From Belltech 2/4 back to stock: what I miss and what I don't

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Gary's Hemi

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I would leave the stock front shocks & order QA1 TS-905 shocks. Yes they are expensive but more than worth the money.
 

georgeramrt

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thanks for advice would qa1 front shocks be a waste of money. I see you run bilstein shocks front and rear. do you have to get illicit no cut brackets or can I go on my trip without them. thanks
 

TriSum

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Has anyone compared the Bilstein's to the QA1's? How is the ride comparison?
 

Gary's Hemi

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Yes I have. I still have the stock replacement stock height Bilstein 4600's up front & like them alot. I had Bilstein 5100's on the rear & now have QA1's. The Bilsteins are a night & day difference over the Belltech Street Performers & the QA1'a are a huge difference over the Bilsteins.

I really wish I wouldnt have been being hard headed about the price if the QA1's from the beginning & gotten them. Instead I spent twice as much or more trying to avoid paying the price of them.

I HIGHLY recommend the Illicit brackets. You can get by w/o them but I wont ever install another lowering kit on 1 of these trucks w/o installing the brackets at the same time.
 
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dearchristopher

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Yes I have. I still have the stock replacement stock height Bilstein 4600's up front & like them alot. I had Bilstein 5100's on the rear & now have QA1's. The Bilsteins are a night & day difference over the Belltech Street Performers & the QA1'a are a huge difference over the Bilsteins.

I really wish I wouldnt have been being hard headed about the price if the QA1's from the beginning & gotten them. Instead I spent twice as much or more trying to avoid paying the price of them.

I HIGHLY recommend tge Illicit brackets. You can get by w/o them but I wont ever install another lowering kit on 1 of these trucks w/o installing the brackets at the same time.


I just sent a text to my guy who ordered my belltech SPs and told him I wanted to pull them off and go bilsteins instead. I ran 5100s on my JKU and really liked them. I'm assuming you like QA1's for the better launch dynamics?
 

Gary's Hemi

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I just sent a text to my guy who ordered my belltech SPs and told him I wanted to pull them off and go bilsteins instead. I ran 5100s on my JKU and really liked them. I'm assuming you like QA1's for the better launch dynamics?

Yea you are correct and the adjustability
 

dearchristopher

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Yea you are correct and the adjustability

good to know. your post motivated me to return the truck back to stock shocks and box up the belltech SPs lol

are the part numbers you posted for a regular cab, or will they work for the quad cab?
 
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Gary's Hemi

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I like mine at 5 for street use & 3 for drag strip. 5 is nice for dd use. Anything over 5 starts getting too firm & bouncy
 

Ak47bravo

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I recently made the decision to swap out my Belltech 2/4 kit for the stock suspension after 3 years of the low life. Primarily because I'll be towing trailers in the next few years and test runs with the Belltech kit were bordering dangerous. A number of members have already done a Belltech review after they go low but I thought I might offer a flipped perspective.



What I miss:

-The look. When I first installed the kit and slapped on a set of 285/50's I thought the stance was just about perfect. When I would get out of the truck, I'd almost always look back just to take another glance. I loved it and miss it bad.

-The handling. The steering had a more direct, connected feel. It felt less like I was driving a truck and more like a car with a huge steering wheel. It was much more fun to drive.

-Flat braking. Kinda forgot about this one until I went back to stock. Lowered doesn't dive nearly as much as stock. Even under harder braking, truck stays relatively flat with little front end dive. The stock truck feels more like you are falling into the front brakes with your body pressing harder against the seatbelt. And I don't think I brake particularly hard in most cases. Feels easier to come to a smooth stop with the Belltech.

-Easy ingress/egress. You essentially slide into the truck instead of jumping up into it. It was actually easier to use as a daily runabout.

