Reinstall the front differential using the factory hardware. The rear crossmember installs into the existing rear lower control-arm mounting pockets also using factory hardware. With the rear crossmember installed, the rear driver-side mounting bolt can be installed. At this point, the differential is measured to ensure that it's mounted square in the frame. Reconnect the differential vent hose and the electrical connector and tighten all differential hardware. | 
The factory lower control arms are installed into the new RCD crossmembers using the cam bolts that are provided in the kit. | 
There are frame-bracket knockouts on the upper control-arm frames. They need to be removed so the upper control-arm alignment tabs can be installed against the upper control-arm frame-mounting brackets. These alignment tabs fix the upper control arms in place. Alignment is then made with the lower control arms. After this is completed, the upper control arms are installed. |
Reinstall the front driveshaft to the differential and reinstall the drive axles to the differential after placing the new drive-axle spacers between the differential flange and the axle (shown). In some applications, the exhaust crossover pipe may need to be modified to clear the front driveshaft. | 
The RCD kit comes with new spindles, so the ball joints, hub and bearing assembly and splash shield are transferred from the old to the new spindles. Install the new spindle assemblies, as well as the new longer brake lines with crush washers that are provided with the kit. Install the brake rotors and caliper assemblies. | 
A pair of RCD compression struts strengthens the taller front suspension. The front of the struts fasten to a pair of brackets that mount to existing holes in the transmission crossmember, which are drilled out slightly larger, while the rear of the struts fasten to mounts that are installed on a rear frame crossmember (rear mount shown). |
The final step for the front end is the addition of torsion-bar drop brackets, which mount to the outside of the frame and allow the factory torsion-bar bracket to be lowered to compensate for the increased lift. The torsion bars are then reinstalled. | 
The rear of the vehicle is lifted via new rear 4-inch spacer blocks. The kit comes with the blocks, U-bolts, brake-line extension bracket, bumpstops and Bilstein shocks to round out the rear components. To conclude the install, bolt on the wheels and tires and lower the vehicle to the ground so the lower control arm to the front and rear crossmember pivot nuts can be tightened. With the weight of the vehicle on the suspension, you can now install the front antiroll-bar extensions. The final step is to have the vehicle aligned. | |
On the trail
The off-highway benefits gained by the increased ground clearance include improved ramp-over angle as well as approach/departure angle, which makes a dramatic difference in where our Tahoe can go. A slight amount of trimming of the lower valance was required to allow the front tires to travel completely. The new Bilstein shocks are a remarkable improvement over the factory dampers, and their valving allows them to soak up the sharp impacts on both trail and road without transferring the shock to the passengers.
The M/T Baja Radial MTX tires are amazingly quiet on pavement, yet offer a vast improvement in dirt traction. They seem to work well in everything except mud, which is no surprise because of their all-terrain-type tread design. The M/T Classic Lock wheels show excellent craftsmanship and have been trouble-free, though the simulated beadlock ring does lack drain holes, so a fair amount of water gets trapped in gaps between the ring and the wheel.
We didn't opt for the available add-a-leaf for the rear springs, and we now wish we had, because the rear of the vehicle sits just slightly lower than the front. The addition of the lift blocks has also amplified some axle wrap issues that we're having with our high-mileage factory rear springs. We believe that these two issues are related to the tired factory springs, but it's something for you to consider if your truck is older and still has the factory leaves.
We really like the fact that the RCD lift components come in basic black, as they matched our truck's black/silver exterior. Up front, the kit gained us 8 1/2 inches of height, for a total of 21 inches from the valance to the ground, while at the rear we gained 5 1/4 inches, for a total of 25 inches from the bottom of the bumper to the ground. Finally, we have a decent 15 inches of clearance between the bottom of the center-mounted RCD torsion-bar lowering bracket and the ground.