Looking for feedback on these 4 inch lifts, pro/cons...


I dont know all about what to look for and what to stay away from, as far as construction and such. So any info would be great. Both companies from what ive been able to gather here are both first class. So I guess it has to do more with the build quality and design then anything. Looking at the kit pictures, looks like a lot more parts with the BDS vs Rancho but they may not have all parts pictured either.

BDS
http://www.bds-suspension.com/kits/576H

Rancho
http://www.gorancho.com/products/sus...6_f150_4wd.php

 

I have the Rancho 4" lift and i have no complaints. Took about 10 to 12hrs to install with out a lift. Cut one cross member. My kit came with the RSX9000 shocks and they have a good ride. When I got it aligned the shop said they usually hate aligning lift, but said that this one seems well built and was not bad to do. Good luck and your truck will love you after you get her up on her high heels!

 

The 4" BDS kit is new so i doubt anyone one here has it yet.

It does come with strut spacers, but you can always buy the bilstein struts for 4-6" lifts. Rancho it you need to buy struts either way.

Not sure on the price, but i would ballpark it to be around $1,500-1,600, considering i got quoted $1,650 for the basic 6" BDS kit

BDS does have the best warranty in the business. you break it , they replace it for free period.

Personally i wouldnt pay over $2,000 for a 4" kit then again i wouldnt buy a 4" lift to begin with, its not worth paying all that extra money to be 2" higher than a leveling kit.

the Rancho is a great kit. a plus with the rancho is , i ve read some members got 5" outta of the lift and you can also run your stock wheels

tough call

 

Go ahead and spend the little extra cash to get a 6" Fabtech or BDS lift. Cause once you install a 4" lift, you will wish that you had of gone with the 6" and 35" tires, most people do want to go bigger once they get lifted. Heck I have 9" and want more.

But between the two, both companies are very good and they both make a high quality product. It basically comes down to which system you like better.

 

Well thats what I was wondering if it was so new that it would be hard to find someone that had it.
One of my concerns was basically if a strut spacer is a good or bad thing, kinda like not stacking blocks in the rear.?
So they did it to maintain the factory ride up front or what?
But you think I can delete the strut spacer and get a set of bilsteins for the front?
How much are the bilsteins for the front?



Was leaning towards the 4" then 6", but want to stick with 35" tires and was afraid they would look small on the 6" lift.


In either case they both advertise being able to run your stock wheels.
BDS says 18/20's with stock tires
Rancho just says stock wheels.
So if I + a tire size BDS I guess wont work where the Rancho may or may not.

 

Would like to have a 6", but gotta be able to get the munchkins up in it and the old man 120lbs dog! Can't complain though, I am satisfied with the looks, capability and ride all in my family off roadin grocery getter!

 

Well i would go with rancho, simply because they have a 500 dollar mail in rebate on 4wheelparts....if you wanna save a few benjamins i would go that route, and i dont have one but have heard they are a very nice lift

 

Most basic lifts come with strut spacers/strut extensions.

As long as your not doing any hardcore off-roading, you ll be fine.

Since you ll reuse your factory struts, it will keep the ride same ride more or less, biggest factor is usually the tires that affect the ride

heres a link to the bilsteins
http://www.topguncustomz.com/Store/G...view=248983549


Yeah i hear ya , if your constricted height wise, 4" is the way to go.

 

x2, it always happens

 

I went with the Rancho 4" and couldn't be happier. At 41 I wouldn't have gone any higher either. The Goodyears ended up at almost 35" so the truck sits pretty high and I think the tire size to lift height is pretty good.

Everybody will tell you what to do, you need to remember it's your truck do what you want. I looked at a LOT of forum members' albums and checked the info on their trucks before I decided what I wanted because it's not cheap.

And my self-install was in the area of 18 hours with no lift and having to run to the FD to borrow some tools, the parts store to rent some tools and cut off one tie rod... oh, and pick up the truck off the floor... :o That Rancho subframe is stout!!

 

i allso went with the rancho 4inch lift its close to 5 inches of lift and i run 35's with no issues i allso put the rs9000 on and it rides great and still fits in the garage and not a pia to park and is a good off road truck

 

Not everyone wants to have the tallest truck on the block.
Where I'm from (not KY) it pays to have a lower center of gravity. Also if you actually use the truck to haul things, carry dirt bikes etc like it is meant for, you aren't going to want 9"+ of lift. I've loaded dirt bikes in the back of an F150 with 9" of lift and 37s and it blows.

35's will fit with 4" or 4.5" of lift, so for me personally I have no desire to run a 6" or higher lift. I don't want to run bigger tires than 35's on the IFS and overstress the 8.8 and CV joints, not to mention having decent braking when towing. The 35's fit with a leveling kit as well, but there IS a big benefit to a 4" lift over a leveling kit. You get the front end back to stock alignment specs, flatten the axleshafts out and get more down travel from ride height, meaning a better ride off road.

So from looking at the BDS kit, I would say that one of the big differences is the front track width. From what I can tell, the BDS will not increase the front track width. Because of the taller knuckle and factory track width, a stock wheel will not clear the upper part of the knuckle. This means that you generally need a wheel with 4.5" of backspacing, which most aftermarket wheels are. The front and rear track width will be the same or very close. You will need new wheels right away. The strut spacer up front isn't ideal but there is nothing wrong with it. You can always upgrade to bilsteins or coilovers later.

With the Rancho, the front track width is increased. There is a spacer on the CV shafts, and the hub is further out on the knuckles. This is why you can run factory wheels with the Rancho kit. But wheels with 4.5" of backspacing up front are really going to stick out with that setup. Most people seem to run wheels with 5.5-6" of backspacing with that kit, and there is less selection in that size. Plus with that backspacing, you have very little clearance in the rear between the tires and the shocks, and the tires and the parking brake cable. But I haven't heard anything bad about the lift, just different preferences. Rancho is offering rebates up to $500 on their lifts through August as well which makes it appealing.

I would look at the superlift 4.5" lift too. It would be more similar to the BDS kit. It uses a front spacer, your choice of rear shocks with a 2.5" add-a-leaf, and has a nicer and stronger looking subframe/skidplate. Front/rear track widths will be closer matched and you will need new wheels (4.5" BS) as well.

 

Forgot to mention that, I got about 4.75" of lift with mine, maybe a tad more. From what I've read here looks like most members here have averaged 4.5" with the Rancho.

And yes, loading stuff into the bed is noticeably more difficult. IMO a 4" lift and 33" tires are probably the most practical for frequent loading/unloading and getting in and out of the bed. The younger crowd will probably have a different opinion on that though.

 

So what your saying with the BDS is the look of the truck from the front or rear would be more like
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Rancho would look more like this from the front or rear of the truck
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I have 18's for factory stock wheels and 20x9's for my aftermarket wheels for those the specs say 18 offset / 5.71 backside (backspace?)
I went out the garage and measured the from the back of the wheel where it bolts to the truck and ran another tape along the the back of the rim for a reference point and measured 5-5/8 . So is this my backspacing and will it work on either the BDS or the Rancho with a 35x12.5 tire?

 

I believe with that backspacing it would only work with the Rancho. But it will look good!