Leveling Kit / Body Lift Question

pvirga88 · August 3, 2009

Hey All,

I read posts on this but I couldn't find one with a comparison...

I currently have a Ready Lift 1.5" Leveling Kit installed on My 08 Sierra and I am debating on finishing up the Level with the rest of the kit to push it up to 2.25" in the Front and 3" Blocks in the back which will give is an additional 1" in the Back to keep my Rake or Getting rid of the Level all together and getting a 3" Body Lift.

I have heard some mixed reviews about the leveling kits on the market right now pertaining to balljoint wear when the lift is more than 2". I don't want to run into any issues in the future running the Level Lit when I will be doing occational Off Roading.

I have read post saying yeah it happened to me and I read posts saying it hasn't happened to me at least not yet.... So my understanding is it is bound to happen sooner or later. And with all the travelling I do with my truck I don't want to have a failed Balljoint on the road somewhere...

I know with a Body Lift the Stock Suspension remains the Same and there will be no modification to Alignments other than my larger Tires. So Ideally I can retain everything Stock. How hard is it to install one of these things and where can I get a good quality one? I see a whole lot of kits out there and they all seem the same to me.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Phil

blackout07 · August 3, 2009

First of all, I would keep my leveling kit at around 2". Secondly, I would recommend either Performance Accessories or BDS for the body lift. They are not that difficult to install and both are very good quality. I have a P.A. but others have rated the BDS as a better quality kit.

pvirga88 · August 5, 2009

THANKS Blackout07 for the reply.... I have these questions cause i dont want to screw up my truck doing the wrong mod.... I plan on keeping this thing for the long run...

Matt_ · August 5, 2009

For the GMT900 trucks I recommend the BDS body lift. PA makes good kits too, but I prefer the bumper bracket designs on the BDS for our model year.

I also agree, 2" max with the leveling kit!

With that said, I'm running a 3" body lift and love it! Next year when i do an alignment (i like to align my truck yearly) i'll probably find a spacer to raise my front 1"... I have 2" total of rake and want to retain 1" of rake.

Our GMT900 1500 trucks can pull off 3" body lifts easily... done right with the bumpers relocated and gap guards, you often can't tell that there's a body lift unless you crawl under and look. Not to mention, my body lines were horrible from the factory. So when I did the body lift I aligned the bumpers, bed and cab perfectly and now the truck looks a lot better than it did (I dont know what GM did, I haven't seen an OEM truck with the front bumper even on both sides)

pvirga88 · August 5, 2009

For the GMT900 trucks I recommend the BDS body lift. PA makes good kits too, but I prefer the bumper bracket designs on the BDS for our model year.

I also agree, 2" max with the leveling kit!

With that said, I'm running a 3" body lift and love it! Next year when i do an alignment (i like to align my truck yearly) i'll probably find a spacer to raise my front 1"... I have 2" total of rake and want to retain 1" of rake.

Our GMT900 1500 trucks can pull off 3" body lifts easily... done right with the bumpers relocated and gap guards, you often can't tell that there's a body lift unless you crawl under and look. Not to mention, my body lines were horrible from the factory. So when I did the body lift I aligned the bumpers, bed and cab perfectly and now the truck looks a lot better than it did (I dont know what GM did, I haven't seen an OEM truck with the front bumper even on both sides)

Haaaa after Reading this I took a closer look at my front end... Its a little off too. More noticable on the Drivers Side but only if you really stare at it... Gotta Love GM...

But what about the Push Bar? Will the location of it be affected? That is really my concern... It looks like the Body Lift is the right thing to do but I don't want to Drop the $800.00 bucks I spent on the Push bar and PIAA's in the process.

Matt_ · August 5, 2009

Your push bar would be an issue.... However if you know someone who can weld, the brackets can easily be modified to work with the bl. If you don't, and you want to keep it, that'd be a deal breaker

pvirga88 · August 5, 2009

Your push bar would be an issue.... However if you know someone who can weld, the brackets can easily be modified to work with the bl. If you don't, and you want to keep it, that'd be a deal breaker

Shit ... I knew it... Well looks like I have a tough desicion to make...

Thanks for your help...

blackout07 · August 5, 2009

Your push bar would be an issue.... However if you know someone who can weld, the brackets can easily be modified to work with the bl. If you don't, and you want to keep it, that'd be a deal breaker

Shit ... I knew it... Well looks like I have a tough desicion to make...

Thanks for your help...

I was able to move my bull bar up, by "sandwiching" the bull bar mounting brackets between the frame rail and the bumper relocation brackets. There are 3 holes running vertically up the frame rail that will allow for this. It's much easier to look on a truck with a body lift than it is to describe it, but it can be done depending on the mounting brackets of your brush guard. Or you could get someone to alter your existing brackets a bit. Not a big deal really.