Consensus on "leveling" a truck

[portlandareae28]

So my truck runs empty 99% of the time and I would really like to eliminate the "rake" in its stance.  When I got the truck it had spacers in the front springs and 35's which as everyone here knows took its toll on the front end components.  So I have read that as long as the front spacers are 2" or less that it doesn't have too drastic of effect on front end geometry so hopefully less wear on the track bar etc.  But I am contemplating just a shorter block in the rear and maybe adding bags for when I do have a load.  I would love to hear everyone's thoughts and ideas on this.  I wouldn't mind the rear end being lower for easier loading, etc.  

[Me78569]

i'd lower the rear personally.  

 

[portlandareae28]

7 minutes ago, Me78569 said:

i'd lower the rear personally.  

 

This is the direction I am thinking too, but like the wisdom that I can learn here. :-) 

 

The rear seems much more simple.  

[Evan]

I did a 2" level on the front and went ahead and got control arms for 2-3" lift since all my bushings were shot

Mines a 3500 so might sit alittle taller in the rear.

 

I thought about removing the rear block and doing a unbolt reversal.

 

Still thinking about doing away with the rear block and doing a shackle reversal for a better ride.

 

I'm running 285x75x17  roughly 34x11 tires. They rubbed slightly before leveling and that was with trimming the bumper plastic 

 

Sorry I cant find a better pic.

[portlandareae28]

Mine is a 3500 Dually, I don't want to run larger than stock tires which is the 2nd reason I really am swinging toward the rear coming down.  My buddy has a gmc dually 4x4 that is way lower than my truck, easier to get into, easier to load in and out of, etc...  

Anyone have an idea on where to get blocks, and/or how much of the block needs to be removed to get level or very close to it?

[Evan]

I think when I measured mine was nose down about 5" removing the block would just about perfectly level it. 

 

I'd get ubolts and new spring plates. Maybe get rid of the overload if you dont need it.

 

Leave ubolts long incase you want to adjust height with a 1"zero rate add a leaf. Offroad design, ruff stuff specialties and barns 4wd sell lots of leaf spring plates and ubolts to do whatever you want.

 

All bolt on stuff no welding

[AH64ID]

On my 05 I started with a 2" level kit and dropped to a 1" level kit. The 1" level kit rode MUCH better than the 2", an unanticipated benefit due to the control arms being and a shallower angle. 

 

My '18 has the auto-level suspension which rides slightly higher in the front (.2"), and sightly lower in the back (1.6"), than a standard spring suspension. I really enjoy the lower tailgate for loading things, as it's still pretty darn high. 

 

I would consider the reverse level over a 2" block if that height is good for your truck. Even 1" up in front and 1" down in the back would get you level and not effect too much.  

Edited September 17, 2019 by AH64ID

[Bullet]

If I chose to raise the front I wouldn't do it without adding longer control arms, an adjustable track bar and longer front shocks.  You can do it without changing out these parts but caster will be off, track will be off and shocks could top out with longer suspension flex. 

 

Addressing the rear is much easier, much cheaper and keeps front alignment specs in tact.  Rear shocks should still be fine if you don't shorten the rear bump stops.

 

If you lower the rear but want more overall height for tire clearance then body lift it. 

[dripley]

I guess I am a bit different. I ha e always liked the rake od a 3/4 ton. They just look like they are ready to haul anything you want put on them. Leveling one just goes against my grain.

 

Of course if I had a new self leveling one, I could be persuaded.

[Evan]

Front shocks at factory length are plenty long enough for 2-3" lift.  

At 2" positive castor is still attainable. 

Axle will move slightly towards the drivers side but almost noticable unless you grab a tape and start being picky.

 

Drag link will still match steer angle and steering characteristics mostly remain intact. 

 

At 2" all these extras will affect the wallet more than they actually benifit the truck. Even 3" would be fine.

 

The only mod I see maybe doing is longer sway bar links to keep it at factory angles and stabalizing the truck like it's intended. 

The truck will sway alittle more in corners. I found another cheap upgrade are poly sway bar mounts for the bar.

 

If control arm bushings are worn out I'd recommend some bars off Ebay 200 bucks or less and they come with poly bushings

Otherwise I say lift it and run it.

 

Do recenter steering because it will be slightly off center. This is free to do. 

 

However ounce parts are sourced to remove rear block the rear will be super easy to work on compared to removing the coil springs.

 

Neither is hard to do but often guys fight the coils trying to get spring compressors to work .

 

I would never put a body lift on a truck unless it was a ragged out scrap pile off junk. These trucks already twist the cab up enough without putting more leverage on them

Edited September 18, 2019 by Evan

[JAG1]

9 hours ago, portlandareae28 said:

So my truck runs empty 99% of the time and I would really like to eliminate the "rake" in its stance.  When I got the truck it had spacers in the front springs and 35's which as everyone here knows took its toll on the front end components.  So I have read that as long as the front spacers are 2" or less that it doesn't have too drastic of effect on front end geometry so hopefully less wear on the track bar etc.  But I am contemplating just a shorter block in the rear and maybe adding bags for when I do have a load.  I would love to hear everyone's thoughts and ideas on this.  I wouldn't mind the rear end being lower for easier loading, etc.  

