coil spring question

HELP!  i am far from an informed mechanic.  but i just need to know how i could get a 1994 S-10 lifted about 3 inches.  I have looked into body lift kits but i dont want my bumper seperated from the body.  i have also looked at the blocks for the rear suspension lifts.  the problem comes when i get to the front.  I can't find any way to lift the front of the truck.  It has coil springs and the only kits i can find are priced at $500.  I would rather not pay this much to do such a job.  I have asked around, and the only thing that i have been told is that i could get a set of taller springs.  would that work, and where would i find these springs.  Would they be any taller in a four wheel drive and if so, how much taller? thanks for any help anyone can offer.  

Summitracing and 4wheel parts could help you. Beware of putting just springs up front for that much lift. your ball joints are designed to work at certain angles as measured with the vehicle at rest. When you install springs which raise ( or lower ) the front end these angles change and so does your alignment. Realignment after installation corrects some of this when going straight, but ya gotta turn sometimes!

Most good kits for raising front ends on IFS require suspension attachment point relocation and thats why they cost so much. You could conceivably make one by studying whats out there but it is a big project unless you are a good fabricator/welder.

If you're willing to live with the oddities of taller springs give four wheel parts a call and be sure to ask about complimentary parts like matching pitman arm/ idler arm if necessary. These items correct many of the of the problems that come with front end lifts.

Good luck 

The front of a 2wd S-10 and a 4wd share nothing in common that will help you.

Simply installing taller springs will cause the A frames, ball joints and steering linkage to work at angles they're not designed for, this also would narrow the front track. The vehicle would be extremely unstable and component wear rates would increase from years to hours.

This is simply unworkable without relocating the A frames on the chassis.

Bogie

thank you for your help everyone.  It put things into perspective for me.    i'll check out summit racing and see if they can help me get the right lift for my truck. i also figured out that three inches of lift is pretty tall,  what about a two inch lift, or even 1.5 inches?  I live on a farm and thats the main reason for the lift.  thanks again.

Does anyone make air shocks for the front.I have a 97 2wd 2.2 and I tell you the last thing you want to do is stiffen up the front end.Mine has new shocks on it and a good dip in will get your attention.The 4.3s might be better because of more front end weight.You need to find out how much adjustment you have for the camber and caster.Ask someone at a allignment shop how much lift can be corrected through a allignment.Then you could use like spring bosters bought at auto zone.Try the ones that fit under the coil spring.  

lift the body 3 " off frame  then if you don't want the bumbers that far from body make brackets to bring bumbers up to body(1/4 inch flat stock will work)