McGaughy's 7-inch Lift Kit - 2011 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD

Before

McGaughy’s Suspension has done it again with their new 7-inch lift kit for the 2011 GM 2500HD and 3500HD trucks. Available for both the 4WD and 2WD versions, the kit allows for a 37-inch tall tire with minimal trimming. The kit was designed with safety and longevity in mind. One great thing about this kit is that the spindles were CAD-designed to achieve factory geometry and alignment specifications.

The kit was installed at the McGaughy’s headquarters in Fresno, California, on their 2011 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD. There are several upgrades for the kit, including a dual-shock hoop, Fox Racing shocks, and boxed compression struts. For this installation, the boxed compression struts were used and all of the components were powdercoated black instead of having the glossy silver finish. To finish off the truck, a set of 20x9-inch BMF S.O.T.A. wheels wrapped in 35-inch Nitto Trail Grappler M/T tires were installed. Follow along, as we show you how to increase the ride height, value, and look of your truck without sacrificing safety.

1. After removing the front wheels and tires, the front crossmember was removed from the truck. Next, the brake rotor, caliper, and wheel hub were removed from the spindle and the spindle was unbolted and removed from the truck.
1. After removing the front wheels and tires, the front crossmember was removed from the t
2. The factory front shock was removed and the lower control arm was unbolted and set aside.
2. The factory front shock was removed and the lower control arm was unbolted and set asid
3. The next step was to remove the front differential crossmember. This will be replaced but uses the factory hardware.
3. The next step was to remove the front differential crossmember. This will be replaced b

4. After the lift is installed, the differential will be sitting in a lower position. To achieve this, the driver-side differential crossmember bracket needed to be trimmed 4¼ inches. Then the differential was disconnected and removed from the vehicle.
4. After the lift is installed, the differential will be sitting in a lower position. To a
5. The lift kit from McGaughy’s came with everything needed to complete the installation: new spindles, new front crossmember, new front differential crossmember, torsion bar drop-down brackets, bumpstop extensions, compression struts, skidplate, differential drop-down bracket, sway bar endlinks, CV axle spacer, and lift blocks and longer U-bolts for the rear.
5. The lift kit from McGaughy’s came with everything needed to complete the installation:
6. The first step in putting everything back together was to reinstall the differential with the drop-down bracket in place. With the front differential in place, the new, beefier differential crossmember was bolted in.
6. The first step in putting everything back together was to reinstall the differential wi

7. The bumpstop extensions were then installed and once the lower control arms were in their new mounts, the lift spindles were lifted into place and connected to the ball joints.
7. The bumpstop extensions were then installed and once the lower control arms were in the
8. To account for the increased track width, a CV axle spacer had to be installed on the driver side. Here is how the new front crossmember looks. McGaughy’s is known for making great-looking and extremely durable products.
8. To account for the increased track width, a CV axle spacer had to be installed on the d
9. To bring the sway bar up to factory height, the kit included new, longer sway bar endlinks. New shocks that were included in the kit were installed next.
9. To bring the sway bar up to factory height, the kit included new, longer sway bar endli

10. A new differential skidplate was installed which protects it from the front, bottom, and rear.
10. A new differential skidplate was installed which protects it from the front, bottom, a
11. This is the drop-down bracket for the torsion bar crossmember.
12. The kit comes with tubular compression struts but this is the upgraded, boxed compression strut. With this bolted into place, all of the nuts and bolts were tightened and we moved on to the rear suspension.
12. The kit comes with tubular compression struts but this is the upgraded, boxed compress

13. The first step was to unbolt the U-bolts and drop the rearend down to make way for the lift blocks. The new lift blocks were set in place and the longer U-bolts were inserted over the leaf springs and bolted to the axle housing. A new bumpstop extension was then bolted onto the axlehousing.
13. The first step was to unbolt the U-bolts and drop the rearend down to make way for the
14. Out back, new shocks were installed to complete the lift.
15. Here you can see the increased ground clearance as well as the factory torsion bars and new, boxed compression struts.
15. Here you can see the increased ground clearance as well as the factory torsion bars an

2011 Gmc Sierra Denali Mcgaughys Lift Kit Bmf Sota Wheels

The factory wheels will not fit the new lift spindles, so a set of 20x9-inch BMF S.O.T.A. wheels with Nitto Trail Grappler 35x12.50x20 tires were installed.

The factory wheels will not fit the new lift spindles, so a set of 20x9-inch BMF S.O.T.A.

Highs:

Increased off-road capability
Enhanced looks
Ability to clear larger tires

Lows:

A bit pricey
Decreased MPG
Decreased horsepower

From The Driver Seat
With the new lift and tires, the truck sits about nine inches higher than factory. After leaping up into the truck, we took it for a quick shakedown to make sure nothing was rubbing and that everything was fine. With the 35-inch-tall tires, there was absolutely no rubbing, even when turning on uneven terrain. It is possible to fit a 37-inch-tall tire, however, the tire would need to be 10 inches wide and for a 20-inch wheel, would need a 5-inch backspacing to eliminate the need for trimming. For more information about this lift and all other McGaughy’s products, check them out online at www.mcgaughys.com.

After

Your Questions Answered
Time Spent Working:	6 Hours
Degree of Difficulty:	Intermediate
Tools Needed:
assorted sockets, Sawzall, torque wrench, Loctite
Parts Used:
(prices from manufacturers and do not include tax, shipping, or installation)
McGaughy’s 7-inch lift # 52350	$2,320.00
BMF S.O.T.A. 20x9-inch wheels	$530 each, $2,120.00 total
Nitto Trail Grappler 35x12.50x20 tires	$343 each, $1,372.00 total
Total:	$5,812.00

SOURCE
Nitto Tire 6021 Katella Avenue Suite 250 Cypress CA 90630 877-565-8448 www.nittotire.com	BMF Wheels 1401 N. Batavia Street Suite 107 Orange CA 92867 888-313-2580 www.bmfwheels.com
McGaughys Suspension Parts 5680 W. Barstow Fresno CA 93722 559-226-8196 www.mcgaughys.com