Ok...So the question everyone asks when buying a lift...

[Daven]

Should i REALLY save that extra cash and get that really good lift thats like twice the price and does, in theory, the same thing?

I know that it is very wise to get the "better" well known brands, even tho they are more expensive. But is there really that much of a difference and risk between, say, a skyjacker suspension lift and a tuff country lift? Both appear to be the same thing, include the same things. But is it more or less because Skyjacker is more well known and acknowledged that their kit costs near or over twice what the tuff country seems to?

I was going to buy the 4" tuff country lift until i ran across there apearantly being a 6" suspension for 500 bucks somewhere online. I was obviously going to look up the brand... But everyone stresses on here how bad the cheap lifts can get and that everyone would be better off saving for that extra while to get the good stuff first. I do not know much about lifts, just keep hearing on here to go with Skyjacker or James Duff. Idk abotu JD, but i know skyjacker is extreemly pricey (to me anyways).

Is there a brand out there that is good enough to last and perform decently without twice the pricetag? I'm not really building a dedicated trail rig, more of a winter beast and toy for the odd offroading. It is my DD right now and when i get a summer vehicle will be the winter beast. But i do obviously like to push it a bit like anyone else. I wanted to lift it as much as possible and throw on some nice big tires. Was planning to go 6" susp (or something like that), 3" BL, run 33"s and after thats all done look at the amount of lift and consider stuff like soil spacers to go up even further if i wanted to

All opinions and ideas are really apreciated. I hate being so impateint with this stuff, but i really wanna get things going lol

 

[ranger_mclaren]

When it comes to lifts I'd stay around the bands you've heard off cause theres a reason you've heard of'em. Now off brands my be cheaper but you may have problems with fitment and reliablilty. I heard of people buying lifts that may not all be there or the springs are wrong or you may half to modify to fit etc, etc.. Go with a company that knows what they are doing and have been doing it for a while even if it may cost a little extra.

 

[TheTopher]

When it comes to lifts I'd stay around the bands you've heard off cause theres a reason you've heard of'em. Now off brands my be cheaper but you may have problems with fitment and reliablilty. I heard of people buying lifts that may not all be there or the springs are wrong or you may half to modify to fit etc, etc.. Go with a company that knows what they are doing and have been doing it for a while even if it may cost a little extra.

+1

Proper dimensions are CRUCIAL with lifts, the last thing you want to do is screw up your suspension geometry.

 

[Capt Jay]

Sky jacker is nice stuff. James Duff is shit. I wouldn't put that crap on my worst enemy's chevy. Super lift is Ok. It's less expensive and and less quality. If your a weekender you'll never have a problem. Unless your driving your truck to the absolute extreme you'll never have a problem. On the other hand if your driving your truck to that extreme, you'll end up customizing any way. So it's ok to buy in your price range if it's in your driving level. Just don't buy Duff. Learn from our/my mistakes.

 

[Daven]

EVERYTHING I KNOW IS ALL WRONG!! Lol jk. But i thought i seen quite a few people on here talking good about james duff? Its not like i would know from personal experience lol Thats what you guys are for!

Lol maybe it could help if i asked if anyone knew of a good store online but in canada? So i wouldnt have to pay as much shipping and maybe even find a good deal lol. Sucks being up here sometimes... missing out on free shipping :/

 

[heptofite]

Sky jacker is nice stuff. James Duff is shit. I wouldn't put that crap on my worst enemy's chevy. Super lift is Ok. It's less expensive and and less quality. If your a weekender you'll never have a problem. Unless your driving your truck to the absolute extreme you'll never have a problem. On the other hand if your driving your truck to that extreme, you'll end up customizing any way. So it's ok to buy in your price range if it's in your driving level. Just don't buy Duff. Learn from our/my mistakes.

why is duff shit?

 

[TheTopher]

why is duff shit?

 

[Surrey]

EVERYTHING I KNOW IS ALL WRONG!! Lol jk. But i thought i seen quite a few people on here talking good about james duff? Its not like i would know from personal experience lol Thats what you guys are for!

Lol maybe it could help if i asked if anyone knew of a good store online but in canada? So i wouldnt have to pay as much shipping and maybe even find a good deal lol. Sucks being up here sometimes... missing out on free shipping :/

The only good place to get parts in Canada is through Lordco or Napa with an account it seems. Sucks, I know...

