2014+ Suspension Lifts

[EDL]

Said I wasn't going to do it, but I've run into a couple slightly lifted trucks lately (an all black 2019 Ram with what looked to be about 4 to 4.5" lift and 35's) and a 2018 Silverado (all black with 33's, not sure on lift, assuming 3" or maybe 4").

So, ok, I want to lift my 2018 Silverado a little and run 33's.  I do prefer 35's and a little more lift in terms of looks, but I did that on my old 2004 Ram 2500 diesel (6" and 35's), and while it looked, rode, and drove great, it was just too tall, restricted where I could go (parking garages, drive ups, etc) and made unloading the bed a bit of a pain.  Wife hated it.  But, she said the Ram and the Chevy we saw the other day looked good.

I really don't want to go crazy like with an ICON lift and full-on suspension, looking more for a spacer type lift to keep stock suspension (I don't off road, it'll be a street queen).  Main concern is to try to keep front end geometry without taxing the front drive shafts and joints.

Looking for recommendations on something in the 3.5" to 4" range.  I don't want the cheapest thing out there, but something of good quality with the right set up?  Also planning to get away from the 22" wheels and go to either 20" or 18" with 33x12.50 tires.  I don't want to go with 35's due to cost and gearing/strain on drive train issues as I don't want to re-gear the diffs either. 

[SSchup]

I did the CST 4 1/2" lift on mine, I went with there coilovers. You can use your stock struts with the the spacer provided with the kit. The CST is a bracket lift, which keeps your track width stock. Kit comes with everything needed other then rear shocks. I purchased the CST street series rear shocks and am happy with those. I think they were $200.00 for the pair. I also removed my overload spring and installed a Deaver J1 mini-pack with the factory block. Kit comes with 3" which I didn't use. That gave a very nice ride in the rear. Truck actually rides nicer now then it did stock.

The lift is designed to run a 35" tire with a 5" backspace wheel. I'm running a 33x12.50/22 on a 22x10 -25 wheel with plenty of clearance.

[SSchup]

Here’s a pic for reference.


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[big papa]

20 hours ago, EDL said:

Looking for recommendations on something in the 3.5" to 4" range.  I don't want the cheapest thing out there, but something of good quality with the right set up?  Also planning to get away from the 22" wheels and go to either 20" or 18" with 33x12.50 tires.  I don't want to go with 35's due to cost and gearing/strain on drive train issues as I don't want to re-gear the diffs either. 

Zone 4.5"  35 on 22s, u could do 33s for sure.

 

[EDL]

I will never do business with Zone again.  Used some of their components for the front of my 2004 Ram 2500 diesel and they were total crap.  The shocks that came in the kit leaked like hell and Zone wouldn't do anything about it (and these were supposed to be their "good" shocks that I paid extra for).

 

Anyway, I think 4.5 might be too much, been doing some reading and looking around, right now I'm considering the Rough Country 3.5" knuckle kit.  I know, some people swear by the full drop/UA kits, some swear by the knuckle kits.  I think since I won't be offroading and combined with the angle retention of knuckles, that's probably the best option for me.  Some were touting a hybrid knuckle lift by Cognito...sounded good, until I looked at the price, $2,095 (without any of their added cost options!)

Found a sight that has a gallery of tons of trucks with various lift amounts and tire/wheel combos.  The 3.5" with 33" tires on 18" wheels looks really good.  Obviously not stock, but not over done.

Your GMC looks really nice, I do like it, but it's not for me.  If I were 20 again, then yeah, I'd probably do something like a 6" or 7" and big wheels and tires, but I'm toning it down now   I want a slight lift to get slightly bigger tires under it, but I don't want go to 35" or bigger as that'll need regeared diffs, etc, etc.  Plus, 35"+ tires get quite pricey. 

I think I would probably add 1" extra to the rear too, I like a slight rake.

Checked out some bumpers and side rails too.  I'm happy to see many of the manufacturers are now making lighter gauge bumpers that still look like the monster winch bumpers, but without the weight (or the cost). 

Nothing has been decided definitely, but just browsing today, I can do lift, wheels, tires, front and rear bumper and wheel-to-wheel hoop step rails for about $4,100.  Lol, I put almost $10,000 into the diesel Ram on lift, tires, steering brace, aftermarket steering shaft, adjustable track bar, new ball joints and Redhead steering box, no wheels or bumpers.  Not looking to do that again....lol.

[EDL]

15 hours ago, SSchup said:

Here’s a pic for reference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks great, but ooof, that kit is $2,000 (not including coilovers).  

[SSchup]

6 minutes ago, EDL said:

Looks great, but ooof, that kit is $2,000 (not including coilovers).  

