Carli Leveling Kit vs BDS
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2018
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Carli
Carli offers a multitude of options when considering to level out the front. Their Back Country is the basic system, where as the 2.5 Pintops round out the top end. I had the Pintops in my 2011 SD, and the harder you drove the better they got! I‘m just a little leary about using blocks or spacers, so if were me (it will be in a few months) I’d go with the Carli system or Kore’s leveling kit. I’m leaning towards the Kore kit, but they recommend adding Readylift’s trac bar relocation bracket.
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 395
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Two completely different methods of "leveling" the truck. I would go with Carli for the quality of their parts alone.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 114
Likes: 5
From: Miami, Fl
BDS uses a coil spring spacer and "off the shelf" fox shocks that get used on a variety of different make and models. Carli uses a full length level/lift coil spring replacement and "custom spec'd" fox shocks specific for each application.
Two completely different methods of "leveling" the truck. I would go with Carli for the quality of their parts alone.
Two completely different methods of "leveling" the truck. I would go with Carli for the quality of their parts alone.
brenta can you attach some some pics of your rig? I'd like to see what it looks like with the4.5 lift and 37's. you have any rubbing issues??
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2017
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Assuming base kits:
-The BDS and Carli shocks are the same. Nothing special about Fox 2.0's. Carli's spec valving doesn't really come into play until you choose a kit with King 2.5's. BDS is Fox, IIRC.
-The Carli kit comes with diesel springs, the BDS kit comes with a spacer.
-The Carli trac bar is only good for 2"-4" of lift. The BDS track bar is good down to 0".
I'd go with the BDS kit with the BDS trac bar (not the bracket). Upgrade to King coilovers or shocks later on, from FM, if you'd like.
Fox still doesn't have a pass through steering damper yet. Hopefully it's out soon.
-The BDS and Carli shocks are the same. Nothing special about Fox 2.0's. Carli's spec valving doesn't really come into play until you choose a kit with King 2.5's. BDS is Fox, IIRC.
-The Carli kit comes with diesel springs, the BDS kit comes with a spacer.
-The Carli trac bar is only good for 2"-4" of lift. The BDS track bar is good down to 0".
I'd go with the BDS kit with the BDS trac bar (not the bracket). Upgrade to King coilovers or shocks later on, from FM, if you'd like.
Fox still doesn't have a pass through steering damper yet. Hopefully it's out soon.
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 395
Likes: 95
Assuming base kits:
-The BDS and Carli shocks are the same. Nothing special about Fox 2.0's. Carli's spec valving doesn't really come into play until you choose a kit with King 2.5's. BDS is Fox, IIRC.
-The Carli kit comes with diesel springs, the BDS kit comes with a spacer.
-The Carli trac bar is only good for 2"-4" of lift. The BDS track bar is good down to 0".
I'd go with the BDS kit with the BDS trac bar (not the bracket). Upgrade to King coilovers or shocks later on, from FM, if you'd like.
Fox still doesn't have a pass through steering damper yet. Hopefully it's out soon.
-The BDS and Carli shocks are the same. Nothing special about Fox 2.0's. Carli's spec valving doesn't really come into play until you choose a kit with King 2.5's. BDS is Fox, IIRC.
-The Carli kit comes with diesel springs, the BDS kit comes with a spacer.
-The Carli trac bar is only good for 2"-4" of lift. The BDS track bar is good down to 0".
I'd go with the BDS kit with the BDS trac bar (not the bracket). Upgrade to King coilovers or shocks later on, from FM, if you'd like.
Fox still doesn't have a pass through steering damper yet. Hopefully it's out soon.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,441
Likes: 8
Felt the same to me. Personally, they're both still a bit marginal for damping.
The thing that bugs me the most about Carli's kit: Gasoline engine springs are what? $80? And available from a dozen different manufacturers. But I don't see gas specific 2.5" springs on their website anywhere.
The thing that bugs me the most about Carli's kit: Gasoline engine springs are what? $80? And available from a dozen different manufacturers. But I don't see gas specific 2.5" springs on their website anywhere.
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 395
Likes: 95
And a second picture with the new 37x13.50r17 Toyo MT's on 17" forged beadlock wheels from Innov8 Racing.
37x13.50's on stock wheels rubs (37x12.50's wont), and 37x13.50' on the new aftermarket wheels (9" wide w/ 5" backspacing) clear perfectly with no rubbing whatsoever. If you have more questions, I have a new thread started specific to my upgrades, or you can PM me. Don't wanna thread-jack, lol.
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