Control Arms and Leveling Kit

[CTcummins24V]

Since leveling my truck, roughly 2-1/2" - 3" raise in the front, my upper control arms hit the bracket on the axle. I haven't had it aligned yet, but do I need to upgrade to adjustable or longer control arms? I thought the oem ones were good for leveling? I've seen people get adjustable lower ones to center the axle in the wheel well better but I can't see how that would help the hitting issue.

 

[Wild and Free]

Since leveling my truck, roughly 2-1/2" - 3" raise in the front, my upper control arms hit the bracket on the axle. I haven't had it aligned yet, but do I need to upgrade to adjustable or longer control arms? I thought the oem ones were good for leveling? I've seen people get adjustable lower ones to center the axle in the wheel well better but I can't see how that would help the hitting issue.

 

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There is a fine line between level and lift and I personally think from doing some sort of leveling on every one of my own last several rigs think 2 inches is the max on a level kit before needing other modified components as you are finding the geometry changes too much past 2 inches from my experience.

[Mopar1973Man]

I personally think the entire geometry of the truck needs to be considered on all height changes. 

[CTcummins24V]

That sums it up, looks like I'm yanking the coil spacers and sticking to just plow prep coils! Who wants some 1.5" coil spacers?!

[Wild and Free]

I personally think the entire geometry of the truck needs to be considered on all height changes. 

Not much changes when one can get over an inch difference in height from different factory OEM springs like plow springs for instance. My 02 sat 3/4 inch higher than stock with OEM plow package springs and that was with an extra 300 lb ranch hand bumper on it which dropped the front down about 1/2 inch from stock height with the OEM springs it came with.

 

Solid axles like ours have a bit more leeway versus independent front suspensions.

[Mopar1973Man]

1-2 Inches I can see fudge factoring a bit here and there. Like you called it a levelling kit. But most go beyond this and add more lift.

[Wild and Free]

On my 2010 1500 hemi, I initially tried 1.5 inch levelling kit which was coil spacers front and back added about 2 inches to the front and the kit came with 3/4 inch rear coil spacers too.  This was a bit much for the independent front suspension as I would get front  axle CV shaft vibrations from the angle they were put into, I then took the spacers out of the front and bought adjustable height front bilstein struts and tried them on the highest setting which was about equal to the same height as the coil spacers but the geometry is a bit different lifting this way but the result was the same, still got CV shaft vibrations, dropped the struts down one notch and all is perfect and still got about 1.5 inch of level with the full ranch hand bumper, took me a few tries but eventually got it to where it needed to be.

Any higher than this and I would have needed different upper control arms that are longer to accommodate the difference in extra angle which puts it into a lift category instead.

[notlimah]

That sums it up, looks like I'm yanking the coil spacers and sticking to just plow prep coils! Who wants some 1.5" coil spacers?!

 

Would those fit a 2wd?!

[dorkweed]

Death Wobble Starter Kit = Leveling Kit/Lift without addressing the control arms, track bar, steering arm, shocks et. al.

 

You're changing the whole geometry of the front end.

[Wild and Free]

Death Wobble Starter Kit =

You're changing the whole geometry of the front end.

 Some guys like those kinds of options and changes in geometry   .............................Or are you talking pickups?

[dorkweed]

 Some guys like those kinds of options and changes in geometry   .............................Or are you talking pickups?

 

Not talking NoDak women here!!!!  

 

 

It gives me the "willies" every time I drive by one of those "leveled" trucks on a 2 lane road!!!  

[Wild and Free]

Last 4 of my rigs have been leveled and are just as stable and easy to drive if not more so than stock, its the ones with big tires and or lift kits of and over 4 inches that make me leery.

[CTcummins24V]

Would those fit a 2wd?!

 Nope, 4x4 only according to the website.

 

 

Death Wobble Starter Kit = Leveling Kit/Lift without addressing the control arms, track bar, steering arm, shocks et. al.

 

You're changing the whole geometry of the front end.

I have an adjustable track bar, shocks for up to 2" of lift...like Mike said, weight behind the truck is the best leveling kit, then I don't have drive nose high when loaded

 

 

Last 4 of my rigs have been leveled and are just as stable and easy to drive if not more so than stock, its the ones with big tires and or lift kits of and over 4 inches that make me leery.

I leveled my 03' 2500 hemi and loved it! Tight steering, nice look. Fuel economy dropped a little bit though

[notlimah]

 Nope, 4x4 only according to the website.

 

 

I have an adjustable track bar, shocks for up to 2" of lift...like Mike said, weight behind the truck is the best leveling kit, then I don't have drive nose high when loaded

 

 

I leveled my 03' 2500 hemi and loved it! Tight steering, nice look. Fuel economy dropped a little bit though

 

Crap!

[Mopar1973Man]

My leveling kit.

 

[JAG1]

My leveling kit.

 

Yeah and you can just barely see the jack stuffed under the rear....

 

 

 

 

 

Just kiddin' Mike

 

Actually to do a leveling kit cost quite a bit to do it right. You need adjustable track bar, longer end links for the sway bar,  longer shock absorbers and  when you put a load on it, it will ride with the front high. Then money for air bags to the rear.

 

I did get an added bonus with the air bags though, because there was a whole lot less sway to the truck camper when loaded. I was very happy with that portion of the expense anyhow.

[Wild and Free]

Every leveling kit I added still retained just a bit of rake to the front except for my 02 with the OEM plow package springs it sat almost perfectly level. One absolutely doesn't need all of what you think, if you do you are lifting it not levelling it and you are well past the 2" levelling kits.

Be careful what you are buying.

 

Just to give you an idea, my 05 has a 1.5" leveling kit and here is what it looks like without airbags and roughly 25K lbs on behind it. Hauled this JD 5020 with full wheel weight package 100 miles at 70-75 mph and it handled like a dream.

The 05 with the 1.5 levelling spacers and ranch hand bumper sits about 3/4 inch higher than stock height w/o RH bumper and spacers and still has a slight rake to the front when empty.

 

[JAG1]

I think your right. Back when I did mine everyone was referring to it as the two inch leveling kit. That is what I requested but, after doing it the non adjustable track bar placed the front differential off center by 3/4'' and vibration at 65-70. Once recentered with the adjustable the vibration went away. Truck at that point had worn out shocks anyhow so I got the longer ones and everything was level till I loaded my 3,000 lb camper and then the call for air bags.

Now that I know, I would go with the 1 1/2 level kit like you say.

[CTcummins24V]

Now I have a wheel question. Both my stock and aftermarket rims only have about an 1/8" of clearance between inside of rim and caliper, in the front. The rears have plenty of room. I had my tires mounted and balanced with weights on the inside of the rim and I turned the wheel on the front of the truck and all the weights got knocked off. Does this sound right? Stock rims had weights on the outside lip and I'm guessing this is what needs to be done for my aftermarket rims...

[MoparFreak1988]

well those stick on ones don't last all that well in the first place with a high vibration situation (IE Cummins 4x4 crappy roads    ) but being knocked off by turning the wheel that doesn't seem right