There are two different reasons for lifting a truck. The first 6 to 8 inches of bolt-on lift provide plenty of off-road ability, so why go any higher?The second stage of lift is for the few who have that "mine's bigger than yours" attitude. This isn't a bad thing. After all, there is an entire industry dedicated to making your vehicle look cool.
We wanted a hands-on feel of both types of lifts, so we contacted CST Performance Suspension, which designs the two different types of lifts for the comparison. Our '02 Duramax already had the smaller version, so we had CST ship us the 11-inch version for the installation. We also decided we were going to see just how "bolt-on" this kit was, by doing the install in our driveway. After doing so, we would suggest you have the kit installed at a shop. It's not that it was impossible; it's just that the average garage doesn't have all the necessary tools needed to get the job done.
We took both kits over the same off-road area to see how they were different. The smaller kit had a set of 37-inch all-terrain tires that were a little too big for the setup and rubbed when the suspension cycled with the wheels turned. This prevented us from using the kit to its fullest, yet the kit with dual Fox shocks absorbed the terrain through the straights with no problems.
This is our Duramax on CST's...
This is our Duramax on CST's 6- to 8-inch kit. With the kit cranked up, the truck was fitted with 37-inch all-terrain tires mounted to a set of Weld 17x10-inch wheels.
After putting the 11-inch kit with larger dual Fox shocks up front and out back, and using 38-inch Toyo M/Ts, we weren't held back from rubbing at all. We hit things harder and faster with no adverse effects. The larger rolling stock and bigger shocks, coupled with CST beefy suspension and progressive leaf spring, provided an incredibly smooth ride over the rough stuff.
Both on and off road, the kit is compliant. On the street, it has no major adverse elements to speak of. The typical increase in roll center and the decrease of stopping distance from larger rolling stock are the only vehicle dynamics that are altered with the new lift height. On the other hand, driving a truck this tall is tricky because your depth perception is skewed.
Of course, we didn't enter the Tough Truck Challenge nor would we with a 7,500-pound quad cab, longbed 4x4 that we're still making payments on! But, for a bolt-on kit, it serves up an incredible amount of benefit for the dirt-monger and nanny-nanny in all of us.
With the new kit installed,...
With the new kit installed, the truck is obviously taller. A shortbed standard cab truck with the same amount of lift would look way taller. When installed, the CST 11-inch kit just made our longbed 4x4 look like any other lifted truck, unless it's parked next to something else.
The term purpose-built comes to mind when we think CST's 11-inch lift kit. Yes, that's right; we said it has a purpose. If you're one of the many who love to go riding at off-road parks, then you know there's always a large crowd gathered at the entry areas of these parks. In order to get you, your kids, and your gear away from these crowded areas, you need a method of getting beyond them. Huge tires that provide flotation allow the easiest way to get in a little deeper and out again, without major problems. If you're one of those who hates 20-inch rims, big lift kits, and huge mud-terrain tires, just keep on hatin', because the lift trend is here to stay!
Special thanks for the two local hands-on guys that helped fit this kit to the Sport Truck Duramax just in time to meet the Big Lift Special deadline. Thanks Charles Evenson for your blind faith and "let me do it" attitude. Thanks to Andy Measser for the "Are you sure that goes there?" questions to keep us straight.
 1.The 6- to 8-inch CST upper...  1.The 6- to 8-inch CST upper control arm retains the stock ball joint and provides dual shock mounts for added damping. The tubular construction also increases A-arm strength over stock. |  2.CST's 11-inch upper A-arms...  2.CST's 11-inch upper A-arms provide all that the 7-inch kit arms have, with the addition of increased strength and suspension movement by replacing the stock ball joint with a spherical bearing.A custom fastener makes mounting the new fulcrum joint simple. The tapered end simply slides into the knuckle and is bolted down. That's right, no drilling or welding is necessary to fit the spherical bearing to the knuckle. |  3.Additional lift means longer...  3.Additional lift means longer shocks to accommodate the added distance between suspension and shock mounts, which brought us to Fox Racing Shox. |
 4.It's common to see the remote...  4.It's common to see the remote reservoir shock as the damper of choice, but we wanted to be a little different. We chose Fox's piggyback shocks to fill our shock void. The elimination of the cumbersome remote line and clamps really helped the look of the 2-inch shock. |  5.Upon initial installation...  5.Upon initial installation of our new shocks, it would appear that the reservoir would point straight out and interfere with the tire. A closer look revealed a set screw that allowed us to swivel the reservoir outward to provide ample room. |  6.We got some killer jackstands...  6.We got some killer jackstands that allowed us to get the Duramax's frame 33 inches off the ground, so we could start our venture down the big lift bolt-on. The typical removal of the arms, steering, driveshafts, brakes, torsion bars, and antisway bar got us to the drop bracket and other major CST lift kit components. |
 7.If you look closely, you...  7.If you look closely, you will see the shock hoop is broken at the center brace. This is proof that you can't take a 7,500-pound hauler and beat it like a trophy truck, regardless of how good the lift kit is. Hell, even trophy trucks break. |  8.Another difference between...  8.Another difference between the two kits is that the lateral impact bars (strut bars) are mounted straight back to the transmission crossmember. The taller kit uses a slightly longer strut bar that triangulates from the drop bracket to the frame. |  9.The steering drop bracket...  9.The steering drop bracket on both kits is assisted with rod ends and links to prevent the steering bracket from lateral movement. The links are mounted to the drop bracket and were removed from the old kit for teardown. |