HELP! Lift kit broke my truck???

Just got a 4.5” BDS Coilover lift and 35’s installed on my 2019 Tundra by a shop that came recommended... cost me 8k.
Drove it home from the shop Thursday. By Friday I noticed it was making a grinding sound. I had my girl drive it so I could get out and listen where it was coming from. Sound like it was my passenger side brake that wasn’t fully disengaging? Not sure.
Secondly, I noticed a pop sound and vibration when turning but could reproduce it to begin to figure out what it was coming from.
I decided to take it back to the shop Monday but before I could it broke.
I was making a right hand trun on a city street and bam! I feel a vibration and a loud pop and what sounded or felt like metal grinding. Fortunately I was close to home and was able to driving back but the steering was messed up and I could feel something fighting back when I was turning.
When I looked under the truck it appeared to be leaking fluid where the inner CV joint attaches to the transmission. The fluid seemed to be clear, not red I assume it’s power steering fluid. But not sure. I am just pissed and not sure if I trust the shop that did the lift to fix it or make this right.
Any idea why a lift kit would cause this?
Anyone heard of this happening before?
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

I wonder if they didn’t seat the axle back in all the way.. or something didn’t get torqued or was lose. Post some pictures

 

Please take photos and upload them of the areas with the damage and the leak. Then take pictures of the other side that is not “broken”.

Additionally, what is the name of the shop?

If you have a receipt, please post that as well because a lot of people on here are going to ask what cost $8000 to get a lift installed.

Then we can start figuring things out for you.

The very first thing you need to do is contact that shop ASAP and let them know what is happening. Then call BDS customer service and get this situation documented with them also so they are aware of the issue.

 

From what I read it was 8k with rims and tires?? Maybe so that’s probably 2-3k? But still 5K for that bds kit seems crazy high

 

Agreed. Even the highest priced Icon stage whatever or Fox stuff isn’t that much to instal. But aside from a shop gouging a customer like we have seen before, we need to just help the op out. So we need pics.

 

Thanks for replying to my post. There is no physical damage that I can see but trust me, something is broken. I plan to call the shop in the morning as well as BDS.
4’5” kit $3500
Tires $1200
Wheels $1000
Install $1500
Tax was $500
Other odds and ends on receipt all added up to 8300. Now I’m feeling like I got ripped offed.

 

I am not sure exactly what kit you got but the kit price, the wheel and tire price and the tax all seems about right. I do not know where you live or what a shop charges by the hour so it is possible some forum members could argue on the 1500 for install or not. but do not feel ripped off. Try to take some pictures for us and the experts will get to work on the issue. Again, call the shop and call BDS and let them both know what is going on, that is really the only thing you can do right now.

 

How did you make out?

 

I had it towed to the shop. They said they are going to fix it.
The shop emailed me this:
It looks as if the threads in the bottom of the steering knuckle let go and caused the failure. I am sending the knuckle back to BDS for inspection so hopefully they will be able to tell us what happened. I have a new steering knuckle on the way from BDS, a new CV axle shaft.

They said the axel broke as well and the CV joint popped out.
I told them that I wanted the differential looked at by a 3rd party shop that does transmission work. Not sure if I’ll get them on board.

 

That damage in the photo only happened when the tow truck driver drove the truck forward to line it up to winch it on the flat bed. He hadn’t hooked it up yet. I heard metal on metal grinding before I got it towed and no damage was visible after I limped it home and parked it other than the inner CV joint leaking fluid.
I’m super bummed out and I feel like this shop is a joke and they cut comers and no my shiny new truck is a POS

 

Def not a POS, unless is it a white Tundra. Then maybe you have an argument. The white paint creates weakness and slow speeds. The slowest known to mankind.

Aside from that, all it is is some broken metal parts that can all easily be fixed with time and proper knowledge from someone at that shop or a new shop. No
Insurance reports or damage to your frame or body or anything. It’s bad but not that bad if that makes sense. Progress is being made and hopefully BDS and the shop can figure something out.

 

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER DROVE IT.

 

Hopefully they get it right this time.

 

I am really really hoping that the tow driver was smart enough not to use these big hooks on this part of your suspension to winch your truck onto the deck.

I drove a roll deck (basically a flatbed tow truck) and did lots of pickups for our company's trucks when they would break down. We would put those big hooks on the rear axle at the back of the deck, and use the tiny odd shaped ones (to the right of the red circle lying on the deck) on different chains up front to hook into the slots on the frame of the truck. Then winch it forward with those and get the rear chains tight. Then safety chains up front with binders to keep the truck from shifting. If he just hooked into your A-arms with those big hooks and winched it... That could do some serious damage.

 

Like Zero One Actual said, it’s all fixable and a competent shop can definitely make it new again. That is one bad ass looking truck. Hopefully it all comes back together quickly so you can get back on the road with it soon.

 

That is seriously f*cked up if the driver did it that way. I sometimes wonder if they get a cut of the action from the shops they tow for, by fleecing the cutomer for unnecessary repairs.

 

Sounds like the shop either forgot to tighten or didn't torque the lower control arm bolts correctly. The BDS spec is 200 ft/lbs.
I'm sure the diff is fine - make them put a brand new seal in with the new cv axle though.

 

Sorry to hear about your issue, but at least it didn’t happen while driving 70 mph down the interstate with your family in the truck. It can be fixed and sounds like the shop is doing the right thing. Others have bds lifts, so it can be worked out.

Years ago I had a Nissan hardbody that we changed the uca on and forgot to put the cotter pin back in it. The nut came off and tire fell sideways. I was driving about 20 mph when it happened so I didn’t wreck, but could’ve been much worse. Your situation reminded me of that.

 

Man, this really sucks. You figure paying $8k affords some security of people taking time to do it right the first time and treating the truck like their own. Sadly that doesn't seem to be the case. Regardless, I would take it to a third party mechanic to determine the extent of damage and let them determine what needs fixed / replaced. The shop you took it back to is only going to be responsible for getting it back to drivability. I am pretty sure from past experiences that yo9u sign some sort of disclaimer when putting a lift on that things can go wrong. But if this was gross negligence by the shop they should do everything to make it right. It will be on you to make sure that is done unfortunately.

 

Witness mark your bolts too(after torquing them properly) - the shop should do it if they half know what they're doing. I'm ocd from roadracing but its good piece of mind and an easy spot check every so often.

 

Good to mark them with this stuff...

 

Sorry to hear about this regardless of how much you've spent. That marker gives you a quick and easy visual if anything is coming undone! Always a good idea.

 

Well, Any updates?

 

Guess he died.

 

Let’s find his truck on the side of the road and make it the Tundras.com test vehicle.