Just recently got a new baby. 2012 4WD RCSB Express. Haven't named her just yet. Heard that the McGaughy 2/4 econo kit 44051 will fit a 4WD. Then I heard it won't. Then it will. Then it won't lol. I have read through hours of posts on it here on the Z. Some awesome info and killer rides on here!
I have been back and forth over the McG kit and the GF kit. Price had me leaning toward the McG, then I read someone said the front coil over strut springs are not the right diameter. Someone else said the McG is not compatible with 4WD at all.
Seth at McGaughy said that the 44051 kit will fit a 2012 4wd rcsb express. Can anyone tell me for sure if this will fit or not on a 4wd?
Help?
The McG's spring only kit will NOT fit the 4wd as the 4wd uses a coilover and the 2wd uses a spring/shock setup. The McG's spindle kit will fit just fine, I know, I have it on my '09 in combination with the GF front springs for a 4/6 drop.
Had another contact with Seth at McGaugys. He again assured me their eco kit would fit a 4wd. I had my parts man check at the dealership this morning, and he said the 2wd does in fact have a coil over strut on the 2012. However, someone else on the Z said the springs are different diameters from oe to the McG. I asked my parts guy to check interchangeability between 2wd coils and 4wd coils. He said there was a total of over 60+ different oe coil part numbers between the 2wd and 4wd so there is no way of him knowing what will interchange...
I'm not trying to be argumentative I am just trying to find the correct answer. I would love to do a 2/4 without changing spindles and the McG is about 1/2 the price of the GF kit... ??
Help anyone?
The 2wd has a shock IN spring set up, not a coilover, they're two different things entirely. The 4wd has pigtailed springs that are much shorter than the 2wd spring that's straight spiral wound, plus the lower control arms are completely different designs. There isn't any difference between the '12 and the '09 front suspension and I've physically held all the components from both 2wd lowering kits from McG's and the 4wd kit from GF. The McG's front 2wd springs will NOT fit the 4wd coilover spring cup or I would have used them since Summit screwed up and sent me the front spring kit AND the front spindles before I went out and bought the GF front springs.
Your options are very limited: you can either get the deluxe spindle kit or the GF spring kit; OR you can get a set of Bilstein 5100s and machine another groove into it 1.45" lower than the stock height setting and use the stock springs.
The slight modification required to the McG's spindles only applies to older spindles, they now are making them with the lower ball joint clearance window.
Thanks for the info. I do appreciate it. Guess I'll just be saving a few more greenbacks first. Maybe I should send McG's the links you shared with me Kurtis?
So if dropping the front 2" is as simple as replacing the coil with a shorter one, would I not be able to just cut the stock coil? Maybe cut the stock front and then also install the McG 2" rear coils and cut them also?
Drop springs have higher spring rates to make up for reduced travel. You can cut the stock springs, but your ride will suffer. Probably more so with the smaller 4wd front spring.