13. New torsion bar brackets...
13. New torsion bar brackets that mount to the lower control arms are one of the unique components in this kit. They're key to not having to lower the torsion bars to compensate for the front suspension lift. The first step to installing these brackets is to install the provided aluminum spacers into the torsion bar hex holes in each of the lower control arms.
14. Here you can see the new...
14. Here you can see the new driver-side torsion bar bracket installed. These brackets fasten to the lower control arms by utilizing existing shock mount holes as well as bolts through the aluminum spacers shown in the last step. This is where the new bumpstops we mentioned previously come into play. They contact the new torsion bar brackets and work in conjunction with the factory bumpstops to cushion suspension uptravel.
15. On the passenger side...
15. On the passenger side we had a bit of a problem when the new bumpstop mount contacted the new torsion bar bracket. We didn't have this problem on the driver side, so we checked to make sure the new BDS bumpstop mounts and the torsion bar brackets were identical side-to-side, which they were. BDS says they've never seen this problem before and this confirmed that the discrepancy was due to variations in the factory components on our vehicle and not the BDS parts. We solved the problem by grinding a small amount of material from the bumpstop mount until the lower control arm could cycle freely.
16. New ductile iron knuckles...
16. New ductile iron knuckles come with the kit. These knuckles are CNC-machined and designed to retain the OE steering geometry. These are the narrow-track knuckles, which keep the track width of the front suspension close to stock but increase the turning radius. BDS also offers standard-track knuckles, which widen the front track slightly but retain the stock turning radius. The installation of these knuckles differs depending on which type of knuckle is being installed. The kit includes detailed instructions that outline the procedure for each.
17. To compensate for the...
17. To compensate for the taller front suspension, the kit includes new sway bar end links. They mount to new offset sway bar link U-brackets at the bottom and the sway bar at the top. The new offset swaybar link U-brackets mount to the lower control arms at the original sway bar link holes.
18. New CV spacers push the...
18. New CV spacers push the axleshafts out to compensate for the increased height of the front suspension.
19. Here's the finished front...
19. Here's the finished front suspension. The BDS kit is also available in gray.
20. Here's a look at the front...
20. Here's a look at the front suspension from the back side. Those familiar with aftermarket IFS kits will notice that this kit doesn't use compression struts.
21. Lifting the rear of the...
21. Lifting the rear of the truck was straightforward and pretty standard. The major components in our kit included new leaf springs, U-bolts, extended bumpstop brackets and shocks. There were no surprises during this final part of the install.
By The Numbers
So what are the real-world results? The answer to that question lies here, with measurements taken before and after the install (very unscientifically with a tape measure and an angle finder).
| Measurement | Stock | Modified | Change |
| Ground to rear bumper | 20.5 in | 26.0 in | +27% |
| Ground to front bumper | 12.0 in | 23.5 in | +96% |
| Ground to front differential* | 9.5 in | 13.0 in | +37% |
| Ground to transmission crossmember | 9.5 in | 18.5 in | +95% |
| Angle of approach | 27.1 deg | 45 deg | +66% |
| Angle of departure | 25 deg | 36 deg | +44% |
*Measurement includes new skidplate
Bottom Line
Before and after the install we RTI'd the truck on our 20-degree ramp. Before the install, the truck traveled 40.25 inches up the ramp to earn a score of 263. After the install (Photo A), the truck traveled 50 inches up the ramp to earn a score of 327. This represents a 24 percent improvement in RTI score.
There are many things to like about this kit. In Photo B you can see the clearance provided by the new front suspension crossmembers is impressive. In addition, the generous skidplating protects the underbody and front diff. The design of the kit also eliminates the need for protruding compression struts. Also impressive is the fact that the kit solves the problem of low-hanging torsion bars with the unique torsion bar brackets that mount securely to the lower control arms. Photo C shows a side view of how the torsion bars remain in the stock position after the install.
BDS says that for the new body-style GM trucks the kit is designed for a maximum tire size of 35x12.50 on a 20x9 wheel with 5.75-inch backspacing or a 35x13.50 tire on 17x9 wheel with 5.5-inch backspacing. The owner of this rig chose to run LT235/65R18 tires.
At the time this story was written the kit has an MSRP of $2,681.21 (includes the No Fine Print" warranty).