SL Installation Quote

coreylubahn · Post by **coreylubahn** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 3:53 pm

So I stopped by the only installer I know of in town and asked about the SL kit for our trucks. He said that he didn't recommend SL because their springs always sag with time. He recommended a BDS 5" kit that I didn't even think existed...but he said it did and that he would want $2200 just for the kit. He said he would install the SL but I would have to buy it. Then he blew me away when he told me he would want $1400 to install any lift on my truck. He said it would take one person 32 hours plus materials (paint, metal blades, grinder wheels, etc.). I almost fell over.

Is it really that damn hard?? I saw them put a kit on a Ford on the show trucks and it didn't look that hard. Of course I don't have access to a lift, though I do know some people who can weld really well (my father-in-law is a welder by trade) and I do know how to weld. I can't justify $1400 on top of the price of the kit, I could do a lot of stuff with that much money.

Finally one last laugh...I stopped by a truck accessory store that also happens to be a SL dealer and he quoted me $2650 just for the kit. My gawd...I mean really.

Anyway, I'm looking for some guidance from this genius bunch. What do you all think I should do? Oh, and I hope you all got a good laugh from these prices.

2bunik · Post by **2bunik** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 3:59 pm

I wouldnt buy it from them that for sure. as for being hard to put on, from my expieriance and from what people have said around here. I would say it is a pretty lenghty process.. I think you need a plasma cutter too .. well not need but it would help. I suggest getting it online and installing it yourself..

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:17 pm

2bunik wrote:I wouldnt buy it from them that for sure. as for being hard to put on, from my expieriance and from what people have said around here. I would say it is a pretty lenghty process.. I think you need a plasma cutter too .. well not need but it would help. I suggest getting it online and installing it yourself..

Plasma cutter - $1000+ for an inexpensive one! ( I know - I have one - wished I saved the money)

Cheap angle grinder and a half dozen disks - maybe $100, tops?

Oh, and a case of beer is maybe $20 for halfway decent stuff? (Used to attract lots of friends to help)

gocntry · Post by **gocntry** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:33 pm

I Just recently Called "Outlaw Motorsports" They Are Listed On Superlift's Site As My Local Installer In Culpeper Virginia...I Asked Them About The 6" Lift And Got A Quote Of $1895.00 For The Lift Itself And A Quote Of $750.00 For Labor For The Install (10-12 hours 2 people) I Found This Reasonable And About What I Was Expecting.....Too Bad The Wife Didnt See It The Same Way

. Back To Selling All My Xtra Stuff On Ebay To Raise The Cash!!

Jeff

jeff024 · Post by **jeff024** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:36 pm

I may be mistaken but I thought the SL6 was like 1700-1800 heres 1 for 1665SL free shipping on orders over 50$

coreylubahn · Post by **coreylubahn** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:47 pm

Yeah I had seen that also, that's why I was shocked. The guy at the accessory store had to call his supplier because he didn't have any info on the kit. His price was 1700 and he adds on 50% markup...50% can you believe that. I can do 1700, but I'm just not quite sure I can do the lift myself (with help of course). I just don't know......

bubaloo1983 · Post by **bubaloo1983** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 6:15 pm

hey corey just from experience in owing and dealing with business on a daily basis ...all suppliers generally ( unless they want to go bankrupt)charge 50 percent markup...then the distributer charges the next 50 percent it sucks eh....so basically by the time it gets to the consumer it has gone from say 1000 to 2000 dollars.

business sucks. can you get the kit direct from superlif or no????

coreylubahn · Post by **coreylubahn** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 7:37 pm

I don't believe that they will sell direct to a customer...you have to go through a dealer, although I believe I can buy directly from a distributor will 4x4 parts warehouse like in the link above and get a good price (better than my dealer in town can even buy them for). Now I just have to decide if I can actually manage the install myself with help (gotta look into how much cutting and welding is involved). I do business everyday and we only charge 20% markup on everything that we resell, so the 50% seemed crazy, but I suppose everyone needs there cut. Anyway, I really do want to get the SL, I just don't want to get myself in over my head.