-Lower bed height. I often use my truck for truck stuff like hauling junk, trips to the hardware store and moving things for people. The 5" drop in the rear (including shorter tires) makes getting things in and out so much easier. It's a more practical and convenient bed height for loading and unloading. The other day I was parked next to a stock 2wd 2003 GMC Sierra 1500, his bed was lower than my truck on Belltech.

-Washing/waxing. Remembered this when I washed the truck today. No step stool required to wash the front windshield. Still have to get in the bed to get the top of the cab. Overall just easier to wash the truck by hand.



What I don't:

Bad alignment: Took it to 3 places and had it aligned about 4-5 times but could never get the alignment close. Truck always pulled a little one way or the other.

No freeways: I took the truck on two freeway trips and was miserable. Every little bump was amplified and the steering wheel would pull harshly if I hit a bump or dip in a corner. Constant vibrations. I just stopped taking freeway trips. If I needed a truck, I would borrow my brothers. When my wife and I would travel, we would be forced to take her car. Had the tires balanced a number of times, never solved any of the issues. This was the biggest concession made when lowering.

Can't tow: Technically I could, but only around town. Although I would be riding on the bump stops the entire time. Ride was terrible and I wouldn't call it safe either. Unsettling, felt like the truck was going to fall apart or break something the few times I towed my car or boat.

The ride: Yep, it's a lowered truck and rides like one. I knew what I was getting into on this one, no surprise. Feel every bump, hit a small dip and hit the bumpstops, everything shakes. Not saying the trade off wasn't worth it but definitely don't miss it.

Interior rattles: Oh the rattles, the creaks and squeaks. Window was either up or down, half way would rattle the glass and drive me nuts. Rear slider window developed a rattle too. All went away with the stock suspension.



I'm really hoping that this was the right decision in the long run since I immediately regretted doing it. I have a little race car and boat that I haven't been able to travel with for the past 3 years and I'm expecting that the opportunities that towing provides will be worth it. Ideally, I'd like to get a crew cab truck for daily driving and travel and keep my RCSB to start modding the way I've always wanted. But who knows what life has in store. Anyhow, just thought I'd share my recent experience. What do you all think? Similar or different experiences?


I am actually about to put my truck back to stock. I feel like I am reading a post that I would of written. You hit everything on the money....

I will say, I am not a fan of the harsh ride but I tolerate it more than my fiance. She does not even want to ride in my truck at all, but I make her... (I hate driving her Jetta... and it's pathetic 2.5L motor.... I could walk faster than that thing)


I think a RCSB that is not lowered looks goofy, but then again you have trade offs with everything. Can't have your cake and eat it too.....
 

Gary's Hemi

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Good shocks like QA1 or Viking and Illicit No Cut brackets goes a LONG way for ride quality & handling on these trucks. Those 2 things turn a ****** riding truck into a great riding truck
 

BrBlack

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Good read. Appreciate everyone posting their experiences.

Currently have a 2/3 on my 4wd.
Love the look. Have always struggled with wanting to go lower. I’m now stock piling parts to go another 1” down in the front.

Been lucky enough to keep the functionality of the truck. I tow an RV and haul dirt bikes all the time. A proper setup is key.
 

Wild one

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Good read. Appreciate everyone posting their experiences.

Currently have a 2/3 on my 4wd.
Love the look. Have always struggled with wanting to go lower. I’m now stock piling parts to go another 1” down in the front.

Been lucky enough to keep the functionality of the truck. I tow an RV and haul dirt bikes all the time. A proper setup is key.

If you ever decide you want to install a set of Illicits No Cut brackets,i have a spare set left over,lol
 

georgeramrt

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can someone tell me if I need a front alignment on truck. belltech 2/4 with qa1 shocks rear and illicit bracket. thanks for your help
 

Wild one

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can someone tell me if I need a front alignment on truck. belltech 2/4 with qa1 shocks rear and illicit bracket. thanks for your help

Yes it should have a front end alignment after dropping it. 4 wheel alignment would be the best if you did relocation brackets to
 
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