Just out of curiosity, do you run frame stiffeners and cross braces? I have buddy that do and beat the living **** out of their and have to bend anything. I wasn't on mine and only managed to tweak the frame slightly after 2 years of hard wheeling.

As for springs...I was running Rusty's and had no issues with flex. The key to get the most amount of flex is to run the flattest spring with the ideal spring angle. If you really wanted to, you can easily get 4" with a stock spring. Run the T&T u-bolt eliminators and a longer shackle and that can easily gain you the few inches you want.

 

shackle relocation boxes and lift shackles are good for at least 3" lift

 

No stiffeners or bracing of any kind. The problem lies in the rest of the body after a few years there just isn't much left undented and I find it easier and way cheaper to swap everything than it would be to run armor and an exocage. I actually haven't had any problems (knock on wood) yet of unibody cracking.

Currently running a 1.5" shackle and will be using a relocation boxes with the new leafs.

Makes me really wish someone made a 2" lift pack. I think running a 2" pack with 1/2" u-bolt eliminators with a 1" shackles and the 1/2" to 1" from the drop brackets would be perfect.

 

old man emu has a 2" lift pack

http://www.quadratec.com/products/16090_5054.htm

 

Sweet, not sure how I never seen that!

 

Buy some shorter RC leaves and their relocation bracket (if you want to stay at the same height). I made my own brackets and its amazing how much it helped the ride and traction!

 

RC 4.5" leaves, homemade shackle relocation, MJ shackle.

 

I'm running 6.5" Clayton leafs with Liquid Iron leaf slider boxes. I get great flex out of this setup.