So you're the proud owner of a '99-to-'06 Chevy 1500 4x4 and you want some extra clearance for larger rolling stock. Furthermore, your pockets might not be all that deep right now for any of a dozen reasons. You're after something value-priced that's still high-quality. Rough Country has your Chevy solution. Priced (at press time) around $999 retail, Rough Country's 4-inch Chevy 1500 4x4 lift system is easy on the wallet, leaving you with enough cash to buy the 33-inch tires you've been eyeing for a while. The Rough Country system uses drop brackets to reposition the front lower control arms, combined with a pair of custom lift knuckles to bridge the newly-created gap between the upper and lower control arms. The upper control arms are left in their stock location. The rear suspension is lifted using a 3-inch block, new U-bolts, and a pair of extended shocks. 1. This '04 Chevy 1500 4x4 is as stock as can be, right down to the OEM wheels. Since the front suspension is a torsion bar design, new-style lift spacers and adjustable coilovers won't work. Yes, you can get a little extra clearance by cranking the torsion bars, but your ride quality will suffer, your tires will wear quickly on the inside edges, and your ball joints won't last as long. Besides, you won't fit 33s by cranking the torsion bars anyway.1. This '04 Chevy 1500 4x4 is as stock as can be, right down to the OEM wheels. Since the 2. Up close with the lower control arm drop brackets. The differential will be remounted in the drop brackets, which are tied together using a heavy-duty skid plate.2. Up close with the lower control arm drop brackets. The differential will be remounted i 3. Custom lift knuckles make it possible to leave the upper control arms in their stock location. Just like the brackets throughout the rest of this kit, construction is heavy-duty and dirt-worthy.3. Custom lift knuckles make it possible to leave the upper control arms in their stock lo 4. You'll need a torsion bar unloading tool to safely install this kit. Here's Rough Country's unloading tool, which benefits from a recently updated design. This tool is available separately and is not included in the suspension system.4. You'll need a torsion bar unloading tool to safely install this kit. Here's Rough Count 5. To get the Rough Country system installed, we headed over to Desolate Motorsports where Greg Gilbert, Matt Carter, and Danny McKenna handled the mechanical chores. Matt Carter used some anti-seize compound on the torsion bar unloading tool's threads. This makes the tool last longer and lets it work more smoothly. After unloading the torsion bar, you'll need to remove the torsion bar anchoring nut. Keep your fingers out of the anchoring nut's mounting holes while you're doing this.5. To get the Rough Country system installed, we headed over to Desolate Motorsports where 6. The front differential's forward mounting ear is trimmed off with a Sawzall. After the trimming, a Rough Country bracket is fitted to the differential, which mounts into the lower control arm drop brackets.6. The front differential's forward mounting ear is trimmed off with a Sawzall. After the 7. You'll need to shave down some of the cooling fins on the differential housing in order to clear the A-arm frame bracket.7. You'll need to shave down some of the cooling fins on the differential housing in order 8. The stock bump stops are left in place, and an extended strike pad is bolted to the lower control arms.8. The stock bump stops are left in place, and an extended strike pad is bolted to the low 9. The stock wheel hubs, brakes, and tie rods fasten to the Rough Country lift knuckes. No modifications to these parts are needed.9. The stock wheel hubs, brakes, and tie rods fasten to the Rough Country lift knuckes. No 10. In order to keep the steering geometry correct when using a lift knuckle, the lower control arms must be set further apart. This means that the CV axles need a pair of spacers to span the gap. The CV spacers are included and bolt into place. Good news: you won't have to disassemble the CV joints to install the CV spacers.10. In order to keep the steering geometry correct when using a lift knuckle, the lower co 11. The torsion bar crossmember is dropped using a pair of included Rough Country brackets.11. The torsion bar crossmember is dropped using a pair of included Rough Country brackets 12. After the installation was complete, it was time for some miles in the dirt. Here you can see the skid plate running under the front differential and connecting the front and rear lower control arm drop brackets.12. After the installation was complete, it was time for some miles in the dirt. Here you 13. Rough Country's optional kicker braces tie the rearmost lower control arm drop brackets into the OEM transmission crossmember. Rough Country also has an optional steering stabilizer, not shown, that bolted into place and helped control sudden jolts sent through the tie rods.13. Rough Country's optional kicker braces tie the rearmost lower control arm drop bracket 14. The rear suspension gains height using a 3-inch lift block, new U-bolts, and an extended shock. The stock ride quality is retained. In this case, ride quality actually improved because the stock shocks had faded long ago and needed replacement.14. The rear suspension gains height using a 3-inch lift block, new U-bolts, and an extend 15. There's usually a domino effect any time you modify a vehicle. So it was here. Larger tires throw off the speedometer reading as well as the transmission shift points. A Superchips Flashpaq tuner was an easy solution to the speedometer problem. The Flashpaq connects to the OBD-II port and lets you calibrate the speedometer for larger tires, change your transmission shift points, and add some extra horsepower all without turning a single wrench. We chose an 87-octane engine tune, which adds some power but does not require premium fuel. If you're OK with buying high-test at the pump, you can add even more ponies. The Flashpaq's effect was immediatley noticeable in the real world.15. There's usually a domino effect any time you modify a vehicle. So it was here. Larger 16. Toyo Open Country A/Ts wrapped around KMC XD-Series Hoss wheels do a great job of offsetting the plain white that permeates the rest of this truck's appearance. The wheels are 16x8s with 4.5 inches of backspacing and the tires are LT 305/70R16s. The rear edge of the front bumper cover had to be trimmed back to clear the tires at full steering lock.16. Toyo Open Country A/Ts wrapped around KMC XD-Series Hoss wheels do a great job of offs So how did it work? Quite well. Ride quality was better than stock, and the newfound suspension height cleared the way for the 33s. This simple lift kit and a new tire/wheel combo allowed the Chevy 1500 4x4 to go places that would've mangled stock sheet metal and left the truck high-centered.So how did it work? Quite well. Ride quality was better than stock, and the newfound sus Sources Rough Country Suspension 1400 Morgan Road Dyersburg TN 38024 800-222-7023 www.roughcountry.com Desolate Motorsports 14070 E. Lambert Road Whittier CA 90605 562-698-1460 www.desolatemotorsports.com Toyo Tires 800-442-8996 www.toyotires.com Superchips Inc. 1790 E. Airport Boulevard Sanford FL 32773 407-585-7000 www.superchips.com By Kevin Blumer Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