bubaloo1983 · Post by **bubaloo1983** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 11:09 pm

yeah i dont blame you... maybe something to keep in mind that the guy who installed my trailmaster for me said as i left with my truck...

he said to me " man thats not something i would want to do on my own in my garage!" and he was an experienced welder fabricator mechanic. now i dont know what has changed on the sl compared to the tm in terms of install and what gets hacked and re built and put here but im sure it aint fun. so do alot of research eh

hate to see you get and then a post by you saying you cant do it

but good luck maybe if like you and 5 of your friends did it it might not be so bad

jeffc · Post by **jeffc** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 5:23 am

ok the guy that said don't buy superlift because the srings will sag is an a$$! the kit doesn't come with new springs! you use the stock torsion bars and simply do a flip kit on the rear using the stock leafs. right then and there you should have realized what type of person you are dealing with. it's sad to say but there are alot of people out there selling this stuff and telling you what you need when in all reality they are clueless themsleves about the products they are trying to push or talk down. again i paid $1585.00 for my sl kit from 4wheelparts. i got them to price match tyres international price. look up my past thread "ordered my 6" sl today" or something like that. it'll explain what i had to deal with and all the prices i was given from the different dealers. 4wp charges $750 for the install. nothing against buying from the local guy but if you want the "best" price your going to have to mail order it. oh the install is pretty tough....not impossilbe but after doing it the $750 4wp charges doesn't sound too bad and they have shops all over the country.

coreylubahn · Post by **coreylubahn** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 7:32 am

Jeffc,

I believe that you may be the only one who has personally done the install on this beast just yet, so give me the details. What was hard about it. Is there a lot of cutting, welding, what? I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested. I searched and found a little feedback from you during the install, but what makes it a difficult install? Thanks man.

jeggers · Post by **jeggers** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:37 am

I have received half of the kit from summit and going through the parts i would not want to do it myself in my garage. you could use some help from a mechanic by trade (father inlaw). you can get the instruction from sl web site i got them before i ordered, it to see what it involves. from what i can tell the cutting and welding is not that bad, but it looks like it will take some time. jeffc can tell you about that ,or look up his post on the install.
order it online or over the phone i paid something like 1665 6"sl, 195 2" pa, and under 700 for wheels and tires (yok at 32x11.15 on a black soft 8 wheel) from summit on there card no interest.

jeffc · Post by **jeffc** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:59 pm

it's not that the cutting and welding is hard in it's self...it's just a very complex lift with alot of parts and it's very time consuming. without the right tools it would have been much harder and taken even longer than it took me (almost 23hrs!) and i had a profesional mechanic helping me using every tool you'd ever need. i don't want to say it's impossible but the thought of trying to work with only floor jacks and jack stands sounds like a pain. i'm not spoiled either i've done lots of jeep and solid axle pickup lifts with regular tools working without a hoist but you really have to rip apart the front end of the truck with this kit. i wouldn't have wanted to cut the frame with only a torch...yes it could be done but the plasma cutter is much cleaner and accurate. laying on the ground lifting the diff in and out wouldn't be fun. again not impossible just alot of work. go to the sl web site and look at the directions...really read them good and you'll understand how big this project is. i don't wanna tell you it was a walk in the park and halfway through the install you get stuck and can't go ahead because you don't have the right tools or something like that.....then i'll look like a jerk. i wasn't kidding when i said the $750 4wp charges doesn't sound bad at all after seeing what was involved. don't forget your going to have to spend $100 on a torsion bar unloader to do the job yourself so really it's only like paying $650 for the install. i live near detroit and the closest 4wp is 4 hours away. i almost put my truck on a flat bed and dropped it off for a few days but decided to do the lift myself at the last minute. it's a great lift and i'd tell anyone to get it but if your not sure about putting it on yourself i'd read over the directions really good before starting this project.

Post by **Walt** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 3:00 pm

There is a very very good shop down here that will do it for $450

Now I just gotta scrub up the $1K for the gears, and the $1600 for the actual lift kit