Trying to decide between 4 different lifts, 2016 GMC Sierra, Zone 4.5, Zone 6.5, RC 5in, Fabtech 6in and Toyo AT 2's 305/55's

SoFloSierra · May 18, 2018

I have read many forums on here and have been looking for something that could answer my questions, so instead of searching I decided to make an account, okay so I plan on lifting my 2016 Sierra 1500 (2wd), and I have been trying to decide between the Zone 4.5, Zone 6.5, Rough Country 5in, and the Fabtech 6in. I know that there is bit of a price difference between the RC and Zone compared to the Fabtech. So it would be nice to save the couple hundred bucks and maybe put it towards a color match for the bumpers. I plan on running Toyo AT 2's 305/55 with either 20 or 22 by 12 wheels. I don't want to regret not going bigger, but don't want my tires to look small on the Zone 6.5 or Fabtech 6in. I would consider 35's but would be concerned with the performance after adding the bigger tires as I have 3.42 gears, and I really do not want to re-gear, along with the other benefits of running 33's. I have seen a couple pictures of trucks with 6in lifts and 33's that don't look too bad, but it can be hard to tell as other ones look tiny, and how it would actually look in person. I considered maybe doing the Zone 4.5 and adding Bilstein 5100's (go up 1.5 in) and the Add a leaf, for a little more height, for trying to find that happy in between. She will be a pavement princess because it is a 2wd afterall, I tow very rarely, and occasionally have a load in the back, but otherwise I use it as my daily driver.

I will be installing this lift myself and reading through the installations on the Zone, the installation seems pretty easy, just time consuming, where as the Rough Country requires drilling on the lower control arm and the crossmember.

What are your suggestions as to how the 305/55 tires would look with the Fabtech or Zone 6.5? Is there that much of a noticeable difference between the height of the zone 4.5 and rough country 5in? Because the Zone sometimes appears to look taller in some pictures. Also if I go with the Zone 4.5 with Bilstein's and add a leaf, what would the truck theoretically sit at after adding them? If I am not going to be towing should I even worry about re-gearing if I went with the 35's?

Any pictures would be great as well.

Edited May 18, 2018 by SoFloSierra

jimmyboy8301 · May 18, 2018

A 305/55 uses a 20” wheel not a 22” wheel. If you want to run a 33.5”ish tire with 22s you just need to find a comparable size tire. My vote goes for one of the Zone kits (whose parent company is bds). I’ve had 2 Zone kits and they’re great kits for a great price. I have the Zone 4.5” with bilstein 5100s adjusted up 1.25” and rear fox 2.0s and the truck rides like a dream. I’m on 33x12.5s and 22x10s

2017 Chevy Silverado LTZ Z71 6.2L
4.5" Zone
22x10 American Force Grips
33x12.5 Nitto Ridge Grapplers
Instagram @wildchevys

SoFloSierra · May 18, 2018

4 hours ago, jimmyboy8301 said:

A 305/55 uses a 20” wheel not a 22” wheel. If you want to run a 33.5”ish tire with 22s you just need to find a comparable size tire. My vote goes for one of the Zone kits (whose parent company is bds). I’ve had 2 Zone kits and they’re great kits for a great price. I have the Zone 4.5” with bilstein 5100s adjusted up 1.25” and rear fox 2.0s and the truck rides like a dream. I’m on 33x12.5s and 22x10s

2017 Chevy Silverado LTZ Z71 6.2L
4.5" Zone
22x10 American Force Grips
33x12.5 Nitto Ridge Grapplers
Instagram @wildchevys

Sweet looking truck! I love how the new Chevy's look lifted. I am set on the Toyo AT 2's, so knowing now the 305/55's only run a 20" rim, but they are about 0.8 inches bigger then the 33X12.5, would these even be a noticeable difference, or should I save the $250 difference and go with the 32.5's?

