5" Pro Comp + Leveling Kit?

ezskanken · January 27, 2009

Hey Everybody,

Newbie Donkey again. I was researching a little more on Pro Comp suspension lifts on 4WheelParts.com and saw that they had a 5" suspension lift that increased the factory tire width a full 3"s. It's the look I'm wanting sort of a "stocky" look if you can imagine that? I think it will look really good with the step side bed. Anyway, I was wondering why people put leveling kits on their trucks? Is it a "cheap" lift (if I can call it that) or is it really something to clear a little bigger tire while keeping everything else stock? I guess I'm asking would this lift and say a 1 1/2" - 2" leveling kit be a good idea to achive the height I want? Why not just get a suspension lift that increases my truck height the way I want it? Cheaper way of going about it? Will I be able to run a wider tire to enhance the "stocky" look I'm going for? Now I know I will have to invest in some fender flares for sure, Bushwacker seems to be the popular brand. But like I mention in the sub-title, I'm sort of lost in the whole leveling kit deal. Thanks in advance everyone, especially those of you that have answered everyone of my post, really educates me in the whole suspension world and makes my decisions about my truck a whole lot easier. So thanks again...

p.s. still trying to figure out how I can put a picture up under my name and in my signature

Oh, and it's a knuckle system, I know you guys like a full drop down system. I'm still reading and learing about the differences on that as well...thanks

BuckFeverZ · January 27, 2009

I haven't looked at Pro Comp's website at that particular lift, but if it doesn't drop the front differential a full 5" than it is not a true 5" lift and would require you to crank your torsion bars to achieve that 5" of lift. If it does drop the front differential 5", then yes, you could crank the torsion bars some more to get more lift. It's recommended not to crank them more that 2" to prevent premature front end wear.

No matter what the case is, leveling kits are waste of money IMO on pre-GMT900 trucks. You can get all the lift you need out of the stock torsion keys.

dhansell22 · February 2, 2009

I have the 5" kit and it is totally worthless. Don't waste your money on it. Go for the full drop 6"

BuckFeverZ · February 2, 2009

Care to inform us why it's worthless?

J-man67 · February 3, 2009

I have the 5" kit and it is totally worthless. Don't waste your money on it. Go for the full drop 6"

HAHA, how do you really feel?

ezskanken · February 5, 2009

thanks for the heads up dave!

dhansell22 · February 7, 2009

Well, after having my cv pull completely out of its housing as I was leaving the jobsite today going down a hill and turning a corner I am once again reminded of how pissed off I am that I ever bought this kit. Usually the flange breaks but this time it just popped all the way out. I know people will tell me that my cv angle is too steep. After installing the kit and seeing it only lift the front 4" I cranked 1". I don't think that was asking too much. I think I'm on my 5th cv now. I'll put up some pics tomorrow that show how even on level ground, the joint is already pulling out of the housing and into the boot. If I were to take out that extra inch the joint would still be dangerously close to the weak outer edge of the housing. I just think it is a poor design. Are you informed enough now??

ezskanken · February 7, 2009

sorry, but i cracked a smile (couldn't help it) and yes, thanks for the useful, very helpful, and most importatntly, money saving advice! thanks again everybody...

dhansell22 · February 7, 2009

BuckFeverZ · February 7, 2009

Well, after having my cv pull completely out of its housing as I was leaving the jobsite today going down a hill and turning a corner I am once again reminded of how pissed off I am that I ever bought this kit. Usually the flange breaks but this time it just popped all the way out. I know people will tell me that my cv angle is too steep. After installing the kit and seeing it only lift the front 4" I cranked 1". I don't think that was asking too much. I think I'm on my 5th cv now. I'll put up some pics tomorrow that show how even on level ground, the joint is already pulling out of the housing and into the boot. If I were to take out that extra inch the joint would still be dangerously close to the weak outer edge of the housing. I just think it is a poor design. Are you informed enough now??

Sorry to hear about your luck, but I know at least I want to know someones reasoning why something is worthless rather than just saying its a POS

dhansell22 · February 7, 2009

The screwed up thing is I thought I was buying the 6" but the scumbags at the tire shop I bought it from gave me the 5". They even whited out the front page of the directions where it said 5" and then gave me the photocopy. By the time I checked part numbers it was too late because I already had installed it.

ezskanken · February 10, 2009

Uhhh...I'm no lawyer or anything, but I think I hear "early retirement..."

dhansell22 · February 11, 2009

I tried the BAR, the BBB, the police and had no luck. Ebay wouldn't cover it because I went and bought it in person. I did track down a number of other people who had the same thing happen from this guy. Some of them didn't even know until I told them to check. In the end nobody really wanted to pursue it legally. I was told by the BAR and the cop that I needed to go to small claims court. But that's just way too much trouble. After all the stir I caused he finally changed the ad to say 5"/3" instead of full 6". What a piece of shit.

08_Denali_22 · February 11, 2009

Aside from the guy at the tire shop being a complete con-artist I fail to see why this is Procomp's fault. The kit that you got hosed into buying was a 5" kit not a 6" Being as not all trucks sit at the same height from the factory as not all t-bars are set the same your kit ended up only giving you 4" instead of the 5" it claimed while being set at their specified settings. So you modified the kit into giving you at least another inch therefore changing the kit from the settings that Procomp designed into it. Because of this modification you did your tearing up cv's and blaming Procomp. Awesome.

To the OP don't be afraid of running a knuckle kit over a full drop because of this. I've ran a 6" knuckle kit from Rough Country for many years without any issues. I've also beat on the truck harder than most aswell. The trick to longevity with your cv's, balljoints, and tie-rod ends with these kits is to avoid cranking the bars past what the lift manufacturer recommends. This includes leveling kits with a knuckle lift. It overly stresses everything in the suspension past operating limits and something is going to give. When people purchase a 6" (or 5") knuckle kit and get greedy with the t-bars by turning them up to 7"+ they break stuff. All the sudden its the lift manufacturers fault because they didn't by the 7"+ kit they originally wanted.

dhansell22 · March 4, 2009

Can you explain to me how factory t-bar settings have anything to do with not getting the full 5 inches as stated on the kit? 5 inches of drop is 5 inches of lift regardless of factory setting as long as you set the bar back to where it was before the kit goes on. Am I wrong? I can see how one truck may sit different from another but they should still achieve 5" of additional lift.