Here's the truck as it came...
Here's the truck as it came from the dealer's lot: nice and new but stock. Don't get us wrong, this is a good truck as it sits but it will be much better once everything is installed.
Nothing says "Get out of my way" better than a big lifted truck. It's hard to explain, but it is very satisfying to have little cars change lanes as you come up behind them. It might just be the headlights blazing into their rear windows, but who cares? It's just one of the perks of having a big ol' lifted truck. In addition, lifted trucks give more ground clearance for off-road abuse, and they just plain look tough.
So if you have a new truck and want to be the big boy on your block, you're going to dig this story. We hooked up with CST Performance Suspension and SoCal SuperTrucks to have the attitude adjusted on an '07 Chevy Silverado. The CST suspension kit that provides the bulk of the lift is rated at 6 to 8 inches depending on how tight you crank the torsion bars. The kit uses drop-down brackets and a new spindle for the front and a simple block in the rear. All of the shocks on the truck were replaced with new performance units from Fox, and the front received dual-shock hoops allowing for four shocks to control the front end.
To complement the lift and add another 2 inches toward the sky, a set of 20-inch KMC Backseat wheels wrapped in 35x13.5R20LT Xtreme A/Ts from Pro Comp Tires was bolted on. To get all of the parts installed, we took a trip to SoCal SuperTrucks. Not only did the mechanics put on the lift kit, they mounted and balanced the wheel-and-tire combo as well as aligned the truck back to spec before taking it on its maiden voyage. As you can see, the Silverado has an unmistakeably beefy presence and looks great up in the air. If you have a new Silverado that's just screaming to touch the sky, then read on.
What's in the box?
The lift kit from CST Performance Suspension offers powdercoated gloss-black brackets; the rest of the kit's components feature a cad plating for durability. Not shown are the optional dual-shock hoops and the six 2.0 Fox shocks to be installed.
1.The wheels were torn off...
1.The wheels were torn off along with the brake calipers and rotors. The calipers were hung out of the way with some wire (don't let them hang from the brake lines-that's a bad idea). To get the stock spindle out of the way, the ball-joint nuts were loosened and a sledgehammer was used to hit the spindle to release it from the ball joint.
2.The technician at SoCal...
2.The technician at SoCal SuperTrucks showed us this little work-saving tip. Instead of tearing down the entire front assembly, remove the axles and lower control arm from the truck and you can save a lot of reassembly later if taken off as one unit.
3.The torsion bars were removed...
3.The torsion bars were removed from the crossmember and set aside. Because the lower control arms were removed earlier, there won't be any tension on the bars.
4.The key pins won't be reused,...
4.The key pins won't be reused, so those were knocked out before the tie rods were removed. The crossover arm was taken off and thrown in the scrap pile. There is a new drop-down steering arm that will be reinstalled later.
5.There are a few areas that...
5.There are a few areas that need to be trimmed for the new brackets to fit. The best bet is to use a Sawzall to trim off the factory pieces. The kit's instructions provide a clear diagram of what needs to be cut. This was the last pass with the Sawzall; yours should look nearly the same when done.
6.With everything disassembled,...
6.With everything disassembled, dropping the differential started with this bracket. The factory 21mm hardware will be used on top, while the lower hardware is provided in the kit.
7a.Next, the new steering...
7a.Next, the new steering arm was installed using the factory 21mm bolts. Heim links are used to keep the steering nice and solid.
7b.You'll need to put them...
7b.You'll need to put them together and adjust them to measure 5-5/8 inch from center to center.
8.It is definitely easier...
8.It is definitely easier to hang the drop-down cage with the help of a friend. You can use a couple of screwdrivers to hold it in place while you install the factory bolts.