Hey tipsy, I'll try to help answer you're questions but I have a few for you first.
More info on your runner...can I assume it's currently a stock 89 4cyl with IFS?
Not sure what you mean by blocks for the front, like a standard ifs lift? Elaborate please...
What add a leaf package are you referring to? In my experience these are for increasing load capacity not adding lift.
A longer shackle might work but it also might end up giving you really bad shackle angle in the rear, which would suck (anyone else know?)
The important question: Do you want a pavement pounder on 35's? Or a wheeler that can also be a daily driver? Your choice will determine how you should proceed and thus the advice i would give you. My truck has been my DD for 8 years, it's slowly becoming a trail only rig, but it has done double duty since I SAS'd it a few years ago. Before that I had a standard 4" IFS lift with blocks in the rear and 33's, it looked good and drove ok on the road, and 4wd worked well enough for slippery situations and light snow on the road, but it didn't wheel for
. In my opinion these kind of lifts make the truck less capable and the suspension weaker...when I did the SAS it was like having a new more capable truck, so nice to get rid of all that worn ifs crap and the axle wrap from those rear blocks...so my advice if you want to wheel is to leave it alone until you can collect the necessary pieces and find someone who can cut grind and weld to help you SAS it. Otherwise you can try a longer shackle but you might have to just stick a block in there and call it good, a good rear lift would require longer springs and relocating the spring hangers (as far as I know), but it doesn't seem worth it unless you are going to straight axle the front.
As for gearing my v6 has a stock ratio with 35's and 5.29's, but if it's a 4cyl it might be different I can't remember, I'm sure doing a forum search on here or over at pirate4x4 would get you a few credible answers...I can tell you that I ran my 5.29s with 33's for a while though and didn't mind being over geared that much. Top speed on the freeway was probably 65, and Yeah my gas mileage wasn't quite as good, and my speedo said I was going faster than I was, but hey I didn't hardly ever have to downshift and I didn't get any speeding tickets
obviously you don't want to regear yet if you are going to swap the front, or you will have to regear the front axle again when you do. It pays to plan for what you will want eventually, I.e. lifts that make the truck more capable and don't waste your money, rehear for 35's if you are going to eventually want 35's, and so on...
