Anyone with BDS 7" NTBD lifts?

[DurtyMaxin]

I've been running my BDS 7" NTBD lift for about a year now, I currently run the Z-71 bump stops, but the bump stop contacts my control arm bracket (torsion bar bracket I should say) at an angle, which pushes the jounce bumper up at an angle. My ride in the front is not all that great, and after riding in a friends Duramax with the same lift, his rides like a dream. Same lift, same shocks, I'm a 2004.5, hes a 2006. The only difference is he has factory UCA's, and I have Cognito UCA's, and he didn't use the jounce bumper drop bracket, he bolted the jounce bumpers to the factory location on the frame and, so when the control arm cycles up it contacts the the jounce bumper above the torsion bar cs below it next to the shock mount. I feel this puts stress on the torsion bar mount and might result in a failure and a valid reason for BDS to not honor the lifetime warranty.

I'm curious about my jounce bumpers, at ride height, the side of the bumper is almost parallel with the flat spot on the torsion bar bracket that the jounce bumper is supposed to be contacting. Does anyone have any pictures of your set ups so I can compare them and see whats up with mine? Or is what I described normal and acceptable?

Thanks guys!

 

[Max Attitude]

I would contact BDS to see what they say. Welcome to DD!

 

[DurtyMaxin]

I would contact BDS to see what they say. Welcome to DD!

Thank you! Long time lurker. I have contacted BDS and they said they had no knowledge about the Z-71 jounce bumpers. The guy on the phone recommended the factory round end jounce bumpers but I blew through a set of those back when I had my CST 9-11" lift on there, and I think it was off-road a total of 3 times before the left mount ripped apart. I would much rather keep the Z-71 mounts if they can work with the kit.

I just got back from a drive and decided to launch the train tracks, front end popped up steering wheel went loose and when I felt the front end contact the pavement again and my suspension was smooth as butter! But when I drive normal and hit rough pavement/pot holes//expansion joints/graded road it hits hard... really annoying. The trucks no beauty queen so its no matter but its been a year and I would really like to get this taken care of you know.

Thanks!

 

[Max Attitude]

Are you and your buddies tire sizes different? Even different brand tires might ride different…different load ratings? This is actually the first time I have heard of the BDS NTBD kit. I thought Cognito was the only one with it. Good to know! Make a garage and post some pictures of that beast. :thumb:

 

[DurtyMaxin]

Are you and your buddies tire sizes different? Even different brand tires might ride different…different load ratings? This is actually the first time I have heard of the BDS NTBD kit. I thought Cognito was the only one with it. Good to know! Make a garage and post some pictures of that beast. :thumb:

Yes BDS makes it and it's actually a really nice kit! There was only one catch that made it irritating but that's not BDS's fault, it was mine for not checking clearance of the jounce bumper drop bracket and torsion bar bracket on the control arm. There was rubbing between the two. I have 35" Kumho A/T, he had Pro Comp A/T's, same size, but mine are bald and his aren't, both load range D. I thought the rough ride was my cab only had 2 bolts holding it on the frame, so I went through cleaned everything up and put new bolts from an 05 Dually and that quieted the mounts up, made the cab solid and helped a little bit, but the front rides still crappy. I have 6" deavers in the rear and with no spare and nothing in the bed my rear end bounces all kinds of crazy! Still better than the 10" Atlas springs the deavers replaced though. I'll post some pics tonight