Sounds like you left to go pick up a new X.



Anyway -

Ground clearance involves several issues.

1. The differentials (Those masses at the center of the axle that are lower than the rest of the truck) - As explained, the rear's can only get more clearance by getting a larger diameter tire...the front diff is raised by an SL (AND by larger tires).

2. The rest of the under carriage (The body and frame, the exhaust, drive shafts, gas tank, etc...)...and SL will pick up the frame, which lifts all the truck parts from the frame up...So - A BL will raise SOME of those parts further out of harm's way...(AND is lifted by larger tires)

3. The approach angle (Concerning what steepness you'd be able to drive up w/o hitting the front end on it)...Improved by larger tires or an SL, or a Shrockworks bumper...or, a BL lets the front bumper be higher, improving all bumper related approach angles.

4. The departure angle (Concerning how steep a thing you can drive off of, w/o whacking the rear end on it on the way down...)...improved by larger tires, or an SL, or, again...a BL can let you raise the rear bumper, improving departure angles.

5. Break over angle (Picture your truck cresting a steep hill, with the front tires over the top on on the downhill side, and your rear tires still on the uphill side...the crest of the hill will be really close or hitting the center of your truck's bottom...so the angle from the bottoms of the tires to the center of the truck's bottom) - This is improved by larger tires or an SL.

That's a summary of how it can work.

Notice that larger tires are the universal solution, as they are the ONLY way to get the rear diff higher, and, they lift the entire truck, not just part.

To get larger tires, you can do an SL...but, that leaves no additional room under compression (When the tire is stuffed up into the wheel well on uptravel)...so you can't fit as large a tire because it will still hit on uptravel the same as before the lift...but be fine at ride height, etc...

You can add bumpstop extensions (Rubber stops that make the OEM stops longer...) that keep the tire from rising as far...but steal uptravel....

Or

Do a BL...which allows the larger tire to go further up w/o hitting, thus ultimately allowing a larger tire than an SL (W/o really raising the whole truck by itself)

So - Each has its role...I have a 3" SL and a 2" BL...and can run 305/70/16's, which are like wider treaded taller 33x12.5's.