I noticed Fabtech uses a CV spacer and rear drive shaft spacer. Do all 6" lifts use the same method of lifting and using spacers or is Fabtech that much ahead of the game on R&D that they see a need for spacers? I don't see any spacers in the instructions I can find of some other lifts. Fabtech, to me, seems to be a really nice kit, RIZE seems to be the most engineered and thorough but the most expensive (I'm not sure I like the steering setup) and the rest seem to be pretty much the same theory just a few minor differences.

I see most of them represented here and would love to hear everyone's thoughts on quality, ease of install and in general is it a well thought out, well engineered design and forethought etc.

 

Well I own the fabtech and have owned it since 2004, not long after I purchased the truck I purchased the fabtech. I was actually the first person at my 4 wheel parts to have one installed. It has been great. I have the dirt logic coilovers up front and upgraded to fox resevoir rear shocks in the back. I did not purchase the pro comp because they use spacer in the front to make the stock coilovers work, but now they have a stage 2 setup that uses different coilovers, I personally do not like the look of the front crossmember. Rize did not come out until about a year after that. If I had to do it again now, I would probably get the rize, just because of the look, quality and engineering. Don't get me wrong I love my fabtech, just would go a different route the second time around. You really cannot go wrong with any of them, I have heard that CST is good as well. It is personal preference, find one that you like the look of and pick it. I think that the fabtech is the best for the money and performance, rize is more money but a bigger lift, procomp is the most economical price wise. Good luck look forward to seeing the truck lifted!!!

 

fabtech widens the front track, others don't

 

I plan on using DL coil-overs (and not use spacers) and DL rears either way. I think the RIZE uses a spacer for the factory coil shocks. I am like you, I don't care for the ProComp front cross member.

 

Anyone know why they are the only ones that do?

 

Thanks to a great side pic from 07fx4silver and a little photo-shop work, what mine should look like with 6" lift and 35's. Of course he has 18's, I have 17's but a good look none the less.

 

It's because of the CV spacers used on the kit.

 

Am I the only one who hates the look of the Rize kits? Weird...
I hate that they draw attention underneath the truck, personally. Plus they use spacers for the stock coil overs, and the 8"+ kits should come with a new front drive shaft. When I look at them I think they are more of a "show" lift kit with no improvement over stock, just extra height. Much like the huge lifts for H2's and stuff.
If it were me buying a lift kit (wish I could afford to right now), I would probably get the Fabtech lift. Then buy my own coil-overs and sell the fabtech front shocks to someone with a pro-comp lift who wants to get rid of their spacer.

 

REALLY!! That's Exactly what was in my original post. I know they use spacers on the CV's and rear drive shaft. My question is, why is Fabtech the only kit doing this?

 

Yeah, I agree to some extent. It is a lot going on under there and I'm not crazy about the bracketing relocating the steering rack. It just looks like a lot of room for failure for a daily driver. Like you said, a show truck or something not driven everyday.

I've been looking for while and the Fabtech seems to be the best choice for me with the Dirt Logic CO and rear shocks. The CV spacers has me wondering why they do it. I like other kits too, that DON'T use them.

 

does the fabtech use a one piece or two piece front crossmember i was told to stay away from two piece ones

 

wrong, i don't think their is a suspension lift made that doesn't increase the front track width. my rancho pushed the wheels out about 1 inch on each side. theory is a wider stance will help with the center of gravity.
he's incorrect on the track width.
its more than just spacer, the kits are designed to increase the wheel track.

relocating the rack is nothing major, its just relocating its. i think that every suspension lift comes with cv spacers, gotta use them. rize makes a great kit, IMO, beautifully designed subframe, best design i've seen IMO

 

Maybe because they are the only kit that HAS cv spacers on the front?

 

I think I remember reading that ProComp doesnt increase track width. They were using it as an advertising claim in some magazine I was reading.

As far as steering relocation, PC, Fabtech, and rancho just flip the tie rod ends upside down. Rize actually has drop brackets right for the rack and pinion assembly, right?

 

Fabtech has a spacer that gets installed to move and angle the rack correctly for steering. Rize needs an extra 2", so they do something a little more drastic. No big deal.

I hate the way Rize looks. Too flashy and bling bling for me, but thats simply my opinion on the LOOKS. Nothing else. For the price, I would think a better front shock system would be fair, something similar to Fabtech's stage 1, where new shocks are used, but your old springs are relocated onto the new shocks. Oh well. You can go with different shocks from King, or other companies.

Absolutely nothing at all wrong with two peice subframes. At all. Its an old wives tale, myth. The lower a-arm bolt into both brakets, so that huge chuck of metal woul have to rip apart as well, not likely. Plus, there are three different support bars boilted in, making it very rigid. If you can cause it to fail, after being PROPERLY installed, then your truck is beyond destroyed, and the sub frame would be the least of your worries.

Fabtech widens the track with, "because". They spent plenty of time researching and devolping the new system. in order to make the new knuckles as strong as they could, they needed to widen them out slightly. Allowed for proper geometry, and more metal for strength. When they did this, the also saw that the CV's will need to come out slightly as well, and provide the spacers for you. Thats the reason why.

Hope this clears up some of this for ya.