Hey everyone,
So I'm thinking of lifting my 08 H3 with the T-Bar crank and adding the Blilstein 5100 Series shocks. As far as I've researched this is the best "Cheap Lift" we can do. I'm all for this bc I want to take the rake(forward drop not lawn tool) out of my ride but I do want to actually lift it once the tread on my tires wear down and need replacement. So my question is... If I buy the Bilstein 5100's for the T-Bar Crank, will they still be of use when I buy my Tuff Country 4" Lift w/o shocks? I'd rather know now and save for the lift if i do need separate shocks since I'll be forking our for new rims/tires w/ the approprite backspacing for the new Knucles. Thanks for the help guys. It's appreciated.

Happy H3 Owner in CA

 

I might have been mis-informed by the Bilstein rep I spoke to when inquiring about shocks...I was told that the 5100 series are for up to 3" lift. If this is true, add shocks into your lift expense

 

If memory serves correct the rancho and tuff country lifts are not like other lifts. They keep the stock geometry angles. Thus the shocks that they come with are of stock length. However I don't know for sure if they get into replacing the stock a arms or anything that would dictate going with a different mount for said shocks, if they do not the bilsteins would work. And for the price $200 you really wouldn't be out that much anyways... Food for thought

 

Pretty much what I'm trying to get at guys is I've found the Tuff Country 14040 4" Lift Kit for the H3 at a cost of $760(w/o the included shocks) or $1,300 on another site(that includes the shocks). With that being said I'm trying to figure out if the shocks(those included in the kit, aka Tuff Country 16") are worth the $540 extra or if I can utilize the Bilsteins(or something better if someone has found a better shock for that lift?). Hope that helps a little bit?

 

You could also just run the stock shocks after leveling. A lot of guys do.
You may notice some nosedive on hard braking or some extension limitation under extreme wheelin, but you don't NEED to install Bilsteins now if you are planning a lift for later.