with the T bars cranked, a bit, do u run into any problems with the air shocks possibly being raised to high.....causing the truck to have issues. I am in now way a front end specialists nor have i ever claimed to be but i would assume at some point raising the front end without doing other mods to other parts of the front end will not be the brightest idea.......or do the shocks just stop raising at some point......we would only be maxxing them out with the plow on, but now that i got the front end raised a bit i think the timbrens would hold the load for the most part correct? I mean even if it sags an inch with the timbrens this would be ok for me, we have almost a foot of clearence now from the lowest part of the conversion kit........ill say without the timbrens it drops 4". maybe.....more/less........but with timbrens itshould hold true within an inch or three.....I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, one truck almost done 2 more dodges to go......


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

The 1003 Level Rite's DO NOT fit GMT400 chassis, only the GMT900 (ie Silverado/Sierra NBS). So don't order them thinking you're going to bolt them on an OBS truck.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

B&B;1410467 said:


> The 1003 Level Rite's DO NOT fit GMT400 chassis, only the GMT900 (ie Silverado/Sierra NBS). So don't order them thinking you're going to bolt them on an OBS truck.


Thanks for the heads up B&B, by the way you gave me some great advice when I was buying My first snowplow ever........and I wanted to say Than You, we have had good luck, we just bought our 5th plow this year and havnt looked back......Oh yeah and this weekend we are installing the dual battery set up on the old chebby, Thanks in advance for that tutorial........


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

I remember. Believe it was an Xpress mount if I recall correctly. And and seems you've come a long way since then so congrats on that and you're welcome. :salute:


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

B&B;1410467 said:


> The 1003 Level Rite's DO NOT fit GMT400 chassis, only the GMT900 (ie Silverado/Sierra NBS). So don't order them thinking you're going to bolt them on an OBS truck.


I did not know this, I just fed it into the site and it told me they would. I had no problems with my install so I asummed it would be the same. ... sorry, and thanks for chimming in BB. 
I would hazzard that you're not going to have any different problems than you've already had with the suspension.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

B&B;1410471 said:


> I remember. Believe it was an Xpress mount if I recall correctly. And and seems you've come a long way since then so congrats on that and you're welcome. :salute:


Wow thats a good memeory, it was an express mount, liked them so much we got another one same year, then a boss V with a chevy one ton, then the dodges with westerns and anoither chevy.......the two express plows would not transfer over to the new dodges, meyer let us down on that one, 2 weeks before snow season starts here the meyers with in my driveway, stuck, no idea what to do.........short version, and 4 storms later, chevy is running nice. 
Mr markus, thanks for the insight, help, i really appreciate it. on to the next project, install timbrens, and/or rear springs, air bags, not sure, but this one will be alot easier than the front.....i hope.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

I came across this thread from last year, I snapped a couple of shots of the trucks when we were moving our gear around taking stock of what we got and need. The front end work came out awesome last year! could not of asked for a better mechanic, He was a chevy guy, I basically said make it right, he took all day..........and I could'nt of been more happy when i picked her up from the shop. Anyway thanks for the help everyone gave me. We just picked up a 97 chevy cheyenne 2500, she has strong 454 Brand new in her, trannyseems strong, new paint wheels, tune up and some stickers and she will make a nice trailer puller. Shes not a snow pusher so Ill post those pics over in lawnsite.


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## 2_Djinn (Dec 20, 2004)

Looks good, thats the same truck I got.


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

wow, My parents live in New Carlisle Indiana. along with my 2 sisters and my brother in law. he owns Tuscan Lawn care.


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