Edited May 18, 2018 by SoFloSierra

jimmyboy8301 · May 18, 2018

if you're going with a x10 or x12 wide wheel the AT2's in 33x12.5 will look good with a 6" kit. Honestly i'd look at the Zone 4.5" kit with the bilstein 5100's and adjust them up a little. thats your best and cheapest option

the red truck is a CST 4.5" adjusted up 1" on 33x12.5x22 Toyo AT2's on 22x12 Welds

SoFloSierra · May 18, 2018

14 minutes ago, jimmyboy8301 said:

if you're going with a x10 or x12 wide wheel the AT2's in 33x12.5 will look good with a 6" kit. Honestly i'd look at the Zone 4.5" kit with the bilstein 5100's and adjust them up a little. thats your best and cheapest option

the red truck is a CST 4.5" adjusted up 1" on 33x12.5x22 Toyo AT2's on 22x12 Welds

Thanks for the input and great pictures! Definitely still bouncing around all these ideas in my head right now.

Edited May 18, 2018 by SoFloSierra

jimmyboy8301 · May 18, 2018

35 minutes ago, SoFloSierra said:

Thanks for the input and great pictures! Definitely still bouncing around all these ideas in my head right now.

glad to help!

Donstar · May 18, 2018

Nothing grabs my attention like a lifted 4x4 but lifting a 2wd does not fit this model of truck, imo. I have owned mostly 2wd pickups and they call for a look of their own. They look fabulous lowered, stock or leveled. Definitely make the truck as you wish but I recommend continuing to research how to spend your modification dollar.

Edited May 18, 2018 by Donstar

SoFloSierra · May 18, 2018

15 minutes ago, Donstar said:

Nothing grabs my attention like a lifted 4x4 but lifting a 2wd does not fit this model of truck, imo. I have owned mostly 2wd pickups and they call for a look of their own. They look fabulous lowered, stock or leveled. Definitely make the truck as you wish but I recommend continuing to research how to spend your modification dollar.

Yea, I do understand that lifting a 2wd can be impractical, but I love the look of the bigger tires and I hate the rake it is has right now. I figured I would give it a try and live with my decision, love it or hate it, until it is time to get a new one. Thank you for the advice.

jacobrmiller05 · May 20, 2018

I’m running the RC 5” kit on my 17. The instructions say you can to cut, but it was 100% bolt on. I’m running 295/55/20 on stock rims and have no issues. It took about 4 hours to do on jackstands in my garage.

SoFloSierra · May 21, 2018

1 hour ago, jacobrmiller05 said:

I’m running the RC 5” kit on my 17. The instructions say you can to cut, but it was 100% bolt on. I’m running 295/55/20 on stock rims and have no issues. It took about 4 hours to do on jackstands in my garage.

So no cutting the cross members or anything like that except for the tie rods and dust shield?

jacobrmiller05 · May 21, 2018

9 minutes ago, SoFloSierra said:

So no cutting the cross members or anything like that except for the tie rods and dust shield?

Correct. I just took the shield off on mine

SoFloSierra · May 21, 2018

23 minutes ago, jacobrmiller05 said:

Correct. I just took the shield off on mine

Alright, thank you for the information, really appreciate it. By the way clean looking truck!

emeryz28 · May 21, 2018

I have the 2.5 RC and 305/50 on a +1 offset 20x9 wheel. I could have and should have gone 305/55 and just had to deal with sime minor cutting or zip tying. I guess my point is you don't need to go with such a big lift and spend more money if you only want to fit 305/55

SoFloSierra · May 21, 2018

2 hours ago, emeryz28 said:

I have the 2.5 RC and 305/50 on a +1 offset 20x9 wheel. I could have and should have gone 305/55 and just had to deal with sime minor cutting or zip tying. I guess my point is you don't need to go with such a big lift and spend more money if you only want to fit 305/55

Well with the zone kits they are actually the same price for the 4.5 and 6.5, so that is why I don't want to regret not going bigger when I could have for the same price. But I do see where you are coming from.

diegosaurus · June 5, 2018

On ‎5‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 8:38 PM, jacobrmiller05 said:

Correct. I just took the shield off on mine

Did you get the 5" bracket kit or 5" knuckle kit? I looked at the 5" bracket kit instructions on their site and it looked like they did a lot of cutting.