I'm happy too with the RCD, especially if the superlift rides anything like stock suspension (given only difference on the suspension from superlift is the shocks, t-bars are the same, and the rear end is a stacked block).

What do I have into my truck pretaining to the RCD lift/suspension....

$1500 for RCD kit (it was used)
$250 is missing parts from used kit
$525 in deavers (to delete the RCD AAL and OEM lift blocks)
$400 in new front drive shaft
$120 in new coilover springs

And currently looking for uniball UCA and doing MOOG lower BJs and TREs.

 

shheee

i got at least 9K in my RCD lift

gears, programmer,springs,lift,tires,wheels,adapters..any thing else that i cant remember

 

He's just talkin basic RCD...

Another thing you will want to do when you have them install the kit... Don't let them put on the RCD coils.. they're 600lb and they'll sag in a matter of about 500 miles, no joke. Get soe 750lb Hypercoils... They don't sag. Well worth the $120 or so you'll spend on them. Mine are getting ordered up this weekend :-D!

 

The RCD rides a million times smoother than the stock torsion bar suspension.

Heres what I've got in my kit

$1300 - RCD kit (used) Came with limit straps, extended CVs, and 750LB hypercoils.
$400 - Superlift shaft
$625 - Deavers, not necessary of course but ride nice and smooth
$300 - Replaced upper and lower balljoints when I did the lift, again, not necessary
$60 - Alignment.


Find a used kit, and don't let the cutting and welding scare you because its minimal.

 

Yah... hell if you wanted you could probably find a way to just bolt the gussets on, if you were good enough lol..

Hey, where did you get the "extended CV shafts"? I may need them when I put in the new coils... Also man, could you pm some links to pics of your truck.. I'm torn between 750lb coils or 800lb coils... Maybe even stiffer... Idk, just wanna get an idea of what my LCA's will look like so I know how far down on the adjuster I can crank em.. Sorry for the jack btw!

 

Here is a link to the thread with the only pics I have since Ive installed the kit
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=57983

The arms aren't at too much of an angle, I hardly have the coils cranked at all. I could crank them up another 2 inches if I wanted to.

As for the extended CVs, the guy who had the kit before me had them made. I'm not really sure who made them all I know is it was a company in southern California. They are custom and probably weren't cheap to have made, but to be honest I'm not real sure.

 

I actually thought about getting 2 shafts say from a jy, cutting them flat with a bandsaw, beveling both sides, adding in a beveled 1in spacer and welding it up with some e6011 or e7011 rod... and playing around with it a bit... Also keeping the RCD spacer in to help with extended arms and cv angles..

 

lol wow, 2 pages already for me to read.

Well I did read it all and it seems like alot of people are very happy with the RCD kit but you had to invest additional money to make it work better. Is this the case for the Super lift? Yes I know it lowers the torsion bars but my main reason for a lift is looks and water clearance. I want to go and be able to drive through a puddle without worrying if water is going to get inside the cab.

I am still leaning towards the Super lift just because of the price but I do know of the quote "Buy expensive, buy once. Buy cheap and buy atleast twice" so thats the reason for wanting the RCD lift. I am still not sure.

As per the tires, it must be nice to have stuff cheaper down there. Houses, cars almost everything is cheaper in the US because you guys have a market of atleast 250 million while Canada only has a market of at most 30 million so there is a big difference.

I am still reading posts around here about both kits but I think it's more then an opinion. Other then the coils vs torsion bars, I see no difference with the kits.

 

Go with RCD man. It's by far superior to the superlift. You'll be able to go through the puddles with the superlift, yes. But you'll have a better ride, taller truck and it's just cool to know you have coil overs on a torsion bar truck!

You really don't have to do much to the RCD, the only thing I could suggest is coils, a mere $100 or so for new ones, a lot of times they won't charge to install them if you have it done when the lift is put on initially. You could even sell the RCD coils on ebay and get that money back, just a possibility. I'm really glad I bought the RCD, it rides way better than my buddies 98 with 3in body and 4in superlift and 35's... Plus my rear sits a lot taller than his and once I get my 750/800lb coils put in, My front will be the same height as his (he's taller in the front than me) if not taller (what I'd really like to go for)! Just up to you, on what you wanna spend and what's important to you... Ya know?

 

Sorry Trevor but I think he needs to hear both sides of the story.....

The RCD is a good lift BUT,you have to drop to smaller rotors,you will need the Superlift

driveshaft or have your CVed,you will have to buy new coils to get the lift you want,if

you do any offroading there is a good possiblity that the RCD diff bracket will break

unless you have a gusset welded on. All in all you have to spend more $$$ for parts on

an already expensive lift. If you have everything welded on like the instructions say you will need more than a set of hand tools to take it back off.(if you ever wanted to sell your truck)


The Superlift however is what I have and am very happy with. Ya the t-bars hang low

but have yet to stop me from where I wanted to go. Its a direct bolt on kit that can be

removed very easily. I haven't heard anything bad about the SL other than the ride

factor but if you want a great ride don't expect it from a lifted 4x4...go buy a caddy.

