Leveling Kit vs Lift Kit

[J_Stone06]

So, here is my dilemma. I can't decide whether to buy the Cognito Leveling Kit with the replacement UCA's or get a mild lift kit. I have smaller kids, but also want to enhance the stance of the truck (level it essentially). I keep hearing about how bad leveling kits are on your CV's and other front end linkage components and I am in need of some wisdom as I am not a mechanical guru or self proclaimed wrench head. I can do bolt-on stuff with instructions though. Thanks.

 

[TeaBagger2006]

Cognito also sells a 4" kit which will give you the leveled look and won't affect ride height much. The big plus is you will have really good angles on all your suspension parts. Stay away from leveling kits! There are cheaper kits like the rancho 4" or tough country lift. You really can't go wrong with any of those kits

no leveling kit

 

[J_Stone06]

Sounds good. I have looked at the 4-6 inch cognito lifts, but they want an arm and a leg for those. Do the other kits still keep the CV's at an acceptable angle or is cognito in a class of their own? How hard is the lift install itself? I have basic tools/ jack/ jack stands and torque wrench. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew in a weekend. Thanks for the wisdom.

 

[TeaBagger2006]

I've never heard anything bad about any of those kits. As long as you don't crank the tbars , all your angles will he perfect which also translates to a comfy ride. Cognito is by far the most expensive. I'd personally go with the rancho one. As far as installation, it takes time but it's not hard. Pneumatic tools will be your best friend and a bud to help out is necessary too. A friend helped me install mine on my driveway, if it wasn't for some wrong parts i'm sure we would of knocked it out in 2 days

 

[J_Stone06]

I appreciate the schooling on this topic man. I don't have pneumatic tools (don't have a compressor big enough to push that much air constantly) .

 

[ChevyDieselLLY]

I've never heard anything bad about any of those kits. As long as you don't crank the tbars , all your angles will he perfect which also translates to a comfy ride. Cognito is by far the most expensive. I'd personally go with the rancho one. As far as installation, it takes time but it's not hard. Pneumatic tools will be your best friend and a bud to help out is necessary too. A friend helped me install mine on my driveway, if it wasn't for some wrong parts i'm sure we would of knocked it out in 2 days

Hear it takes longer on those damn lbz.

 

[bigjohn]

I' thought that if you Max out the torsion bars it wasn't good.

 

[Devon]

On stock suspension components it is not good at all. Real bad angles and what not for the cv's


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[Sledheadxp800r]

4" Cognito or 4" tuff country are probably your best bet. If you do decide to just level the truck I would run some cognito UCAs.

 

[Chevy1925]

Hear it takes longer on those damn lbz.

hes got a fabtech, thats even harder on him

I' thought that if you Max out the torsion bars it wasn't good.

you are correct

On stock suspension components it is not good at all. Real bad angles and what not for the cv's


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even on a lift kit you should not be maxing your bars, if you are, you bought the wrong size kit and you really are not saving yourself anything. Fabtech lifts are a prime example of bad design. Their 8" lift only drops the diff 6" and the steering is designed around a 6" drop too based of the spindles. Even the UCA set at fabtechs specs for height is way too close to the UCA bumpstop and it gives a rougher ride than would could actually be obtained. Kit has nasty bumpsteer in it too due to the knuckle design.