3" lift questions (05 silverado 1500)
 

Ok ive been searching around about 2 hours now. Learned a ton more about lift options. But im still confused (sorry... newb)

Ive seen body lifts, and full suspension lifts... but ive never really known anything abotu "add a leaf" kits. It seems pretty simple but if its really that easy to add 2" lift for a couple hundred bucks why dont more people do it? Also has anyone tried/compared add a leaf kits to the deaver mini-leaf kit?

Second, ive read that people "crank" stock torsion keys and add height, and i only thought that aftermarket keys could be adjusted to level the truck.

I would really like to life the back end 3" and the front 3" AND level (so 5")

can i do this under 1000 dollars?


in summary
1)whats the deal with add a leaf kits. Pros? Cons?
2)better to add a leaf or buy deaver's mini-leaf?
3)Stock suspension cannot be adjusted correct?
4) Can i get the lift im looking for under 1000 dollars.


thanks guys!!!

Add a leaf is great for leveling and increasing payload capacity. If your primary goal is increased wheel clearance for off road and cosmetic, then you want to steer toward a sudpension lift. A bidy lift will let you run a larger tire and wheel combo but doesn't give you more suspension travel, plus you deal with moving bumpers or filler panels and such. My personal fav on suspension kits are the BDS systems. They're durable and give a decent overall ride.

I'm not sure how much you can do in that thousand dollar range unless you install it yourself. Good luck a.d don't forget the photo's.

So rough country add a leafs are only 75 per pair... and lift 1.5-2 inches. If i bought two of them for 150 and then a leveling kit for 100... how much do you think a shop would charge to install the kit?

the only thing with some lifts is that you have to extend you brake lines parking brake lines and your driveshaft and some trucks have a (HSPV) height sensing proportioning valve that actually controls your rear brakes in a way that that will have to be adjusted so you brake properly

BDS makes a really good suspension lift. We use them at work, there are two Chevy's in my signature that we did a couple weeks back.

You're going to be looking at right around 5 hrs give or take an hour. What are the labor rates in the shops near you?

Doesn't sound too bad. If i could get 2" from add a leaf i might go that route and then level out. Is there a reason i only find add a leaf kits for rear suspension? I understand it adds payload but I would think more people use them as a lift kit.

You might want to verify with Junction Boyz, I'm betting you'll need new shocks too. Granted, you're not going with a huge lift but 2" might stretch the factory shocks to the end of the travel.

Level the front by adjusting the keys. If they won't go up enough for you, go to your local salvage yard and get some ford keys; they have a slightly different index and gave me a couple of extra inches lift at the wheel. This was the approach I took, and that along with a 3" body kit cleared 35's on my Z71. Had less than $150 in the whole setup and installed it in the driveway on a Sat. in about 4 hours. Truck even had factory feel (ride wise) as far as stiffness was concerned except for what can be expected out of a set of mud tires (they're stiffer than your stock street shoes). Between the ford keys and the 3" body lift, I got a height increase from the concrete to the underside of the fender flare of 5" and some change.
But, body lifts aren't for everyone.