Hey everyone...

Pondering the many different types of lifts, styles, components, and how/why different companies do what they do. I've come down to deciding that BDS seems to be one of the best "bang for your buck" systems in a no cutting/welding system. Their 6"-4 link system runs just over 3g with leaf springs for the rear lift. This is the one I keep going back to with their lifetime original purchaser guarantee and having seen it on a couple of trucks, I think it is a decent kit. I also have a 6" on my Cummins work truck.

What I'm interested in knowing is how/why there are so many companies that have 6" lift kits that sell for $1300 or so, still using a new radius arm to compensate for the change in geometry or brackets to achieve the same, but utilize a lift block instead of springs for the rear. The reason I look at these lifts in comparison is that I am by no means a serious off roader, my F350 is being preserved for road trips and sunny Sunday driving since I aquired the Cummins as a work truck. ( Nothing beats the F350 in comforts and power, but it was making me weep to use it as a work truck though thats why I purchased it).

So I ask... for occasional towing, very light off roading and mostly winter 4x4 use, where would I benefit from spending the extra money on lifts such as the BDS vs a lift such as ZONE Off Road. In the end, the visual effect would be the same which essentially is what I'm trying to achieve...

Looking for all of your opinions, experiences, and of course PICTURES!!!

Apologies if this is a dead horse beating again, but I'm not sure if I would live long enough to sift through the pages that come up with the search engine...

Many thanks...

 

I run the rough country 6" 4link. Absolutely love it. Tow my construction trailer everyday (14' box). Had to add a factory rear stabilizer bar to make it feel comfortable towing at highway speeds.

 

Hey Suzuki, thanks for the reply. I read your install thread about this lift, looked it up to find that it says it DOES NOT fit the F350 models. I'm curious about this because to my knowledge the only difference between F250/F350 is the height of the rear block. Perhaps there is more that I don't get...

Do you notice any "axle wrap" at all? I'm very curious as to if this is as big an issue as it is said to be for the average joe...

 

Not sure about the Rough Country, but the BDS 4-Link (or any BDS lift system) Has a rear spring pack replacement that is optional in lieu of rear lift blocks, supposed to prevent axle wrap, it's pricey though. ($800.00 +/-) well worth the money IMHO, guy I know installed with his lift, eliminated most of the tail sag, has a higher payload and rides like a dream.

I would think Carli and Icon has also addressed the issue.

 

Sherwin, the reason why it "doesn't fit" the F350's is because Rough Country provides a rear block that would stack on top of the factory F250 block to make the back of the truck level with the front. The U-bolts they provide aren't long enough to reach when using the factory F350 block.

 

no axle wrap so far. towed my s185 bobcat with trailer for total weight around 9k and it did fine. rigtrash, why aren't you sure about the rough country? I too was unsure, but now a believer. 3-6k just for a lift?

 

I guess I should have said I have no experience with the Rough Country, not down rating it in any way. I just don't have any experience to have opinion either way. Most folks in my neck of the woods have Zone, BDS or Pro-Comp.... I've seen a few Icon and Carli (talk about expensive) But I don't know anyone that has a rough Country personally.

 

I've got no experience with the other options but have a buddy with a 6" 4link lift from BDS and he absolutely loves it. It's installed on a 2013 F350 Platinum and he said it rides like a Cadillac. If I do a lift on mine it'll be a BDS. I'd rather pay more and get a recognized brand with a solid warranty and something I know will ride good. You might save a few bucks on a knock off lift but do you really want to feel it in your *** every time you drive the truck? I'm not knocking the rough country or other lifts but have heard great reviews from everyone that runs a BDS lift.

 

Same here, I really like the BDS adjustable track bar and rear spring pack. I don't need a full 6" of lift, so will probably go with a 4" / 4-link. And as you stated, the "no hassle" warranty on the BDS is outstanding. But, I don't know anyone with the Rough Country, so I can't honestly offer advice or an opinion on it.

 

I'm in the same boat, although I REALLY like the look of the 6", I can't justify it and will probably go with the 4" 4 link when the time comes.

 

I'm also going to spec mine out with the rear leaf spring pack and the adjustable track bar, like I said, my friends rides like a dream.

 

I'm in the BDS boat also. I can't justify the Icon/Carli prices, nor do I personally feel that they're worth double the money of the BDS lift, 3-4 times more than Rough Country... I know a couple guys with BDS 6" lifts on Super Duty trucks and no one has complaints. I have a 6" BDS on my Cummins work truck, and though I didn't install it or have it installed, my only complaint is that the rear lift is a block instead of replacing the springs. Is this a real problem? I don't know. The truck has a rear ladder bar on it which should eliminate any axle wrap. My only though at this point is the truck has 280k on it and the leaf springs look pretty much straight with no load. I will probably swap out the factory springs and lift blocks in favor of the BDS Glide Ride 6" lift leaf springs.

I'm not knocking anyone's choices. Rough Country has probably been around longer than Carli, Icon, BDS, and a few of the others. At least I've been hearing of them for a lot longer than many other lifts.

Everyone has personal preferences.

(Disclaimer--I am not certain which company may be older than the other, just expressing that I have only heard of Icon/Carli in the past 5-6 years...seemingly a newer company than others. I may be wrong)

 

I can't speak for Icon but Carli has been building suspension for Dodge trucks since 2003, and has even build baja winning suspension systems for race trucks.

A guy I know in town had the base BDS 4" lift on his 08 Powerstroke, using rear blocks, radius arm drop, and base BDS shocks. He traded in that Powerstroke in on an 06 Hummer H2 and said that the Hummer handles our crappy swamp road better than his BDS lifted truck did.

Now I am not knocking BDS suspension, a Hummer H2 and a truck are two different animals so it's not apples to apples. Most people who stay on the road 90-100% of the time, or those who aren't running 100 mph down dessert/bad roads, are gonna enjoy their BDS suspension.

For everyday on road driving and slow to moderate speed off roading I think BDS is the best bang for buck. For people like me who have to drive 300km (187 miles) on a horrible gravel road built on a swamp, that is where Carli suspension is worth every penny.

 

Randy, IF I get the BDS lift, and IF you get the Carli/Icon lift, I will make a trip up to your country and we can drive each others trucks on your road and see if there is much difference between them. Of course one has to take into consideration the differences in tires and whatnot at the same time, but for the most part, the trucks would be very similar except for the lifts.

I think the highway between here and Portage le Prairie is probably as bad as your road to Gilliam

I've thought about the 4" 4-link also. On the BDS site its 1g less than the 6", still looks great. However, the 8" 4-link is only a hundred bucks more than the 6" Hmmmmm

 

I'd be willing to do that BUT... you have no idea how bad the road I drive can get. Have you ever caught air on that highway?? I have caught air multiple times on the road to Gillam... Most of the time I'm not even going very fast, maybe 70 or 80 km/h, when a bump comes out of no where and launches the truck into the air... When I had my F150, sometimes speed was involved lol but not with my F350.