BDS 4" or 3" OME/bilstein/icon/toytec

I went to a local Offroad shop today and they recommended the BDS Suspension 4" kit. As soon as I told him I wanted to run a 3" lift he immediately stated its a leveling kit due to the fact that there's a large amount of stress on the ball joints, even if I am doing uniball UCA's the LCA ball joint gets messed up pretty bad and the fact that the CV axles are at such an extreme angle when they're supposed to be almost level and that I would want to drop the diff more than the diff drop brackets do (he said they only roll the front forward)

So when I looked up the lift I noticed it utilizes the stock suspension, and a spacer, aswell as a 3" spacer for the rear, which they said ISNT a big deal so I was okay with that but the stock suspension with a spacer I kinda had an issue with unless he's planning on getting me a kit with new coils? I don't know I'll have to ask him again. And apparently the BDS warranty is rad.

But the main thing is he talked about the stresses it puts on the parts that you don't really see or feel. So idk if that's a thing so I'm asking you guys lol. Because I plan on wheeling this truck a bit but it mostly likely be on the road more than off.

So all input is welcome and thanks in advance.

 

The 4" bds is a drop bracket kit. The spacer is used on top because the kit comes with new lower crossmembers that bolt to your existing ones to lower the suspension 4". All that spacer does is makes up the difference when using your stock coilover. If you decide to use a db kit the basic kits come with the top hat spacer. What you can do is like I did and radtaco914 is get the bilstein front shocks used on the rcd kit. This is a longer non adjustable 5100 and you just use your existing coil with it. This way you won't have to use the top hat spacer.

 

What use will the truck see? Offroad? Pavement pounder?

My vote is 3"

 

Procomp, fabtech,zone,bds all use a spacer with the basic kit. The rcd front shocks can be ordered separately and used on any db kit which is a cheaper alternative to shelling out 1k on aftermarket coilovers.


bilstein f4-be5-e122

http://www.cumminsperformanceparts.com/rcdf4be5e122t0.html

 

Yeah I just don't know much about this stuff so that's why I'm asking, seemed super awesome the way he explained it. But I do plan going offroad quite a bit. I do wanna hit rausch creek eventually and I already take it through quite a bit of shit haha.

He just doesn't want me coming back in 2 months with a broken CV or something from it being so stressed along with the ball joints

 

Icons

 

The db kit will keep your stock cv angles like stock as well as your tie rod angles. With the db kits the spindle is longer and on the longer spindle the tie rod mounts from the top allowing the better angle.
The one db kit to stay away from is the rough country. If you are looking at the bds you might also want to consider the zone kit. Zone and bds kits are the same and only major difference is the stamping of the skid plate.

 

i can't help myself but it seems crazy that after 1500 posts your not well versed in this stuff.
along with whats been said, drop bracket kits look the part but don't seem to offer much to help with the trucks off-road ability.
a 3" kit (depending on the kit) can offer more droop if coupled with better uca's.
so based on your interests i would probably go with a 2.5-3" lift that isn't one of the cheapies and some new uca's.
i love mine and it considerably more athletic than it was before.

 

Yeah there's that. Lol I was looking at OME with 886 for bumper and winch. And the all-pro expo leaf pack.

I would never put rough country on anything lol. I'm just confused on what to do now because it will see dirt and mud. And I don't want to limit the travel. Everyone says the OME is a great kit it's just this guy is now confusing everything lol, he said he wants to do it the right way with all the angles and stuff. I was just unaware that it kept the stock suspension.

 

1500 posts mostly in photo/general threads usually, rarely post in here and I couldn't find any info on the 4" kit, just the 6". I've only had the truck for a year and it's my first one. Anyway that's what I was planning on doing. Either an OME or something of that caliber with total chaos UCA's and possibly LCA's down the road. Until he said to do it differently to keep the stresses on parts to a minimum.

 

OME would be a good direction to go. the only reason i didn't lean that way myself was that i had already replaced my shocks with 5100's and didn't need to replace them.
my toytec 3" allowed a lift that can be purchased with or without new shocks.
also keep in mind that the new uca's will rival the price of the entire lift. it was a tough pill to swallow but you may as well do it right!

 

That's the thing I have a guy who has being doing this stuff for 30 years telling me to do the BDS kit and drop the suspension and I do want more clearance. Lol I wonder if he'll just do it for me anyway or I could just probably find some help.

I'm assuming no really bad things have happened in terms of the CV LCA and tie rod angles since everyone likes the 3" kits

 

Bad things happen to CVs and tie rods when you put on a lift and go wheel. It could happen to a stock setup too. Not as likely but could still happen. If you're going to go wheel there is always the chance of something breaking on the trail. Carry spare parts and go have fun. Nature of the beast.

Oh, and 2.5" lift FTW.

 

Yeah exactly I don't want something just for show haha.

 

i would agree that the lifespan of the stock parts is likely to prematurely fail with anything that alters the normal operating angles of these parts. however, i would also argue that using a drop bracket system to wheel in regularly also will lead you to breaking parts prematurely as well.
i question if this person selling the bds kit only sells these style of kit and is bias due to that reason maybe? if your concern is installation, many of us installed our own lifts; myself included.

 

x2 ^^ u went to a shop on long island?im from long island i know the owner of a shop there. well actually the only real 4x4 shop on long island. if it is the shop i think it is he did 2 trucks for me and knows his shit. u can pm me if u like.

 

I just think he doesn't want me to run into any issues because he's had people come back and be like well this and this went wrong when you did my lift. My main concern is installation, he also quoted me $3450 out the door on a $2000 kit. That's nuts. But I guess the amount of work entailed is more because it said some stuff had to be welded.

 

Pm sent

 

HAHAHAHA yeah that's what I said, there's welding involved and crap though so I guess that's why. Idfk haha. Welding alignment, installation.