The SL is ALOT cheaper and IMO is a better designed lift kit. Never hear of anybody

breaking anything on a SL have you?

Bottom line,buy what ever kit YOU like and what YOU can afford.

 

Kev, I hear what you're saying...

HOWEVER

I haven't broken anything for the diff brackets and actually have never heard of that happening without gussets (knock on wood)... I've wheeled it a few times too with no problem other than RCD not sending the CV shaft spacer.

I actually have a friend with cracked brackets up and down his superlift, and it was put on about a year ago... CRACKED BRACKETS, not just weld joints, cracked metal... He also needed the RCD CV spacer because he had the same thing happen to me, where the CV over extended...

I'm not HATING completely on the SL, but I still think they have some areas to work on to make it fool proof.

And as far as parts for the RCD, I've never heard of metal plates costing that much, especially simple shapes cut to strengthen a x-member. Even having them CNC plasma cut, won't cost that much. You don't need many and they're not that big. The shock mount gussets come with the kit, so no need to spend that money. The only other thing that you should invest in with the RCD is the HyperCoils. Evan and I both haven't had problems with the stock shaft, as RCD doesn't recommend anything for a replacement, or anything like that... I'll have a Shaft made from Driveline tech when mine goes out, if it does at all. It may be time for my SAS by then lol

This thread could go on all day between people with the RCD and people with the SL giving their $.02... It's all about what he wants to see when lift kit buying time comes... I guess we'll find out what he thinks!

 

heres food for thought....

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...D+diff+bracket

 

OK yes this could turn into a $0.02 worth thread, but I think having people who have experience with both kits can be benifitial to him. I have the superlift kit, and as Kevin said too, I have nothing to complain about. other than the sway bar links which can have a quick fix. As far as taller, I beg to differ. You can ask Matt (99Ranger4x4) who has a rcd. He parked by me, and I was a inch taller than him, and he'll tell you that. You look at cost vs function. Don't get me wrong, the RCD is an INCREDIBLE kit...when you spend the money to make it better, spending all this extra money on this and that...coils here ...upgraded diff brackets....fox shocks if you choose. I can tell you right now....a truck with a RCD and a 3in b/l and 35's is not going to walk circles around a truck with a superlift and a 3in b/l and 35's. They are both pretty comperable. Eveyone complains about the torsion bars being low and hanging down. your right they do....but you also have a driveshaft that hangs low too....and the RCD connecting links are sitting low too. Yes they are higher but they are still there. Now 3 inch's lower is not really going to make THAT big of a difference if your wheelin is some off-camber trails....I mean really come on are you really worried about inch's, between torsion bars and RCD connecting links? is that 3 foot rock really going to care?

You don't hear about people having to beef up their superlift kit, and fix this crossmember and weld that plate. Why is it that your going to spend MORE MONEY on a kit, and you have people that have the same kit that are breaking the same parts, and a less expensive kit isn't breaking? And the kit is cheaper? I'm happy with the 1300 bucks that I spent on my kit, it does all the wheeling I want and them some. I couldn't justify spending over 2000$ on just the kit and then spend 500-1000$ MORE to upgrade it to be comperable to what I have now, especially on a budget. so again just my 0.02 $

 

True, that's why I had mine put on by a shop... If it brakes, they'll take care of it and bill RCD; for the part as well as any damages due to the part... They did it for my CV problem they caused.

 

maybe but your still "OUT" your truck...i have YET to hear about anyone complaining that they broke their superlift kit.....I have heard complaints about the sway bar links....which I agree they suck....but I don't have to SPEND 100-1000$ to make my kit to the point where I won't break it everytime I decide to go wheelin.....ask 99Ranger4x4 (Matt) how much EXTRA money he has spend on his RCD kit...because it FAILED......while he was wheelin! And that was out of POCKET and his kit was installed by a shop in downtown Austin, TX

 

RangerNVS, I actually only spent $3400 on both lifts installed with 315's mounted and balanced. Done in 2 days. The guy almost broke even on my install trying to beat out a competitor wanting to put just the SL and BL on for $3k. I got the better kit, again IMO, with tires for $400 more than the other guy wanted to spend.

It's all a choice to upgrade parts, you don't have to. And not everyone has had problems with the diff bracket, but since it has come to my attention, I'll gusset it soon. It's shown no problems so far with the bracket, and I guess it's all how you use it. I can say that with the stock drive shaft, and "un-gusseted brackets" I haven't had any problems with the lift, and I HAVE wheeled it... I really like wheelin it in the snow, that's my fav. The superlift is smaller than the RCD... There is a reson it costs almost a grand more. I'm really glad I bought mine.. With minor details that require some attention and a few bucks, I know the RCD will outlast the SL everytime. I've seen in person cracked "stupidlift" brackets, from wheeling... RCD has one faulty bracket that can be strengthened BIG time with the help of a 1/2 metal gusset and a few 6-8in beads with a good welding rod...

