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  #1  
Old 02-03-2010, 10:41 PM
2007BlackFX4 2007BlackFX4 is offline
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Default Superlift vs RCD Lift

I want to know the differences between the two. Obviously the RCD is more expensive because of the coil-overs but height wise are they about the same? Shane and Tre i'm hoping yall can help me out here because i know yall have both. Yalls trucks look about the same height? Is the superlift equal to the RCD in height? Which has better ride quality? Any other differences or similarities yall can think of please let me know. thanks
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Old 02-03-2010, 10:42 PM
smakes smakes is offline
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the RCD kit is 6 inches i think, but i could be wrong
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Old 02-03-2010, 10:44 PM
2007BlackFX4 2007BlackFX4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smakes View Post
the RCD kit is 6 inches i think, but i could be wrong
its labeled as a 5.5" lift but why are shane and tre's trucks almost identical in height???
i also remember someone telling me that the super lift and RCD are close in height? (obviously the RCD a little higher but still if its close then oh well)
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Old 02-04-2010, 03:10 AM
Fx4wannabe01 Fx4wannabe01 is offline
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RCD was originally advertised as 5.5". It was later advertised as 5". Superlift is 4"

Both front kits are drop bracket kits w/ taller knuckles but....
- Superlift still uses torsion bars
- RCD uses coil-overs

Rear lift...
- Superlift uses 3" block ontop of the stock block(ewwwww) with taller U-bolts
- RCD uses a long AAL and a 9" shackle(equivilent to a Chevy 3" drop shackle), and axle pinion angle shim



Tre has about an inch on me. It's hard to tell due to my dark truck and tight bumper gap versus his bright truck and big bumper gap. My rear end is about 1" lower than his. His has approx 4.5" total lift while mine has 3". Hard to tell in pics, but defintely a noticeable difference in person. In some pics you can totally tell he's got some height on me.

BUT....Superlift CAN be taller than an RCD. Maxing the bars can do this. But it'll sag over time, and so will the RCD coils(which are rated way too low out of the box)

HANDS DOWN....RCD rides SOOOOOOOOOOO much better than mine. Anything rides better than torsion bars. There's a reason so many are starting to convert their Superlifts to coil-overs: it's well worth it for the ride.

I'll copy and paste my reviews I posted on another site.
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Last edited by Fx4wannabe01; 02-04-2010 at 03:17 AM.
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  #5  
Old 02-04-2010, 04:04 AM
Fx4wannabe01 Fx4wannabe01 is offline
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Linky: http://therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fx4wannabe01 View Post
98+ 4x4 Superlift 4-3" lift

The front kit is your basic drop bracket kit with taller steering knuckles....front and rear crossmembers and drops, torsion bar key drops. Later kits come with limit straps. Rear kit uses 3" blocks and longer U-bolts. Shocks are included front and rear.

I've had this kit on the truck for about 2 years now and I believe it to the best BEST option for a 98+ 4x4 IFS truck. All the bracketry is beefy. It's proven to be a very good lift and quality and it being the only suspension lift available now, only proves it. Superlift has thought it out....their live axle knuckles(00.5+) accomidate BOTH sizes of rotors..11.2"(98-02) and 12"(03+). This leaves an open for someone to upgrade to 12" brakes with just a set of rotors. That's something that cannot be said about any other past available kit for the 98+ trucks.

Pros: very high quality. easy install...straight up bolt-on. upgradable brakes. no reported failures of any major component. No worry of any additional CV shaft failure(same as factory risk).

Cons: pricy(but hey, what IFS lift ISNT pricey?). front driveshaft required(as with any suspension lift on these trucks). too soft/mushy shocks. stacked blocks. sway bar endlinks are poorly designed. Still torsion bar(lol!) and the drops are unsightly.

Con fixes: I didn't like the idea of stacking blocks, so I used a Belltech 6400 shackle and a ProComp short AAL to get me the 3" of rear lift. I built my own verison of the $450-550 Superlift front shaft that only cost me about $300 using all new parts....using a junkyard explorer shaft would run about $200. No sway bar helps. lol. And in the rear I'm running Bilstein 5100's which helped out the ride immensely.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fx4wannabe01 View Post
98-02 4x4 RCD 5" lift

The front kit is your basic drop bracket kit was taller steering knuckles, front and rear x-members and drops. Kit eliminates the torsion bars and replaces them with Bilstein Coil-over shocks and all necessary bracketry is included with the kit, including the rear xmember braces. Rear kit consists of a long AAL and lift shackles. Rear Bilsteins are also included.

My friend has had the kit on his truck for almost 3 years now or so. The kit is an 'okay' thought out kit IMO. There are issues which I'll get into later. Overall, the kit looks better....the front x-member, elimination of the t-bars, and oh my the ride!! The ride is incredible. Blows torsion bars out of the water!

