So i'm finally gonna do it, talked to norcal nick this past friday (really cool guy) So it looks like im gonna do the 7-9 kit steering upgrade and all, he said I wouldnt need the heim style rods and went with the OEM HD rods instead. Doing the UCA's, deavers in the rear and possible dual shock setup in the front with bilsteins (hopefully from swampfox) If the deal doest go through with him i might just do singl shock all the way around just to save a little.

So for the guys that have cognito lifts or any type, Im in the stage of sleepless nights, over driven excitement, and a shit load of researching...
My original plan was just to do 7-9 with 35...Question on that, so i see alot of trucks with that setup with 6"deavers in th rear, But i keep reading that the front has to be cranked a little for the truck to sit leveled? With that, are cv angles, steering comp, ride quality suffer, just as other trucks out there need to do just to be leveled.

And with all this reasearching and pictures, the cognito 7-9 lifts with 37's looks bada$$, it growing on me. So my question is, if I did the 10-12 lift what other parts/components willl i need extra besides whats need with the 7-9 lift..Basically whats the difference between the two lifts in money ???

sorry guys for the long questionaire, but i need answers before i start dropping money..thanks

the difference is the front driveshaft. with the 7-9 your stock one may work.some guys have the stock one and its ok and some have to switch it out. with the 10-12 it will not work. you will need the front driveline from Cognito or have your stock one modified to fit with a dual CV joint and lengthened.

obviously you will also need bigger rear springs than 6" deavers. your pretty much talking about 7-800 more for the front and whatever size springs you go for in the rear. i got my springs for $450 shipped from competition leaf spring. they are 10"

then once you have 37's or bigger you will want gears too. its basically an endless cycle :) cause once you have the 10-12 and 37-38" tires you will want bigger tires,like im doing now, and have to buy 40's...then you want switch rims and go with a 12" wide rim. then got these big ass tires and you start eyeing up bigger lift kits........

if you want a 10-12 lift i would greatly consider a solid axle swap. i have read that when you go this big the weaknesses of the IFS start to show more. this is just what i have read. i could be wrong, but with the extra money to go this high i think i would be very close to a SAS and you would have a much better and stronger front end. just my .02

Lol.. You may disagree with B-rad saying you won't want any bigger... But he nailed it dead on. Its an endless cycle that only pauses long enough to buy the next vehicle to start on..

What it comes down to is budget, what size tires you want to run, and the option to fit bigger if you desire. I wish I would have gone the 10-12, I have only had my lift on a few months and already seems small to me. IMO the 7-9 is a good size though, still very usable, and can go with the 35's or 37's and looks awesome either way

7-9 should only run 37's or bigger. 4-6 and run 35's. Whats the point of lifting it that high only to stick puny tires under it?

Signed
35's and a leveling kit. :D

I'm wondering how a 4-6 on 37's would look. . . :eek: :cool:

if you want a 10-12 lift i would greatly consider a solid axle swap. i have read that when you go this big the weaknesses of the IFS start to show more. this is just what i have read. i could be wrong, but with the extra money to go this high i think i would be very close to a SAS and you would have a much better and stronger front end. just my .02

a good axle costs as much or more than a cognito front lift.aftermarket axles can get into the $6,000+ range. then you have lots of fabbing and time to put it all on. and it all has to be put on,powdercoated or painted,etc

the strength/weakness question is very debatable depending on what you do with the truck. 46,000 miles here with not one alignment or replaced part...excpet for sway bar end link bolts

and you can do a cognito install in a day with basic tools plus a 36mm socket, torsion key remover,some good drill bits,and a sawzall for the one cut to the lower diff mount

x2.. The cognito is a solid kit. If you do the necessary steering upgrades, and arent doing alot of hard core offroading non stop, the ifs holds up pretty good.

Check my garage for a 7-9" (set at about 8") with 35's on 18" wheels. I have 6" deavers in the back but found them too much and put in a set of 2" drop shackles, the
4" Deavers would've been perfect.

Duals up front, UCA's and all the steering upgrades. The compliments keep comming.

thanks jmgaz and others .. so thats what i thought ...so basically when i get the cognito 7-9 kit, I'm gonna have to crank a little to actually have it level out... I wouldnt mind, but will the ride and front end suffer on street/highway or when i do take it out and play..what about cv angles ???

I'm gonna have to crank a little to actually have it level out...

I say it depends on the springs you use in the rear. With the 4" springs you shouldnt have to crank at all, if any. I only did so that I have a 1" rake to the rear.

If you want 37's I would get the 10-12 kit, I have the 7-9 and I still have a little rubbing and I havent even been offroading, I would be afraid of how much rubbing I would have in that situation

To fit 37's on a 7-9 kit you have to crank the shit out of it OR trim a lot.......:blahblah:

If you want 37's get the 10-12 and run it at 10" flat with stock cv angles.....

damn it..i wish i new or saw some one with a 7-9 kit or 10-12 kit so i can personally look at it.. by picture only i like the way it looks with 37" i like the 7" with 35's too.. damit..but i just cant judge by pictures only ??

Where do you live?

city of glendale, near dodger stadium

Well..........there are people that travel that far to go to Nick's shop. If you come up I would be there to show you my truck....
I would make a post asking if anyone in the LA area with a Cognito setup could meet you to show their truck to you.


I drove to Mike L in Inglewood just to have my tranny done in one day..........

To fit 37's on a 7-9 kit you have to crank the shit out of it OR trim a lot.......

I have 37's and am not cranked to shit or had too trim much:confuzeld

I do agree though.. Go with the 10-12 set at 10 with 37's

All I know is my truck cv's are pretty flat, the front is not sitting high, and I trimmed the front bumper a little bit..........install 37's and you will be changing all that one way or another.
37's=10-12 kit in my opinion....Nick will say the same thing.

37's=10-12 kit in my opinion....Nick will say the same thing.

I concur as well.

Ok, everyone with deavers with the 7-9 kit, whats everyone doing with the situation about deavers sitting taller in the rear, i know JMGAZ did drop shackles, and others have told me that they had to crank a bit to sit level to adjust to the rear, so obviously cv's arent flat...is the ride still the same, stiffer, or bouncy??