for the front? my new truck has this hideous ranch hand bumper on it and it sits about 1 1/2 lower then stock.

so i was looking for some bags for the front just to lift it about an inch.

or what better options should i entertain.

 

For the front axle I prefer the basic leveling spacers that go between the coil and upper mount. I did the snow plow package springs on my 02 and have the leveling spacers on my 05 either way worked out about the same for me, its about the same amount of work to do either, shock has to come out and its already jacked up to release the spring tension either way.

Not sure if OEM has a snowplow spring option on the newer 4th gens or not anymore.

How many miles are on the truck?

 

have you scaled the front axle? 

 

The ranch hands are heavy but 1.5" low surprises me. When I put my TT on the front hitch it has over 1K of tongue weight and I don't think I drop that much. I wonder if your springs are worn out?

 

 

I did before and after measurements of both my 02 and 05 prior to and about a month after the install for things to relax into a new normal and both settled about 3/4 of an inch measuring from center of wheel to lower lip of fender which would have been probably an inch and a half if measuring anywhere further forward I guess.

its not a 4th gen, it's a 08 third gen. 145K miles.  i'm measuring the pump stop to axle space. my 04 has 1 7/16 more then the 08 does. i can't even go over speed bumps at a crawl without it bumping hard on the bump stops on the way down the other side of the speed bump.

i'm going to order new shocks tonight, 5100 if they will fit without a lift. else the 4600.

 

I have 5100 Bilsteins with 1.5" leveling spacers holding up the full ranch hand bumper and no issues.

Edited September 11, 20168 yr by Wild and Free

It does sounds like the 08's springs are worn out, thou it's rather impressive to hear of that with that few of miles. 

 

Is there any evidence it was lifted before? Could the PO have replaced the OEM springs with HEMI springs on accident, or maybe intentionally, when removing a lift?

Edited September 11, 20168 yr by AH64ID

It does sound very suspicious that there would be that much difference, the ranch hand should not get the thing even close to the stops unless hitting some serious bumps. I am off road quite a little and can say I do not think my front has ever hit the bump stops unless I am in a hard flex situation.

Edited September 11, 20168 yr by Wild and Free

I bumped my stops once or twice on some serious speed bumps when my OEM shocks were shot but I wasn't going slow either. I also bumped my stops once on a FS road when I hit a VERY VERY big pothole I didn't see around a corner. That was also the day my oil pump split :-)

 

My FAW is generally 5200-5400 lbs unless I am towing. 

no evidence of a lift. the front looks stock, the truck was a pavement queen. used to commute.

far as i can tell Ranch Hand Part# FSD061BL1  is the one i have.

i'd love to find someone with a stock bumper and swap them.

IMHO that's not enough weight to make it droop that much. 220lbs shipping weight and it won't add that much as the OEM bumper does have some weight to it. It's also not far enough in front of the front axle to get a cantilever effect and reduce the weight of the rear axle enough to notice. 

 

 

looks as though i'll be checking the springs then.

So a long awaited update to this.

shocks. some *** hat put the wrong length shocks on the truck and what i thought was bottoming out over bumps was the shock topping out and not letting the suspension move up. they were holding the spring in a compressed state.

SO that explained the lower stance.

I have sense replaced all 4 with Bilstines and what an amazing difference. it now rides close to my 04.