2" suspension lift.

[HoneyDoo]

I was wondering. If I do a 2" to 2.5" suspension lift to my 76' inter. scout II, will I have to add length to brake lines, steering, etc. Just wondering. I have'nt ever tried lifting a vehicle before, and was wondering what else I should consider before tackling it myself. Is there anything else that I should think about doing while I am under the Scout? As it sits right now, it is completly stock and original.

Thanks

[LoneStarScout]

Welcome from a fellow Texas IH lover.

If you do a 2.5" suspension lift, no, nothing else will have to be changed.
If you buy a kit (Skyjacker, Rough Country, Superlift) everything should come with it. You will need longer shocks. Some kits offer shocks as an option, others do not. I personally run a Rough Country 4" suspension lift on my 78 Scout Traveler, and have been very pleased with it. I was in the same boat you are in about a year and a half ago. For a beginner, the kit was the way to go.

Some guys run extended shackles, I however do not. There are quite a few options on this. Extended shackles can add lift, but can also cause steering wander if you don't correct your caster angle.

While you're underneath, check out all your steering components. The rag joint is a weak link in the steering system: its fine if its in good shape, otherwise there are good aftermarket replacements from Borgeson and Flaming River.

the body mounts should be examined closely. The body mounts can become weak and crack due to rust. Its a good idea to replace the body mount bushings that are rubber and probably smooshed beyond recognition with new polyurethane bushings available from light line vendors and other assorted places. Plus you'll probably get about a 1/2" to 3/4" of lift just by adding the new bushings.

I know some of the other guys will chime in with stuff that I've forgotten to mention. Welcome to the addiction!

[HoneyDoo]

Thanks for the help. I always wanted to fix up an old scout, and finally have the opportunity. I found a really nice 76' Scout II Rallye. I hope to keep it pretty much stock. I just wanted a little more clearance for larger tires. After that I will address the steering issues. Thanks again.

[LoneStarScout]

One thing I would encourage you to consider is a 4" lift. It sounds like a lot, but on a Scout, it's not. My 4" lift put my Scout sittin even with my wife's 2 wheel drive 2004 Chevy Tahoe. If you go with the 2.5" lift, you might wish you had more. Even with my 4" lift, the biggest tire I can run is a 33, and thats pushing it. If i was into wheeling a lot, the 33 would not fit. With the 2.5", the biggest you can really go is a 31", maybe a 32" with rubbing.

Even with the 4" lift, nothing has to be modified to make it work, unless you're spending a lot of time off road.

Hope that helps.

[HoneyDoo]

No mods with a 4" suspension lift??? Thats good to know. I might go a little bigger. Thanks again.

[okkool77]

You can get away with the stock brake lines but you'll want to put longer one's on for saftey reasons. They aren't that much and you'll have a much smoother ride.