Pros: THE RIDE!! Elimation of torsion bars is just awesome...both in ride and looks. Front x-member looks cool. Rear lift is done one notch short of new springs which is nice.

Cons: THE PRICE! $2500 or so. Same front shaft issues as the Superlift, but that's Ford's fault. Install requires a welder. Front coils are too weak for a xcab 4.0. Only works on 98-02 brakes which means, 03+ guys have gotta downgrade to 11.2" brakes. A differential drop bracket is very very poorly designed and is not reinforced in anyway. 1/4" steel and it does snap in half resulting in a changing pinion angle and massive vibration which can take out front pinion bearings, front shaft joints, and possibly tcase damage. Something about the knuckles push them out farther than stock, resulting in the possibility of a CV shaft being pulled apart under "extreme" travel/flex.

Con fixes: Upgrade to 750lb coils on 4.0 xcab trucks. Before it happens, reinforce that triangle diff bracket using 1/4 x 1 flat stock. Eventual shaft replacement just like the Superlift. Keeping the sway bar on and/or running limit straps help the CV issue. Longer CV's or CV spacers would help some too.




*with all said, it's hard to point out all the good in a product, it's the negative that speaks the loudest. I tried to make this as un-biased as I could being I have one kit and have alot of experience with the other.
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  #6  
Old 02-04-2010, 04:27 AM
XLT08 XLT08 is offline
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Are you running the heavy-duty replacement driveshaft with your Superlift?
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  #7  
Old 02-04-2010, 06:04 AM
Fx4wannabe01 Fx4wannabe01 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XLT08 View Post
Are you running the heavy-duty replacement driveshaft with your Superlift?
Post #5 says it.


But I'm running a shaft just like the Superlift $500 shaft, but mine cost me alot less using the same adaptor they use, a 95-97 Explorer front shaft, and shortening and balancing from a local driveline shop. My stock shaft lasted me not even 5,000 miles.
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Old 02-04-2010, 06:35 AM
HighRollerII HighRollerII is offline
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i liked my RCD when I had it -- just a pain with the coils starting to sag overtime..

i also didnt use any of the pieces for the rear kit..i pieced it all together..got new springs, no blocks, beltech shackle..i dont like AALs or blocks
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Old 02-04-2010, 09:11 AM
2007BlackFX4 2007BlackFX4 is offline
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Thanks for the help everyone. So if i were to just go buy the Superlift and get it installed and not buy anything else or modify anything would i be able to get away with it..? I know the front driveshaft is a problem but how long could i last on my stock one? Are there any other things i need to expect to have to buy to make this lift work down the road? thanks everyone
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Old 02-04-2010, 09:13 AM
camodown camodown is offline
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the stock shaft might last 10 miles or 20,000 miles. You never know.

and no you could just buy the kit and be good until the shaft problem comes up
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Old 02-04-2010, 09:26 AM
2007BlackFX4 2007BlackFX4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by camodown View Post
the stock shaft might last 10 miles or 20,000 miles. You never know.

and no you could just buy the kit and be good until the shaft problem comes up
ok thanks man. i have more questions about the superlift in this thread
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/lifte...lift-only.html
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Old 02-04-2010, 11:49 AM
TrePaul86 TrePaul86 is offline
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One other thing, I didn't read everything so I don't know if this was answered...

RCD doesn't produce their kit anymore. You can still buy them new if someone has stocked them, but chances are you're gonna have to buy this kit used.. And at that they're hard to find.

I like the bracketry a lot more with the RCD. It looks a lot cleaner, and not as cheap as the superlift.

I love me some RCD though. Lol
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Old 02-04-2010, 12:28 PM
2007BlackFX4 2007BlackFX4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TrePaul86 View Post
One other thing, I didn't read everything so I don't know if this was answered...

RCD doesn't produce their kit anymore. You can still buy them new if someone has stocked them, but chances are you're gonna have to buy this kit used.. And at that they're hard to find.

I like the bracketry a lot more with the RCD. It looks a lot cleaner, and not as cheap as the superlift.

I love me some RCD though. Lol
Haha yeah but the RCD is more expensive... i've seen the RCD lift in multiple places. here is one that i just found earlier
http://grunionfabrication.com/rcd-fo...03-p-1023.html

to you Tre - other than the driveshaft obviously going out eventually are there any things i would have to worry about if i got the RCD lift? would you say its worth the extra 500 dollars to get the Coil-overs? do they sag over time? is the ride really that much better? thanks
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  #14  
Old 02-04-2010, 12:33 PM
camodown camodown is offline
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stock coils will sag, and the diff drop bracket needs to be reinforced
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  #15  
Old 02-04-2010, 12:40 PM
Fx4wannabe01 Fx4wannabe01 is offline
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as noted in my 'review' posted above. lol.



I forgot to mention the Bilstein's that like to break and destroy cv's. ahaha.. lol.
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