preference on lift kits

[rusty7983]

I have been looking for a lift kit. Probably gonna go at 4 inch. Has anybody used or hate BDS from Bronco Graveyard? I am kind of leaning towards it as it is a complete kit.

 

[4x4junkie]

BDS uses a drop-plate extension bracket that is known to bust open the front differential housing if you hit a bump hard enough (especially true if you have swapped in the beefier D35 front axle).

Best lifts for these vehicles are Skyjacker or James Duff. Tuff Country is also decent, though a little less robust (not to be confused with Rough Country, who also uses a plate extension).

 

[Surrey]

You can grind away some of the plate to provide clearance for the diff, but this increases your chance of bending the drop plate.

I have an older set of skyjacker lift brackets that the previous owner did exactly that to them (even skyjacker used a drop plate once upon a time...)

 

[4x4junkie]

^^
That is true, SJ did away with the plate sometime in the mid-'90s if I recall correct (for awhile they sold one kit with a drop plate and one with a new bracket to cover two price points, but then apparently decided the liability of the plate wasn't worth it).

Superlift did away with their drop plate around 2002 or 2003. Though their kit still has some durability issues that prevents me from recommending it.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Wasn't that the original difference between the Class 1 and Class 2 kits...?

 

[bobbywalter]

yes.


i am with junkie on this all the way.

 

[4x4junkie]

Wasn't that the original difference between the Class 1 and Class 2 kits...?

The difference between the Class 1 & 2 kits is the extended radius arms.

Prior to the Class 2 kits I think is when they sold kits with the drop plate (they just called it an "Economy" kit, I don't recall their name for the one without the drop plate). When they brought forth the Class 2 kit (early-mid '90s IIRC), there wasn't much need to keep two different "cheap" kits on hand, so they did away with the more problematic Economy one.

Eventually ('05 or so), they started including the Class 2 axle pivot brackets in the Class 1 kits (minus the little support bracket thingy that sandwiches the crossmember lip which IMO doesn't add much). The original Class 1 axle bracket had some of the same issues Superlift's and others have (mounts within the factory bracket's narrow footprint). The Class 2 bracket has a much wider footprint to distribute it's leverage better.