That's the best way to do it as my 2 inch level kit cost a bunch of money when finally done correctly. Sorry Evan to drill a hole in your boat..... JMHO.

Edited September 18, 2019 by JAG1

[dave110]

@JAG1 trying out his new level kit.

Edited September 18, 2019 by dave110

[JAG1]

[AH64ID]

10 hours ago, JAG1 said:

That's the best way to do it as my 2 inch level kit cost a bunch of money when finally done correctly. Sorry Evan to drill a hole in your boat..... JMHO.

 

What cost a bunch of money? 

 

As evan stated there is plenty of adjustment in the stock suspension/steering for a 2” level, assuming its all in good working order. 

 

The biggest issue with a 2” level is the ride quality goes to crap. 

[JAG1]

First trip down the highway I had front driveline vibration at around 60/65 mph. Differential off center enough to cause that. Installed adjustable track bar and got recentered. Next when loaded the headlights were shining up too high had to get air bags to relevel the truck. Sway bar links were too short so got longer ones.

 

My other 2nd gen truck sits level without a leveling kit. I don't know what was done by the PO but it's not lifted at all and rides real nice by comparison. I like it a lot better. Both second gens are 4x4s. One is 01 and the other is 02.

Edited September 18, 2019 by JAG1

[AH64ID]

17 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

First trip down the highway I had front driveline vibration at around 60/65 mph. Differential off center enough to cause that. Installed adjustable track bar and got recentered. .

 

The amount the axle moves to the side is not much, and certainly not as much as going from an empty truck to a fully loaded truck. I would suspect an u-joint issue over a centered issue... unless the OE track bar was bent. 

 

19 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

Next when loaded the headlights were shining up too high had to get air bags to relevel the truck. 

 

Yes, but that's not a fault of the front suspension... that's because a 2" level is too much for a truck that's loaded and used heavy. Even airbags don't really fix that issue as too much air has to be used to keep it level, and too little weight is carried by the rear springs. It creates poor handling and a poor ride. 

 

21 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

Sway bar links were too short so got longer ones.

 

 

Normally not required for a 2" level, but the OE ones aren't great so when they fail it's not a bad idea to go with slightly longer, but mainly better, ones. 

 

17 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

 

My other 2nd gen truck sits level without a leveling kit. I don't know what was done by the PO but it's not lifted at all and rides real nice by comparison. I like it a lot better. Both second gens are 4x4s. One is 01 and the other is 02.

 

I'd be curious what was done as well. Could be a spring level vs a spacer level, or a reverse level?? But a 2" level, with a spacer, makes the truck ride like crap.

 

 

 

I'm not a fan of the 2" level, but it does work out for lots of people... but the cost is a worse ride, and reduced loaded performance. 

 

Anything above 2" gets expensive quick, and should only be done with sway bar mods, control arms, springs (no spacers), etc. At that point you're likely using the truck more for fun that towing/hauling as you lose a lot of hauling capability with bigger lifts.... that doesn't even address the rear which already has too big of blocks, IMHO. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Personal I don't see any value in leveling a truck. 

 

Every time you hitch up a trailer or put a load in the bed it will look like a squatting Ford truck. If I want my truck leveled just hitch up a trailer and go to work. It's leveled. Only cost the fuel of dragging around the trailer or the load in the bed.

 

[AH64ID]

22 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Personal I don't see any value in leveling a truck. 

 

Every time you hitch up a trailer or put a load in the bed it will look like a squatting Ford truck. If I want my truck leveled just hitch up a trailer and go to work. It's leveled. Only cost the fuel of dragging around the trailer or the load in the bed.

 

 

I leveled my 05 to get the oil pan higher, as it was nearly flush with the axle and that looked like it would be prone to damage. The '18 must ride a little higher as I have about the same oil pan clearance/protection stock as the '05 did with a 1" level. 

 

With a 2" level it's more of an issue, but it still takes about 4500 on the rear axle to make it start to look like it's draggin ***. 

 

With the 1" level I still gained clearance at the oil pan, big reason for the level, and didn't need too much air to maintain a level stance as I could let the rear suspension sag about 1-1.5" to level and then hold it. IIRC I only needed around 40 psi in the bags at a RAW of 7,500 lbs to maintain level and since most don't have tires rated to that a 1" level can hold level most the time. 

[portlandareae28]

6 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

 

 

With the 1" level I still gained clearance at the oil pan, big reason for the level, and didn't need too much air to maintain a level stance as I could let the rear suspension sag about 1-1.5" to level and then hold it. IIRC I only needed around 40 psi in the bags at a RAW of 7,500 lbs to maintain level and since most don't have tires rated to that a 1" level can hold level most the time. 

How does the 1" level play into needing adjustable track bars, etc?  

 

33 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Personal I don't see any value in leveling a truck. 

 

Every time you hitch up a trailer or put a load in the bed it will look like a squatting Ford truck. If I want my truck leveled just hitch up a trailer and go to work. It's leveled. Only cost the fuel of dragging around the trailer or the load in the bed.

 

I am with ya Mike, just not in the cards of my life right now that the truck gets much of a load.  

[Mopar1973Man]

Must of been a 3rd gen issue.

 

At least mine for a 2nd Gen has never hit the bump stops in the front axle and the axle is long ways from the pan.