Why the G20 Needed a Lift
Saskatchewan roads are hard on vehicles. Grid roads that look smooth at speed turn into corrugated washboard a kilometre in. A stock G20 rides on suspension tuned for highway comfort and half-ton payloads — not for rutted two-tracks or the kind of soft shoulders you find along river access roads. The lift was not about aesthetics. It was about clearance and control on the roads I actually use.
What a Suspension Lift on a G20 Involves
The G20 runs a solid front axle and leaf spring rear — an older but robust setup that responds well to modification. A modest lift on this platform typically involves add-a-leaf packs or replacement leaf springs in the rear, spacers or new coils up front, extended shackles, and upgraded shock absorbers to match the new ride height. The goal is not maximum lift — it is a calibrated two to three inch gain that improves clearance without compromising the handling balance or straining the steering geometry.
Shock Selection for Prairie Conditions
Stock shocks on a van this age are worn long before the vehicle looks tired. Replacement shocks in a moderate-valving setup — Bilstein 4600 or equivalent — make more difference than the lift itself on rough roads. The shock absorbs the impact before it reaches the chassis. On corrugated grid roads, the difference between tired stock shocks and fresh performance shocks is not subtle — it is the difference between wanting to slow to 50 and being comfortable at 80.
Wheel and Tire Sizing
A lift without a tire upgrade is half the job. The G20 stock wheel well accommodates a modest all-terrain tire without rubbing. Going one size up — keeping the overall diameter within a reasonable range — improves traction on gravel and soft ground without requiring fender trimming. All-terrain tires in the LT range are the right call for mixed pavement and grid road use. Pure mud tires wear fast on pavement and are louder than they are worth for van life use.
What the Build Changed
The practical result is a van that can pull into unimproved campsites without bottoming out, navigate washed-out grid road approaches, and absorb rough surfaces without transmitting every ripple through the floor to whatever is loaded in the back. It also changed the visual stance of the van in a way that fits the build direction. A lifted van on all-terrains looks like a working vehicle. That reads differently on a prairie grid road than a stock 1976 on bald radials.
Explore Van Life and the G20 build at Sinfull Studios for more.
Related reading from Sinfull Studios
- Van Life Gear Worth Buying vs Gear That Wastes Your Money
- Prairie Van Life Expectations vs Reality: What Actually Breaks First
- Winterizing a 1976 Chevy G20 for Saskatchewan: What Actually Matters
- Van Life in Regina
Based in Regina, Saskatchewan. Explore Van Life or request a quote from Sinfull Studios.
