Lift and upgrading my at4x

cdemartini · Feb 8, 2023

Picked up a ‘22 AT4X few months ago, and looking to do a few mods.

Wanting to lift it a total of 4” (not 4 more than the stock 2”), level the front, replace the front bumper (addictive desert designs is releasing front bumpers in 60-90 days), and throw 37’s on, with some air bags in the rear.

My question, and forgive my ignorance, but if I lift this truck, am I defeating the purpose of the at4x stock suspension?

This will end up being a hunt rig, with the goal of having higher ground clearance, better approach angle, and allow me to tow without the sag in the rear using the air bags.

Teegunn · Feb 8, 2023

cdemartini said:
Picked up a ‘22 AT4X few months ago, and looking to do a few mods.

Wanting to lift it a total of 4” (not 4 more than the stock 2”), level the front, replace the front bumper (addictive desert designs is releasing front bumpers in 60-90 days), and throw 37’s on, with some air bags in the rear.

My question, and forgive my ignorance, but if I lift this truck, am I defeating the purpose of the at4x stock suspension?

This will end up being a hunt rig, with the goal of having higher ground clearance, better approach angle, and allow me to tow without the sag in the rear using the air bags.

IDK know the answer for sure, but you may defeat the smoothness of these really great new shocks GM puts on the AT4X by going with a bigger lift than a front level. I did the Rough Country 1.5" front level and the Rough Country 3.5" (matched to fit with the 1.5" level kit) improved angle upper control arms on my 23 AT4X. I didn't want to mess with it more than that, and that was enough to clear the 285/70R18 (34x11.5) tires I put on it.

Me personally, I wouldn't go more than a front level like I did. Even doing that, it is not quite as smooth/nice of a ride as it was stock. Some of that is my bigger tires/wheels (wheels are 18x9 fuel Contra 437 with a -13 backspacing) I put on it at the same time as the front level, but some of it is just even levelling it will give it a bit more stiff ride. Not greatly stiffer, but a little bit.

I have gone up to 6.5" lift on a Sierra (a 2014 Z71 sierra) before, and while I loved the look, it was more lift than I should have gone with. Usually I just do a front level. Going bigger than a front level is likely to change the stock ride. As far as the rear - you could just do bigger blocks under the leaf springs for an inch or two lift that way, but go too far and you would still effect the ride. I put Airlift airbags under the rear springs of my 2020 AT4, as I pull a fairly heavy job trailer a lot, and the airbags helped a lot with towing. I really liked the Airlift airbags, and you could actually put more air into them and get an inch or so extra lift in the back pretty easy. But they did stiffen up the ride some. I am not planning on doing the Airlift airbags in my 2023 AT4X as I don't want to mess with that plush stock ride it has with these new shocks.