I bought mine from Performance lifts, I see they want $1850.00 for it now. I don't think I payed quite that for it. I know some have purchased it from New Level for less. It's a high quality kit that keeps factory geometry, not an over stretched level like the RC 3.5".

That kit does nothing to correct for the tie rods or lower ball joint angles and gives you a small diff drop that still puts the CVs on a pretty extreme angle. 

I just new I wasn't going to put a junk lift on a 60K truck.

[EDL]

You're right.  I spent most of today reading and learning about the various lifts for IFS and all the good and bad points.   I've changed my tune, when I'm ready to do my lift it will be a CST or Cognito kit.  A combination bracket and knuckle lift seems to currently be the best way to lift and keep all the angles good.  Anything else is a compromise somewhere.

I'm planning a 4" lift on 33's and 18" wheels (I want more meat between the wheel and the road surface).  Also planning on the Torxe X3 series bumpers front and rear, a set of wheel-to-wheel side bars with hoop steps and a set of traction bars.  Going to debadge the whole truck, but I will add a set of flat black "6.2L" emblems to the side of the hood cowl.

 

I do have a few chrome pieces (top of side mirrors, lower window sill and 3 of the grill slats) that I'll just tape off and spray with black plasti-dip.  That way, I can peel it off if I ever have to for some reason.  Definitely cheaper than trying to get factory black pieces to replace them with.  Just not sure what I'm going to do with the tiny chrome pieces inside the headlight (not sure if I can get inside the clear housing lens or not).  If not, then I'll live with it as I'm not paying the $500+ for replacements just to get that tiny bit of chrome replaced with all black. 

 

So far, I like the Fuel Vapor wheels, just wish they came in gloss black, they're matte black only in that model, and hopefully I can get them in the right offset and backspacing to set them flush as I personally think this body style of Chevy looks better without flares with mild lifts.  Now, a 7"+ lift with 12" wide wheels and big tires, then the pocket type flares look good.  

Either way, nothing is happening on the truck at least until the warranty is out (June of 2021), besides, the wife gets a new car here pretty soon.  She wants a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Elite, but she's holding out since they didn't make them in Firecracker Red this year (the color she wanted), but according to Jeep, they're going to be available in Spitfire Orange here in a few months, so that's what she wants.  She hasn't had a new vehicle in a while, so it's her turn before any money gets spent on goodies and toys for my truck.

I'm just perusing, reading, learning, day dreaming until I am ready to buy everything and put it on.  Besides, who knows what will be available by next summer.

[EDL]

Since the knuckle based kits kick the front wheels out and also require more negative offset on the wheels, is there anywhere I can find that will indicate how much offset can be used with a particular kit?  I would like to keep the wheels/tires tucked in as close to flush as possible, even flush if that can be done without any rubbing issues.  I really don't want the tires sticking out 2" if possible. 

[Hutch72]

2 hours ago, EDL said:

Since the knuckle based kits kick the front wheels out and also require more negative offset on the wheels, is there anywhere I can find that will indicate how much offset can be used with a particular kit?  I would like to keep the wheels/tires tucked in as close to flush as possible, even flush if that can be done without any rubbing issues.  I really don't want the tires sticking out 2" if possible. 

Fabtech gen 2 kits have no track width increase. 
the mcgaughys 7-9” adjustable only has like a 1/2” increase set at 7”. If 8” isn’t to high for your liking the 8” BDS only has 3/8” front track width. So there are options in the 6” and higher lifts without front track widths. If memory serves the 7” ready lift is very minimal front track width. 

[EDL]

Oh, no. 7+ inches is way too much, not planning to go that high.  4 to 4.5" max. 

[SSchup]

I think your pretty much limited to a bracket kit if you don't want a track width increase. I know the RC 5" bracket kit is a cheaper option to the CST kit, if you don't mind the additional 1/2".

[StormTrooperSilverado]

On 2/4/2014 at 7:14 AM, zboymccurley said:

Ive had a rough country 3.5 on mine for almost 5000 miles and no problems

I have the 3.5 knuckle lift on mine and still have a noticeable rake on the truck...does your truck have rear rake on it?

[NorEaster]

Looking at getting the 4.5" zone lift. Going to run 34 or 35's. I was curious if anyone has any pictures or experience. Have done my fair share of research and read I will also need spacers on the rear. 

[15KSChevy]

12 minutes ago, NorEaster said:

Looking at getting the 4.5" zone lift. Going to run 34 or 35's. I was curious if anyone has any pictures or experience. Have done my fair share of research and read I will also need spacers on the rear. 

I have a zone 4.5 with 33s. Me and my brother installed it over a weekend. Have no issues so far rides nearly the same as stock maybe a tad stiffer. I have bora 2 inch spacers in rear looks identical to front looking down front of truck. Wheels are 18x9 -12 offset

Edited April 5, 2020 by 15KSChevy
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