My Plan

[AV8B6015]

Ok,
so after debating and debating for what seemed like years, I have decided that I want to lift my Ram. I want to go with a 6 inch lift, and some 35's with aftermarket wheels. The wife has agreed to release the funds since I have always wanted a lifted truck and never really had one (my previous vehicle was an 05 Avalanche 2WD with a body lift and 33's but that doesn't really count now, does it?).
I spoke with the guy that did my body lift on the Avalanche, and he is a Rough Country Dealer. He told me that the 6" Rough Country lift is $2100 installed. He does all the lifts for a local Chevy dealer and he did excellent work on my Avalanche, so I trust him. I had **** Cepek Fun Country II's before and absolutely loved them. They weren't too noisy and they still had plenty of meat on them at 40k miles.
My truck will do mostly asphalt duty, but I do live in the country, so light 4X4 action can occur. What do you guys think?

6" Rough Country lift
35x12.50x20 **** Cepek F/C II
ATX Justice Wheels 20x9

Will I need to do something special for the TPMS? Can the existing sensors be re used or do I need new ones?
Eventually I will want to go with 4.56 gears, How much am I looking at there?

 

[Musclemckeester]

Gears are going to run you probably a good $1500-1700 (parts and labor). As far as TPMS sensors, they will have to put new ones on your new wheels.

I would recommend you do the Bilsteins shocks up front, set at 2.1" or 2.8", so your truck come out level, otherwise it's still going to have a rake in it. (Hopefully Candy08 will chime in - he's got this exact setup).

You know you can easily run 37s with that setup right? I wish I had waited on tires because with my 6" lift my 35s are looking a little on the small size, but I jumped the gun and bought tires a few months before the lift.

As far as RCX goes, good thing about them is they offer a lifetime warranty on parts so if anything ever breaks it gets replaced. If RCX would have an option when I was having mine installed, I would have probably gotten it. As far as the install price goes, seems a little high for a RCX lift though.

Can't wait to see it man. You will love it.!

 

[AV8B6015]

I guess I'll need to get out there and get some more prices. One place I talked to wanted $4500 for a pro comp lift installed and $4000 for the Rough Country. My reaction??
The $2100 sounded a lot better after that, obviously. What is a reasonable price? I know some guys that could do this at their house on the side, but this is a brand new truck, and I want it professionally installed. Hell, I might even check with the dealer since I have a hookup there, too.

Oh, and what will this do to the MDS? I'm guessing it won't come on much, if at all, with the larger rotating mass.... anything else I need to be aware of before I do this?

 

[Musclemckeester]

I paid $2400 for my lift installed, of that about $600 was the actual labor charge. Before you have anyone actually do the install, find out how much they are charging you on the lift itself and how much they are charging you on the labor. Oh and I had mine installed at the dealer. For them to want to charge you that much is nuts - don't even consider that for a moment. Check with your dealer.

MDS still should come on as normal, but I turned mine off because I think the system is crap.

 

[ramhunter9]

I paid zero for install . I like to everything to my truck . Only thing I dont do is paint , and installing tires on rims .

 

[0212353]

and picking glue out of headlights. LOL

 

[AV8B6015]

Alright,
I did some riding around today and I spoke with some installers in the area. I am still waiting on a couple of prices, but I did find out that if I order the lift from 3rdStrike and have it installed at one particular shop, I can actually get the Pro Comp for $12 more than what the other guy wants for the Rough Country. I think I have just about given up on the Rough Country. Several shops I talked to won't warranty installs on the RC lifts, so I think I'll be going with the Pro Comp.
Who knew this could be so nerve racking??

Oh, and if I go ahead with the Pro Comp lift, will the truck still have the factory rake? If so, can I add Bilsteins later without too much trouble?

 

[ramhunter9]

I would take PC over RC any day.

 

[AV8B6015]

Yeah, there is enough nagging doubt in my mind now that I just can not get myself to buy the RC lift. I'd worry myself to death and wouldn't be able to enjoy the lift. So now that I know what kind of lift I plan on getting, I just need to work out the details and actually get it done.
Once that's done, I'll be looking to find a home for the original wheels and tires to try and offset some of the cost.

 

[jasonLmarsh]

You dont need "new" TPMS sensors, just have them swap them over from your stock rims. Where are you located? Sounds like some INSANE high prices for Lift installs... $4k are you kidding me??? I think the going rate is usually between about 2200-2700 for most kits.

 

[The Assassin]

Check out the Zone Offroad kits!

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

 

[AV8B6015]

Check out the Zone Offroad kits!

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

How do they compare to Pro Comp?

 

[KGBIGCOUNTRY]

Alot of good advise given there

 

[RubberFrog]

I am not as impressed with the Zone kit compared to the Pro Comp kit.

Where are the diff drop brackets to keep proper alignment on your cv shafts? Where are the crossmember stabilizers so tiny? Why do the cross members look so tiny?

Look at the pics in the links above.

 

[RubberFrog]

Since you've seen it, I will defer to your opinion. I only had the pics to go by.

 

[Musclemckeester]

I have the Pro Comp lift on mine and I like it except for the rear lift. They put spacers in and kept the rear springs instead of replacing with longer springs. Not a big deal, but the only real complaint I have about the PC lift.

 

[AV8B6015]

I really think I'll go with the Pro Comp. Several installers I have talked to use Pro Comp exclusively, and heck, they know a lot more about this than I do. I'd love to try the BDS lift, but I can't convince the banker to release that kind of cash.
I just talked with a friend of mine who might be able to get me the lift, wheels and tires at "cost" and I'm still waiting on a couple of quotes from some local guys. I honestly don't think anyone is going to beat Duane's price on the lift, so I'll probably get the pro comp lift from him and the wheels and tires from the place that will put the lift on. I'm just ready to get this beast lifted!!

 

[RubberFrog]

I replaced that block with a longer shackle and an add-a-leaf.

 

[AV8B6015]

Can't wait to see it when it is done!!

That makes two of us!!

If I want to go the Bilstein route to level it, I just need the fronts, right? Or should I do all four?

 

[AV8B6015]

Might as well go all out! I only saw one height on the pro comp kit, so just the lift and front Bilsteins?