BDS Lift Question

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gmartin1215

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I am trying to decide between the two versions of the BDS 4" lift, which are struts vs. Fox coil-overs. The Fox coil-over version is nice, and the coil-over with VSC is very nice, but these come at a substantially more cost.

BDS 4" Kit

I am trying to find out how much ride difference there is on the strut version vs. the coil-over. Will the strut version give a firmer ride, or vice-versa?

Anyone that knows these kits, or similar versions, can you say?

I have not been able to get a straight answer from BDS yet.
 

Tozan

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What is the strut version? I thought they were all coil overs?

The simple answer is if you spend more you will get more if running it off road...

But, if you have a street queen it shouldn't matter save your money with the cheaper set up.
 
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gmartin1215

gmartin1215

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What is the strut version? I thought they were all coil overs?

The simple answer is if you spend more you will get more if running it off road...

But, if you have a street queen it shouldn't matter save your money with the cheaper set up.


Thanks.

BDS has three versions of their 4" kit, and I did get some answers from them, too...
  • Strut - It's a strut made by Tenneco that is just the shock without the spring. You would use your OEM spring on this strut. Tenneco is the same company that makes Monroe and Rancho shocks. I got an answer from BDS on this version of the kit, and they said the ride would be more like stock.
  • Fox 2.5 Remote Reservoir Coil-Over - BDS said the Fox coil-over is a performance product, and they react to changes way faster than your standard strut. Some people see this as firmness, but in reality, it is controlling the suspension a lot better.
  • Fox 2.5 Remote Reservoir Coil-Over Coil-over with Dual Speed Compression Adjuster (DSC)- BDS said the DSC this coil-over will only go as soft as the standard coil-over but has the ability to add dampening
The price difference between the Fox coil-overs is about $300. The coil-over without the DSC is about $1600. In my opinion, if I were to spend this much, I might as well pay for the DSC, too, since it is just a few hundred more.

I may get more offroad if I spend more on the Fox coil-overs, but I will likely lose more on the streets - there is no free lunch.

I was also looking at their UCAs, too. Interestingly, one BDS tech told me he recommends using the stock UCA because all the corrections have been done with the cross members and knuckles on their kits. I was under the assumption that the stock UCAs should be upgraded to allow more wheel travel, but maybe that is no longer a concern.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I will still have to use my Tahoe to commute to work and towing a boat - it will see a lot of pavement time. However, I do want it to be more capable off-road. Right now, I am trying to find that balance, also without feeling like I am passing a kidney stone every time I hit a bump on the pavement.

I suppose I could get their strut version and see how it does off-road. If, after use, I see that the Tahoe needs more control, I could always upgrade to the Fox coil-overs later. Too bad there isn't a test track to test out these options. But, I will have to rely on others' opinions.

Part of me thinks that the strut version will be OK for off-road use. If I were traveling at high-speed off-road, then the Fox coil-overs would make more sense. But then again, I have no experience or observations with these performance coil-overs to say that my opinion is valid or not.

I would like to hear more opinions about stock like struts on a lift compared to performance coil-overs like the ones Fox offers. For example, if you regret having gone with the stock like struts with your lift and wishing you had spent the $$$$ for the performance coil-overs
 

Tozan

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I am running 4 inch lift with a set of King 2.5 coil overs and 10 inches of travel, my highway ride is much better than stock and off road it is comfortable at 66 mph plus on washboard, rutted roads and desert trails. You can hit a 12 inch bump or dip at 35mph or faster and not care at all.

I consider the king shocks to be on par or slightly better than Fox coil overs. I do like the multi adjustable feature on the Fox 2.5 I think that would be a great ride for you.

I had a cheaper set of Rancho 9000 coil overs on mine before they did not do very well off road on the street they were close to stock. The $2500 for the kings were a great investment plus they are rebuildable and will be the last set of shocks I will ever need. The rebuild price is comparable to a set of cheap shocks.
 

Dustin Jackson

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@gmartin1215 If you can afford it then go for the Fox, if not then go for the basic strut option. Having gone from factory to Bilstein 5100s I can agree that the firmness feeling with aftermarket shocks isn't the most comfortable depending on your preference, I prefer it because it keeps the Tahoe planted to the ground and I can go over large bumps and dips and the Tahoe shrugs it off but the downside is you feel more of the road than you would in like a honda civic.
 

Bill 1960

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How much you need high dollar shocks depends on your driving style really. The most expensive shock won’t make your Hoe go anywhere off-road that the stock strut will not go. The difference is in how fast do you want to travel, and how comfortable do you want to be?

If you’re trail riding at slow speed, there’s little difference.

If you’re running washboard and whoops at speed, the difference becomes apparent. Especially with larger tires that will overheat less capable shocks even faster because of the increase in unsprung weight.
 
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gmartin1215

gmartin1215

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How much you need high dollar shocks depends on your driving style really. The most expensive shock won’t make your Hoe go anywhere off-road that the stock strut will not go. The difference is in how fast do you want to travel, and how comfortable do you want to be?

If you’re trail riding at slow speed, there’s little difference.

If you’re running washboard and whoops at speed, the difference becomes apparent. Especially with larger tires that will overheat less capable shocks even faster because of the increase in unsprung weight.
Thanks!
 

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