 

How often do you wheel,do you wheel your truck hard?


Was he jumping the truck? He must had been doing some hardcore wheeling to crack the brackets,or just a factory defect.


I haven't heard of ANYONE here or anywhere else needing a RCD part for a Superlift. I would like to know why he would need a CV spacer.


The SL is alot closer than the RCD to ever becoming fool proof.

I was talking about the diff bracket needing a gusset like the SL bracket comes with from the factory.

How many miles have you run with the stock DS? You will need something other than the stocker later on down the road.


People on here that have broken parts have called RCD to let them know and to try and get another part but they dont care,they consider the ranger a dying breed plus they are more interested in full size trucks.

 

I am not in anyway shape or form saying the RCD is a waste of money. I too believe that with that kit and EXTRA money you can make it a very performance oriented lift kit for a ranger. But for the money.....in my opinion the kit should NOT BREAK diff brackets..it should not smoke CV axles, with or without spacer's, and for that kinda money (over 2000$) I should not have to UPGRADE the KIT to do what the superlift kit can do out of the box. I think RCD didn't follow through when designing the kit....it has WONDERFUL potential, and a great design but it can be better. As far as outlasting...I guess we agree to disagree.....if you ever come down to OK, or TX country...you better put your money where your mouth is....cause I have yet to see a bracket crack, or break, or shear, or someone "GRENADE" a cv axle BECAUSE of a superlift kit. Now how bout them cheap @ZZ RCD diff bracket's? ohhh wait I don't have to worry about that cause I bought a stupidlift.....like I said BRING IT

 

oh and it's NOT a grand more cause it's smaller, it's a GRAND more because your converting torsion bars to coil overs....

 

Check out http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=186393

Guys on there are ditching their t-bars and modifying their SL kits with RCD components to run either RCD coilovers or Fox coilovers.

 

I do wheel my truck, and when I wheel it, it all depends. Sometimes I beat on it, sometimes I'm easy on it... Just depends.

And the guy that broke his brackets, has never jumped his truck, just wheeled it.

You hear about people all the time wanting the RCD shackle, or the RCD CV spacer... He needed it because he kept over extending his CV and after 2 CV shafts in one week he gave in.

I don't think, IMHO, the SL is and closer than the RCD is to being fool proof... It think it all depends on the style the person wants, their driving habits and what they plan to do with the truck after they put the lift on.

As for the gusset on the RCD diff bracket... How much could it really cost to cut a piece of metal and weld it on? Not hard. Hell I'll make them and send them out for what they're gonna cost me... Minimal price of steel, and time a the plasma cutter... Not a big deal to me.

Evan has I wanna say 5-6k miles on his stock Drive Shaft... I've got close to 8k on mine. I see no problems nor do I hear any problems... If it goes out, I'll deal with it... Superlift HIGHLY recommends their shaft, to get you to spend more money. Drive shafts don't cost that much usually, for the 2-4in long you'll need it to be, even custom made... Don't quote me, but I can have a shaft made for less than what it's gonna cost for the SL and if THAT one goes, I'll go back to the shop that made it for the warranty they'll provide.

I'm pretty good at getting what's coming to me on the phone... Ask Comcast lol...

 

Not out of the Box,you have to upgrade coils first


Silly yankee,not when your on the side of the trail with a broken diff bracket


I haven't,if you wheel hard enough your going to break parts...period

Mine came out of the box ready to go.

 

AHHH HA!!!!



Wonder why they're ditching their awesome superlift products...

 

How bout we do this...

Someone post a pic with a SuperLift with the recommended tire size (33 or what have you)

AND

Someone else post a pic of a RCD with the recommended tire size... Then we'll compare... Crank up them torsion bars all you want, all us RCD guys have to do is turn down the adjusters

As far as parts... If you're modding your trucks suspension you should know more than just taking it out of the box and putting it on... You really should know how it works and take the time to look at the parts it came with, if you question some parts, think about what can make it better and then do it... It's really not that hard. I'll weld a gusset on 1 piece of the RCD puzzle anyday before I go back to torsion bars.

You're not gonna find me on the side of a trail with a broken diff bracket. 1) because the superlift will get caught up on stuff so you won't be able to get to me in the first place (RCD FTW!!!!!! ).. and 2) because this problem as been brought to the attention of all RCD owners on the site and future owners, and who knows, maybe even RCD themselves.

 

Duh...Like you buy a car and they try to sell you an extended warranty...if RCD offered a DS then they would push it also.


You just need to say this....

I hope this don't make you mad im just having a little fun...

I have rode in a truck with a RCD lift and it does ride better than the SL...never seen one in action but he wasn't if any taller than me.