Stay Away From The 2-3" Rough Country Suspension Lift

[Brandon X]

Just posting this to warn everyone to not waste your money.

I put this kit on my Tahoe around January. Ever since it got put on ive had problems. The main ones being the shocks give a horrible stiff ride (I even got the "upgraded" Nitro shocks) and the other being the biggest problem and that's with the shock relocation bracket. I just recently found out its been the cause for both of my cv shaft boots ripping and my brakes going soft. This kit is horribly designed and the main reason why im just now posting this thread is because I just got off the phone with a guy from Rough Country and he told me himself that the kits SUCK and he tries his hardest to not sell them to people and when he does he said he doesn't like to give out his name lol. Not even kidding. The guy was being completly honest with me. And on top of that a friend of the mechanic that just replaced the cv shafts on my tahoe said he had the EXACT same problem almost 10 years ago on an OBS pickup and ended up taking the kit off.

Here's some pics to show you guys what exactly is going wrong. As you can clearly see when I turn the shock relocation bracket tears into my cv shaft boot and also presses in on the brakes on the opposite side, which makes them go soft and sometimes they sink to the floor, like there's air in the line. Luckily nobody has been in front of me or I could very easy rear-end someone. Just do yourself a huge favor and don't waste your time and money with this kit. I payed over $600 for the kit, $500 including alignment for labor putting it on, and i just payed $100 for new cv shafts plus $200 labor and it looks like the boots are gonna get ripped again before I find a solution so that'll be another $300 im gonna have to pay. Just a warning so you're not out $1700 for just 2" of lift and a ****** ride like me...

I'm not trying to dog Rough Country either, the guy was extremely nice, honest, and he's gonna help me find a solution to this problem. And from what ive heard from guys on here there other kits are pretty decent. Just stay away from this one.

 

[bowtiefreak]

That explains the CV binding. Holy shit. Good to know, but sorry that you went through this.

I hate to ask but are you considering upgrading to the 6" kit and uncranking it to about 4"? The upper control arms on there are nice at least and would be great it cranking the 4-6" kit up around 7" or so.

Back on topic, I am glad you figured this out before it ended in a crash or something.

 

[Brandon X]

I'd love to upgrade to the 6" lift and not even uncrank to 4" but leave it at 6" and put some 35s on but I just can't. I've wasted too much money on this lift alone, I don't even wanna think about putting another couple grand into a 6" lift.

This horrible experience with there lift, combined with the rust that just gets worse and worse has made me stop putting money into my tahoe mod-wise. All im gonna do is fix the small things like my driver side wiper, door locks, stuff like that and keep up on the rest of the maintenance. I'm over the 26s too. I wanted them with white spokes and a chrome lip but every painter is too afraid to paint them so I don't want them anymore. Having big all chrome rims ruined the look I was going for. I'm selling them when I take them off for winter and buying 33" BFG mud terrains for my Cragars and keeping those on year round.

 

[foreverfalcon40]

THAT EFFIN SUCKS!

I know it sucks but you have to take it to a shop that specializes in lifting vehicles and have work done to prevent the boots ripping.

My friends own an off road custom shop and he does that kind of work all the time mostly on Dodges tho. Assuming a simple fix, here in NY he usually charges 3-400 to get it right.

Rims...no one will paint them of powder coat them b/c they are one piece rims. There will be a lip fromt he paint to Chrome therefore making it more prone to chip and crack. Not worth the headaches on both ends. If you had a 2pc or 3 pc rim entirely different story.

keep us updated

 

[blackcoffee]

Should have pursued you better not to buy that lift... Damn.. Sorry man. I'm about to drop some coin on a 6" RCX even after my bad luck though ha.

 

[steamroller]

Why are the shock brackets needed? Looks like a longer shock would work instead of those

 

[bowtiefreak]

I agree, might be worth a shot??

 

[Brandon X]

Yeah I might have to do that. Would be pretty ******* annoying since I bought this kit cause I needed new shocks and this kit came with them, not to mention I payed the extra money for the "upgraded" ones.

 

[SunlitComet]

That shock mount adapter should have never been designed. It is to easy of a design to fail.

 

[86mk7]

To me the shock mount looks to be installed wrong. Shouldn't it point up not out. Your lifting which would need extra length for the shock to travel right. Not to push it toward the wheel.

 

[sierraman]

i agree, they look like they are pushed to the wheel instead of pushed toward the hood like they need to be. longer shocks look like they will fix the problem, IMO.

 

['93Yuke]

I'd love to upgrade to the 6" lift and not even uncrank to 4" but leave it at 6" and put some 35s on but I just can't. I've wasted too much money on this lift alone, I don't even wanna think about putting another couple grand into a 6" lift.

This horrible experience with there lift, combined with the rust that just gets worse and worse has made me stop putting money into my tahoe mod-wise. All im gonna do is fix the small things like my driver side wiper, door locks, stuff like that and keep up on the rest of the maintenance. I'm over the 26s too. I wanted them with white spokes and a chrome lip but every painter is too afraid to paint them so I don't want them anymore. Having big all chrome rims ruined the look I was going for. I'm selling them when I take them off for winter and buying 33" BFG mud terrains for my Cragars and keeping those on year round.

You can buy some slef-etching primer in a spray can at most hardware stores, and i think wal-mart. just spray it where you want to paint your rims white, and then spray white over it. it will bind with the chrome and keep your paint from flaking off.

 

[bigred97]

thanks

 

[riviera rider]

whats up buddie long time no talk..... figured id make a trip back and see how the forum is going still




for the rims if you want them painted all you need to do is sand wherever you want them painted with 400 grit and use an adhesion promotor then paint.... or you can hit them with 220 then etch prime scuff the primer then paint


as long as you aint power washing them i wouldnt worry bout it flaking off... just wash em with a hose so you dont even have to worry bout that

to be honest i dont use a pressure washer on ANY thing ive painted including my cars.... all hand washed with a hose

 

[big'un]

I know this is a older thread , but all my buddys have the keys on there trucks/hoes and they dont have any problems , i also think the PO of my hoe installed some keys on here and i dont have any problems .... Rough Country is some good stuff but as stated there shocks SUCK! i had some on my lifted f150 and took them off ...... sorry you had problems though..... also if you get your axles at Advance Auto Parts they have lifetime warranty.

 

[djsnugtop]

the rough country 2-3" lift is not at all needed when simple blocks and reindexed keys alone take its place for running up to a 33" tire

 

[bowtiefreak]

Correction, cranking stock keys and using a block. OBS trucks typically have more than enough crank on them to go too far. If not the bars are shot

 

[La rabona]

i was thinking to get the rest of that kit,cause i have keys and blocks and i didn't really like it on my 98 2 door .....i think the shocks relocations been installed wrong.

 

[saif najd]

Wow,

Ok, so what do you all suggest?

Iam planing to do the 2 inch left on my stock 2dr tahoe 98

What is the best way?

I already have the Bilstein 5100 Series Shocks front and rear now what else?

 

[Gzes]

So i saw an updated kit and was wondering if the problems have been fixed? I kinda wanna get one since its more budget friendly