Marathon Front Lift Blocks

[redm18]

Looking to lift my 87 Marathon for a few different reasons first I want to cart to sit a little bit higher, two I want to install slightly bigger tires, three I want more load capacity for a flatbed or back seat, four I want replace all shocks and my understanding is I need to lift in order to get into cheap automotive shocks. I have a few questions though. In order to increase the load capacity I have purchased a couple of 14 inch coil overs with a 350 lbs capacity and with those and the new shocks I think I don’t need the back part of an economy lift kit. On the front the new shocks would eliminate the shock extender part of the lift kit. So really the only part of the lift kit I would need is the front blocks which I was hoping to just make. To me the blocks just look like a piece of tubing sandwiched between two steel plates with some holes to connect to the axel and the spring. Am I missing anything? Are the two plates parallel to each other or is there an angle (if so what angle)? How thick is everything? How long is the whole thing? If I go with 20 inch tires will i need wheel spacers?

[Rooster59]

The Marathon block lifts are essentially what you described. If the coilovers are 4" longer than the stock shocks they "probably" will do what you want for the rear. For the front you may find the extra spring rate is too much. The rear part of the block lift also lifts the rear spring perch 4". Just the shock with coil over springs will be stretching the stock rear coil spring. They may fight each other and leave you with a sagging rear.

In my opinion you will need the front blocks and rear blocks. The shock extenders may be eliminated with appropriately longer shocks.

The block lifts usually don't include any compensation for the change in steering linkage angles. You may find your steering is erratic without an adjustment to the steering linkage equivalent to the 4" lift for the axle.

After lifting be sure to include a toe in adjustment on the front tires.