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I think the big reason in the price difference is not the company so much... because trail master, skyjacker, and rough country all have good kits at similar prices the difference that makes them twice as much is if you get the class 2 lifts which replace the rear blocks with all new lift leaf springs and extended radius arms and what not, you don't need them but they work better and will give you an overall performance increase of your suspensions flexability and travel and stuff.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I don't see anything wrong with James Duff lift kits. I've been running part of a Duff kit on my Choptop.

Cheapest way to get a good lift is to buy a used kit (skyjacker or duff) from someone upgrading to a bigger lift. That's how I scored my Duff lift - Got 3" lift coils and the axle pivot drops for about a hundred bones. Got a welder friend to fab up some extended radius arms and mounts. Then I used some F-150 coil spring perches on the front. In the back I used Explorer leafs with an extra long leaf and chevy drop shackles. If my calculations are correct, that got me about 5" of lift front and rear. I probably spent about $350-400 on it all after adding in a drop pitman arm.

A lot of the really cheap lifts use a drop plate for the passenger side axle beam, which often ends up punching a hole in the top of the front differential, thus why a lot of people say to stay away from cheap lifts.

Skyjacker is supposed to have the nicest riding springs as well as a quality lift.

The cheaper lifts like Tuff Country and Rough Country often have springs that are so stiff you'd think they came off of an F-350 or something.

Duff is somewhere in between for spring stiffness. IIRC, Superlift is in the middle too.

Skyjacker, Superlift, and Duff are the three I'd be thinking of if I didn't decide to customize some suspension.

 

[Daven]

Well since i want to go big with my lift, im doubting i will find a lift that im looking for for sale because someone upgrades lol. I just dont like the idea of dropping 1500 bucks on the suspension lift alone and still needing new tires, the BL, and then the rest of the truck lol.

I will look at those sites, never been on them before. Maybe they will have half decent deals

EDIT: Looked at those sites and couldnt find a thing. And they just gave me a link to the brand's site lol

 

[4.0B2]

skyjacker.. or duff in my opinion...
i bought the rough country, and it's not bad.. but i wish at times i bought a better kit. honestly i think the best think you can do is piece together your own lift for a ttb setup. do this by skyjacker brackets- jeep coils- explorer leafs- belltech shackles... thinks like that.

 

[Boggin]

well lots of people bash on rough country but my buddy had a f150 with 6" rough country and 4" body and 37s and he beat the living piss out of that thing like you wouldnt believe, she seen more woods and swamp than a skidder, she been air bourne, to the door handles in mud, and she never skipped a beat suspension wise (the 302 took a couple dumps on him). the way i see it, if those kits that everyone bashes on like rough country or tuff country, they wouldnt be around any more if they were as bad as what people seem to say

 

[4.0B2]

i'm not bashing my $390 lift kit. i got my rc +4 lift kit on sale for CHEAP..

but i think you can piece together a better lift. if you ever wanna swap to a d35, you can't use the drop plate. the springs are to stiff in all TTB lifts (jeep coils).. so why buy a $800 skyjacker lift

brackets are $270
http://www.jamesoaksenterprises.com/products/skyjacker_brackets.htm

coils are around $180
http://www.amazon.com/Currie-Enterprises-CE-9131F-Wrangler-Cherokee/dp/B003EMCY64?tag=959media-20 (might take a little mods to make fit)
if those coils aint tall enough get taller ones, or get some coil spacers

explorer leaf's from j/y around $30?

beltech 6400's are around $60
http://www.amazon.com/Belltech-6400-Shackle-Kit/dp/B000CIKAPA/?tag=959media-20

then the smaller stuff like brake lines, alignment bushing, etc...

so that's $540ish plus smaller stuff, tax, and shipping.. so a little cheaper than the skyjacker lift, but have the better flex...

edit: i forgot steering. you'll need a drop pitman arm. preferably an extreme drop, or just a whole new steering system. but that is with any lift kit. b/c the drop arm they send is usually not enough...

 

[Daven]

ya thats what i was thinking about the lifts. If they werent good no1 would buy them because of reveiws. I was going to go for the tuff country 4" lift, but then desided to go 6" and i dont think they make them.

I dont think that peiceing together one is the best for me, i dont know what all is needed. Thats why i was going to get a kit lol. I'm going back and forth from getting a cheap 6" lift or going with over twice the price for a skyjacker...Like i said, this isnt going to be a straight trail rig. It is my DD and when i get a summer car it will be the winter beast. Hard to drop over a grand on just the suspension when u have sooo much more to do to the truck lol