After doing my research - I finally made up my mind to get a 2.5 lift. I won't be doing any hardcore rock crawling so 2.5 lift will give me both worlds for a daily driver and off-roading trail adventures.

I am currently running:

35s on 18x9 wheels, rear & front fender flares, AEV Front Bull Bar Bumper, Body Armor Tire Carrier & Rear Bumper. I am also planning to add a rough country front and rear inner fenders.

Hopefully, with the bumper & spare tire weight - the 2.5 lift won't sag.

Love to hear what you all think about the build I have so far and on the 2.5 lift, I am planning to add.

Now, the big questions:

Which lift kit to buy? From the research I did: it comes down to these three (AEV, TeraFlex, Metalcloak): Love to hear your experience and feedback on these three.

What additional items I will need? Does the lift come with everything I will need for a smooth drive or do I have to any further modifications? such as shocks, arms, etc.?

Where to buy it and Where to get it installed?

I live in San Jose, CA so any recommendation on a reputable shop for lift installation will be helpful. Not sure if it is better to buy in directly from websites like quadratic and have the local shop install it or just go directly with the shop.

 

I'd remove TF from that list. There are a lot of folks that like the AEV lift, but consider adding some control arm brackets to their 2.5" lift so you can adjust caster. The Metalcloak 2.5" lift with their shocks, ordered directly from them, would be a better option IMO. They just sent out notice of a flash sale today. Short notice and short window is how their sales work......not to pressure you, just highlighting it.

 

Metal cloak all day long. If you need an installer and like to spend the day in Tahoe, PM me.