finding a 4x4 shop in northern Virginia that actually has experience installing IFS lifts and gears. I found a couple shops willing to "attempt" this job from $1-2k but I want to have it done right the first time for a reasonable price. I have seen as low as $450 to install lift and would imagine that with the front end gutted, installation of gears would be much less. I know this area has a higher standard of living, but in TX I never had problems finding experienced professionals to work for an honest price. Anyone have any experience with shops in NOVA? TIA!!

Matt

 

Hey Matt welcome to the site and to the DC Metro area. Just for future refereence there is a regional board that you can use for these types of questions that will give you a much better response. If you go to the discussion forums page and scroll down almost all the way to the bottom you will find what I'm talking about.

I recently had a bunch of work done to my truck and ad the hardest time finding a good place to do the work for a reasonable price. I live in Germantown, MD just up 495 from you. Most places I called, including the ones in NOVA wanted to charge me $2k-$4k to install my 8" Rize. That was their quote just for the lift install! I finally found a guy in Glenn Burnie, MD which is probably an hour away from you that did all my work for $2k. The lift he charged me $900 for, Mounted and balanced my 38's for $100 and $500/axle for my 4.88's. Along with just the basic Rize i had him install Total Chaos UCA's and Custom National leaf packs. Kenny did a great job thugh he takes his time. He said he would never do another Rize for $900 because of how much work it is but for most lifts he charges around $700. I would strongly recommend using him. Stay away from Trick Trucks for sure. Even though they have a bunch of stores they are money grubbing Aholes. There is another place in Fredericksburg that's expensive, a couple more places in MD that are expensive and a place in Richmond that does real good work and is fairly cheap fo certain things but expensive for others. Kenny's website is http://www.supersuspensions.net/. Give him a call and tell him Trevor sent you and he'll take good care of you.

What is it you are looking to get installed exactly and on what truck?

 

That's exactly what I was looking for! I am probably going to purchase a 4 or 6 inch lift and 4.56 gears (I run the 4.6 v8). These prices are very reasonable and he sounds like he is very experienced. 4x4 shops seem to be a rareity but motorcycle shops are in great supply! I just sold my Jeep and was going to buy another 4 wheeler but can't find a place to ride that either!

I looked at the 8 inch rize too but out of my budget

Thanks for the info.

Matt

 

I'd honestly do the 6" lift or you'll regret it. Besides that, the Rancho 4" is just as expensive as a Pro Comp 6"! What wheels and tires are you going to run? If you're going to stick with the OEM rims then you need to go with the Rancho 4". I've also heard you can run the stockers w/ a Fabtech 6" but the cheapest I've seen one of those is like $1800 shipped. I'd go with the Fabtech and some 35's if you'r budget allows. If you don't plan on going any bigger than 35's ever then stick w/ 4.56's but if you plan on bumping it up later then go with 4.88's. Just out of curiosity, what's your budget like? I know of a place in CA that you you can get the basic 8" Rize for $2500 or so.
W

What part of NOVA you in and why the move from TX?

 

Hey man..sorry for the delayed response. Well I don't really like how Pro Comp makes the back end sit lower than the front. The Fabtech does a good job of making it level and so does the rancho. Wheels will remain stock if compatible or can change immediately. Will probably run a 35x12.5 baja ATZ. Will be going with 4.56. I like the Pro comp price though!

My budget was just whatever is quality but no more than 6 inches. i like the look of a packed wheel well which is why the 4 inch appealed to me. I'm in Fairfax near the Fair Oaks Mall.. where are you at?

 

Well don't let the level'ness of the prepacked 6" kits sway you. Both Pro Comp and Fabtech offer different block options with their kits. I think they both come standard w/ 2" blocks that get stacked ontop of the factory 2" block. I know Pro Comp offers a 4" block and a 5.5" block. Obviously the 4" block isn't going to do you any good unless you satck it on your stocker but i wouldn't suggest that. I'd go with the 5.5" and call it a day. Or keep the standard 2" block and add an AAL to it also which will gve you another 2" or so and increase your payload. Fabtech I know makes a 5" block too. If you want to just go the Block route w/ either kit and you don't think 5" or 5.5" will be enough, Rize makes a 6" block that you can get for about $275 including ubolts. If you like the stuffed look and want to keep your stock wheels, why not just go w/ a leveler and the 35's you talked about? Also, I know of a company that makes wheel spacers that are both hub and wheel-centric so you could buy a set of those to run your stock wheels if you went w/ the Pro Comp. They'll run you about $300 shipped for a set up to 3/4" thick.

I'm in Germantown, MD. I used to live in Fairfax City though and drink at that Champps at Fair Oaks all the time.

 

Fabtech and ATZ's

 

Chuck, did you have vibrations with your fabtech 6 inch? I read on their website that they recommend stabilizers to reduce vibrations and also a longer front drive shaft. This is another plus to the Rancho as a shorter lift produces less strain on the drivetrain. Thoughts?

 

If I'm not mistaken, Fabtech is the only one that sells a stabilizer kit for their lifts. Fabtech is a great lift and you don't need that stabilizer kit. If you've got the extra cash then go for it but if you don't and really want the Fabtech, don't let it sway you from buying it. Sounds like you're semi convinced on the Rancho to me. If that's what you want then go for it! A few people on this site have it and absolutely love it. I personally would never pay that much for a 4" lift but that's just me. I'm sure a ton of people would say the same thing about the lift I have! Just do a search ofr Rancho 4" on here and you should find a bunch of pictures and good info. Good luck w/ whatever you decided and let me know if you need any other help or insight.

 

tlt, how recently did you get this work done? I have called a few times and tried submitting a message on his website. I wonder if he's still around. I left a couple messages.

 

Just got all my work done about 3-4 weeks ago. I know he's still around. He's just not the best at returning calls and answering them when he's busy. Just keep calling and he'll get back to you. Don't even bother with the wesite form. It goes straight to his junk mail I think. PM me your info and I'll see if I can get him to give you a call back. What kit you gonna go with?

 

hey I just spoke to him for an hour... VERY thorough! Gave me some excellent tips and HONEST no BS assessments of the products that I was interested in. I will be running some numbers to figure out what I'll be doing. So far looks like:
lift 1500
lift install 750
gears 1500 installed
wheels+tires (around 2k)

so total roll down the road price of 5800 or so. I might just be rolling an AS 1.5 inch and 33s! haha

 

Cool. What rims do you have on your truck right now? Like I said before, you can run a 2.5" leveler and an AAL or 3" block and then run 35's on your stock rims or aftermarkets w/ similar measurements. I've done it with aftermarket rims and just a 2" spacer and some minor trimming. Click on my name and then llok at the pictures of my truck@2 months old and see what you think. You could probably get tires for about $1000, a leverler for less than $100, a 3" block for less than $100, install for a couple hundred a tuner to adjust your speedo and stuff for $300-$400 and then the gears for $1500. Then you're out in less than $3500.

 

I've got the 18x7.5 Ford wheels on it now. I could do a 33 with a 1.5 or 2 inch up front with a sick looking wheel. That would be 2k for wheels/tires and $70 for the front end that i can install myself. The only other option that is in my budget is the rancho 4 inch with stock wheels and 33s (eliminating the need for gears). 1200+1600+750 (worst case) = 3550. not too bad.

 

I think you'll be happy to keep your old wheels once you put some bigger more aggressive tires on. So $3500 is your budget? How much did you find the Rancho for?


Why not this route? You'd get your gears done and be out for $3k if you put the leveler and block in yourself. The tuner would boost your performance as well as correct your speedo for tire size and gear change. Or you could shave a couple hundred off that and just get a basic speedo corrector.