Project Rocky: Lifting a 2WD 1979 Chevy C10

Chris Hamilton . August 20, 2026 . Blood Sweat and Gears . Chris Hamilton

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The Parts, Process & End Result

If you own a 1973–’87 two-wheel-drive Chevy truck, chances are you’ve had the same thought at some point: “Man, I wish I could lift this thing.” And just as quickly, you probably ran into the same brick wall everyone else does—there’s no real off-the-shelf lift kit designed to do it right. Plenty of companies offer kits to lower these trucks, but when it comes to lifting a 2WD squarebody, the aftermarket has mostly shrugged and walked away. That’s exactly the problem we set out to solve with Project Rocky, our 1979 Chevy C10.

We didn’t want a hacked-together spacer lift or a sketchy combination of parts that would ruin ride quality or alignment. We wanted a proper, safe, driveable lift that could handle real road miles, real braking, and real use, all while keeping the truck in the 2WD world.

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What you’re about to see in this tech series is the result of a lot of research, parts cross-referencing, measuring, and problem-solving. We figured out how to combine 1988–’98 truck components, lift spindles, custom-matched suspension pieces, and the right brake parts to create a setup that nets around four to five inches of lift over stock, without compromising safety or drivability.

Lifting a 2WD 1979 Chevy C10

This is a real-world, bolt-on solution built from parts you can actually order, using part numbers you can reference and techniques you can repeat in your garage or shop. We’re even providing a complete parts spreadsheet that you can download so you don’t have to play the same guessing game we did.

Just as important, this setup keeps the truck alignable, stops properly thanks to a full brake upgrade, and rides like a classic truck should—not like a science experiment. So if you’ve been staring at your squarebody wishing it sat a little taller, cleared bigger tires, and had more presence without swapping to 4WD, this article is for you. This is how we finally cracked the code on lifting a 2WD squarebody, and how you can too.

Here is the official parts list we used for our 1979 Chevy C10. This gave us around four to five inches of lift from the factory height. You can download this spreadsheet by scanning the QR code.

For our inner and outer tie rod ends, we used Moog part number ES409LT for 1973-’87 Chevy trucks.

The upper and lower ball joints are from a 1988-’98 Chevy truck. The part numbers are Raybestos PG 5001062 for the upper and 50511134 for the lower. Note that the original ball joints are riveted in and can be drilled or ground off. The new ball joints bolt on.

The tie rod adjusting sleeves we used are for a 1973-’87 Chevy truck. The part number is Moog PGES2004S. You will need two of these, or you can reuse your factory sleeve if desired.

Lifting a 2WD 1979 Chevy C10

You will also need a Pitman arm for a 1973-’87. The part number is Raybestos PG4451007.

The brakes are specific. For the front, 5-lug brake rotors for 1988-’98 trucks need to be used. The part number is Raybestos PG569158R. In the rear, 5-lug rotors for 1992-’98 models are needed. Raybestos PG8004R2 is the correct part number.

The brake calipers are also 1988-’98 specific. We used Raybestos PGFRC4418 for the left and Raybestos PGFRC4417 for the right side.

The rest of the brake parts we used include 1988-’98 brake pads, the left side brake hose is Raybestos PG BH38620, the right side is Raybestos PG BH38621, the brake hose clip part number is Raybestos PG H1457-2, the banjo bolt is Dorman 484-205.1, the inner wheel bearings are Timken Set 5, the outer wheel bearings are Timken Set 3, you will need the spindle nuts from Dorman 5145, and the dust cap is also from Dorman 618102.

Lifting a 2WD 1979 Chevy C10

Now let’s talk about wheels and tires. We ordered a set of 20×10-inch wheels from Detroit Steel Wheel. These wheels have a 4.5-inch backspacing, which gives us 6.5 inches of forward space.

if you’ve been staring at your squarebody wishing it sat a little taller, cleared bigger tires, and had more presence without swapping to 4WD, this article is for you. This is how we finally cracked the code on lifting a 2WD squarebody, and how you can too.

When ordering these wheels, we went with the optional painted lip to match the truck color as well as the chrome trim ring and Chevy center cap. They look so good!

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Chris Hamilton

Chris Hamilton is an automotive journalist, editor, and lifelong truck enthusiast with extensive experience covering custom truck builds, fabrication, performance upgrades, aftermarket products, and a ...