mcgaughys lifts..

duster89 · October 29, 2014

So I'll start by saying I've got a 2014 Silverado 100th with a 5.3L. I ordered a Mcgaughys 7-9" black ss kit. I chose this kit because it looks amazing and because I have heard that they are top of the line and very easy to install kits, only downfall is there up there a bit for price.

I just put a 6" zone lift in my duramax lift 3 months ago and it was fairly straight forward. The Mcgaughys instructions are at best a 4/10. They are heavily lacking on important details, they tell you in one of the steps to remove the 4 bolts holding in the front differential. However only 3 of the 4 are accessible after doing there previous steps. The 4th you can only get out by removing the 2 lower bolts for the stearing gear and losening the upper 2. I have wayyyy more examples but I don't want this to turn into a novel.

It was little examples such as that made this kit a mess to install. Instead of being a high end kit like there supposed to be with great instructions, I had to resort to using zone or fabtechs instructions for the details on how to install parts exactly how they want ( ex. Brake like drop brackets, many different ways to install and there's a left and right bracket which isn't labeled which side is what)

Next to terrible instructions, the one side compression strut didn't fit properly on the truck and after talking to them, there customer service told me I should just elongate the hole on the bracket to make it work(over half the hole wasn't lined up and couldn't get it into place even with a prybar). Besides the ccompression strut, the U bolts were 1" too short! Even after being tightened WITHOUT the washer they tell you to use, threads only came half way through the nut. I need my truck everyday to get to work so I had u bolts made up so I didn't have to wait for Mcgaughys to send me new ones, assuming there customer service would understand this and be able to compensate me some other way.

After all the talking to them back and forth, I figured since I already have u bolts, I may as well just get them to send me some add a leafs for all the trouble. Considering I was into 80$ for u bolts, and (because I'm from Canada) over 50$ in phone bills to call to the states. There distributers sell the add a leafs for about 100$ so I figured at least it's close.

Needless to say, they didn't want to help one bit. They said there instructions were top on the line, never had any complaints on them. Brandt told me that he didn't believe that the compression struts didn't line up or anything else that I had told him and that I must have the only kit out there that wasn't absolutely perfect because there all made at the same place and they've never had any complaints.

Moral of the story is, the customer service is absolutely horrendous, and they didn't offer anything but to send me new u bolts which I don't need. They said the u bolts would be fine with half a nut of threads on there (not a chance is that safe). Definitely the absolute last Mcgaughys kit I will ever spend money on! It's one thing if the company helps there customers if there was an issue, it's another for them to just replace what they screwed up on in the first place an make me have to cover costs of calling them to sort it out and have to drive an hour and a half to the place they were would ship to my distributer! No way should I be losing out on the end of this, unfortunately some companies lose many customers due to poor service. Enjoy your night boys an girls!

blackout07 · October 29, 2014

There's nothing worse than a poor experience such as this where a lot of money is involved, even if you are the exception, which I believe to be the case here. I completely understand you when you say they won't see anymore of your money. But don't expect anyone to listen. I had these same experiences with Rough Country on top of piss poor quality. The difference was that you could find dozens if not hundreds of similar reviews, but people ignored them. Anyway, thanks for the info. I'll keep it in mind next time I'm in the market,

John_chadra1 · March 10, 2015

SO..... I got my lift last summer. I was sent the incorrect spindles, had to have them next day aired and had to pay extra labor to have them swapped out. First set of lower strut bushings were junk within the first week of driving it. I was sent new bushings and had to pay the labor to swap them out. Second set of bushing are now junk. I called and they sent me 2 new struts with "updated" bushings. They showed up yesterday and today I was having them put in. Passenger went good, drivers side something internal was junk in the new strut I just received. SO now truck is sitting apart on hoist and have to wait until tomorrow AM for another strut to show up. Mcgaughys will not help me with ANY labor cost, even though they keep sending me JUNK!!!! NOT A HAPPY CUSTOMER, WILL NEVER BUT ANOTHER MCGAUGHYS PRODUCT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUYERS BEWARE.

f8l vnm · March 10, 2015

Been hearing about this Sh**Y service more and more often . Ill make sure to stay away from MCGAUGHYS PRODUCTS.

Truly sad when your hard earned money is being shat on.

Gmcant33 · March 10, 2015

Man this make decision so difficult I hear so many good things and now this with modern age technology and our ability to strive for perfection I would think there would be someone in corporate reviewing the instructions to ensure that it is clear and freindly.lack in pride is slowly fading in this world.

crafferty · March 10, 2015

Sorry to hear about your experience with them. At one point I had looked into their lifts but was turned away when I noticed they hadn't updated there website in years. As silly as that may sound it drove me away from making a purchase. I figure if a company can not invest a couple thousand dollars a year to at least maintain a website then other area's may be slacking as well. Sadly a few years ago McGaughys was held to high standard but it seems they are slipping. Hope it all works out for you in the end.

blackout07 · March 10, 2015

If you want a similar, if not basically the same kit, get Fabtech.

Chris the navy mech · March 11, 2015

the fabtech is the way i will go

gatoroi · March 11, 2015

No complaints on my Fabtech lift so far!

stamgd1909 · March 12, 2015

Their customer service is awful, and the install instructions are beyond bad. The lift itself has been top notch though, I did have the bushings replaced, but everything else has been great.

Coy Kim Guillotte · October 28, 2017

At least some of y'all got y'all bushings replaced with new ones, I was told that it was a manufacturing defect and that mcgauphys would replace them but when I called customer service they told me they didn't have any and that I would have to purchase new struts!

diyer2 · October 28, 2017

Keep moding, keep paying.

Nasty · October 28, 2017

Can you post a picture of what you mean by the strut not fitting. Because my friend had the same kit and on the passenger side the cpik spring was rubbing agsinst the UCA and no one noticed it but me

country_09 · October 28, 2017

Sucks to hear. I bought a mcgaughys for my nbs in their silver powder color. Got it and the “powder” was a think layer of paint really. Needless to say they compensated me for it and were more than willing to make it right when I sent them pictures of everything. Instructions weren’t bad, pictures could’ve been better I guess but this was also the 5th or 6th lift I’ve put on at this point on various trucks so I knew where things needed to go. Sorry to hear about your experience, like said people are still goin to buy their products. Fabtech is a good lift from my experience but also not perfect. Best one I’ve put on is cognitive without a doubt. Top notch everything.