Now that we've left you depressed by informing you of the limits on vehicle height imposed by your state (see "Lift Laws" elsewhere in this issue), we thought we'd brighten things up a bit by exposing something that may surprise you--a lift kit isn't essential to get bigger meats on a truck. That's right, if the lift kit you've been eyeballing will land your truck a spot in the impound yard, read on because there's still hope.
It's true that the best means of gaining off-road performance is to install a lift kit. For many enthusiasts, however, these kits are too expensive, especially later-model IFS kits. The fact is, there are ways to lift some vehicles inexpensively and legally.
The "Lift Laws" story shows some prime examples of dangerous butchery performed by people looking to save a few bucks. A couple of the modifications we've included here require homegrown customization, but with some common sense they can be done safely. Other examples are simple bolt-ons, but these have pros and cons that we'll cover. Some of these suggestions could be a hindrance on the trail, but they are viable options for those who want the look and performance of bigger tires without the cost of a full-blown lift kit. In addition, these options are certainly easier on the wallet.
An option for the rear of vehicles that utilize a shackle under the spring is a shackle reversal. The owner of this rig took the mounting brackets and shackles from a Blazer and mounted them upside down on his Chevy truck. This modification, combined with a small, 1-inch block, provided approximately 6 inches of lift with the stock springs. It's necessary to add a bracket to the frame, but if the modification is done safely as shown here, it's a cheap way to get a decent amount of lift without compromising ride quality, or using tall or stacked lift blocks.