Any issues with RCD lifts? Installing 6" on 09 Chev HD Duramax

Its an overall good lift kit.

Its an overall good lift kit.

X2, RCD makes quality engineered lift kits and are pretty straight forward when it comes to installation.

thanks guys

Yea pretty straight forward. I would add the Cognito Steering Braces at some point so you take the steering stress away and the pitman & Idler last longer.

I agree, RCD is a good lift. Plan on upgrades though:D

How much does the RCD drop the front diff? Isn't it only 4" or something and then you have to crank the torsion bars to really get it to 6"???

NICK:

Why add the steering braces? Is it just to prevent wear or are there other benefits? I don't do much highway driving(yet)(moving to phoenix in june) but I don't do a lot of offroading either.

Just wanting some more info

And BTW Andy:

My dad is on his second RCD and this is my first, I have about 20K on mine...so far so good!

good info Nick. I actually had about 25K on a cheap tuff country & had no issues but i may take their advice on the new truck and get the cognito braces??

How much does the RCD drop the front diff? Isn't it only 4" or something and then you have to crank the torsion bars to really get it to 6"???

RCD drops the diff 4.5" and their spindles are 5.5" tall so you will get 5.5" more lift without any cranking, although your CV angles are a little higher than stock, they're nothing to worry about. The picture shows the CV angle on my old RCD kit cranked up to about 6". Notice the lower bump stop is still touching the LCA and the CV angles are no big deal. In fact I have my Cognito 4-6" cranked up to about 5.5" and the angles are similar but the lower bump stop doesn't touch the LCA.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Jacqson/JointConfig004.jpg

NICK:

Why add the steering braces? Is it just to prevent wear or are there other benefits? I don't do much highway driving(yet)(moving to phoenix in june) but I don't do a lot of offroading either.

Just wanting some more info

And BTW Andy:

My dad is on his second RCD and this is my first, I have about 20K on mine...so far so good!


Street trucks wear the steering just as much if not more than off road. Pot holes over the course of a few months can kill the front end and steering parts. The design of the Cognito steering braces are a great upgrade for strong to lifted trucks. Your OE pitman and Idlers will last alot longer, 3-4 times in most cases.

Here is what they look like: http://www.norcaltruck.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=2_385&products_id=242

all good stuff thanks to everyone. hopefully i get the braces by thursday so i can line it up once. Nor-Cal ur site is killer! anyone curious to see how it turns out?? pix to follow

Ummmmm Yea... we all want to see another killer looking truck.:grd:

RCD drops the diff 4.5" and their spindles are 5.5" tall so you will get 5.5" more lift without any cranking, although your CV angles are a little higher than stock, they're nothing to worry about. The picture shows the CV angle on my old RCD kit cranked up to about 6". Notice the lower bump stop is still touching the LCA and the CV angles are no big deal. In fact I have my Cognito 4-6" cranked up to about 5.5" and the angles are similar but the lower bump stop doesn't touch the LCA.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Jacqson/JointConfig004.jpg


So the distance between the subframe bolts in this picture is 4.5"? I don't see how having a 5.5" spindle is adding any lift to the kit. I'm looking at the picture and thinking in my head that if there was a 6, 7, or 8" spindle on that truck it would only rotate the upper a-arm up and not provide any lift (if you didn't touch the torsion bars)........am I thinking wrong?

So the distance between the subframe bolts in this picture is 4.5"? I don't see how having a 5.5" spindle is adding any lift to the kit. I'm looking at the picture and thinking in my head that if there was a 6, 7, or 8" spindle on that truck it would only rotate the upper a-arm up and not provide any lift (if you didn't touch the torsion bars)........am I thinking wrong?

The distance between the subframe bolts(Frame Bolt holes to LCA bolt holes) is the same height as the Knuckle(5.5"), that's where you get your lift. If your diff was dropped the same amount the CV's would be almost straight. One of the reasons the diff is only dropped 4.5" is to keep it tucked up inside the subframe and to avoid having to modify your exhaust and front driveshaft. The higher CV angle created by only dropping the Diff 4.5" is not enough to cause CV driveline problems. I guess RCD thought this was a more cost effective way to design the lift so you wouldn't have the added expense of a front driveshaft and exhaust crossover modification. It's funny, I never had any driveline or exhaust mod problems with the RCD yet with my Cognito I had to modify the exhaust and change to a dual cardan front driveshaft. It was an extra $600.00 for the shaft and exhaust mod. Here's a pic of the stock exhaust crossover and driveshaft on my truck with the RCD lift.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Jacqson/Picture493.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/Jacqson/Picture494.jpg

I am having all sorts of problems with my RCD lift. My tires keep getting knocked out of alignment. Enough that I almost want to return it to stock height. I have put all new steering parts in the front end in the last 6 months. I had it aligned about 2 months ago and now it needs it again because one of the upper A arm adjustments moved and the peg holding the cam broke off. What do I need to do to stop this constant battle?

I am having all sorts of problems with my RCD lift. My tires keep getting knocked out of alignment. Enough that I almost want to return it to stock height. I have put all new steering parts in the front end in the last 6 months. I had it aligned about 2 months ago and now it needs it again because one of the upper A arm adjustments moved and the peg holding the cam broke off. What do I need to do to stop this constant battle?

Switch out your UCA and LCA Factory OEM bushings to Polyurethane. The OEM rubber bushings allow too much deflection in the front end. Polyurethane should fix the problem because there will be zero deflection and that should keep your wheels in alignment much longer. I have Poly bushings in my UCA's, LCA's and I only get an alignment once a year. The Energy part number for your truck is 3.3185.

I don't know if the RCD lifts are different between the diesels and gass because my front vibrates just like any other lift but I am not sure really I just know that when in 4wd I get the vibration that is the only bad thing I can say about the lift really I have had it on for a good 100k or so and I just now replaced my upper control arms with cognitos because my ball joints where out

[quote=jdugie123;3236786]my front vibrates just like any other lift/quote]

My front does not vibrate at all.........

I had two duramax's lifted with a RCD. Never had any problems...Awesome lift for the price.

Does RCD have alignment specs?