Standard length shocks with 2/4 lowered springs

Would there be a problem with using a 2/4 spring kit with standard length shocks? The BellTech Street Performance shocks that came with my kit are pretty much wrecked - I've been looking at the Rancho XL9000 adjustables, but they are only listed for standard height vehicles.

Anyone know if it's going to be a huge issue?

I'm running factory shocks at the moment (about a year, I'm a procrastinator). However, I wouldn't recommend it. If I lift the truck allowing the rear axle to fully extend I can pretty easily wiggle my springs out. So if the rear ever gets air born on a bump or something it is possible for me to lose a spring. Also I'm sure the ride quality is suffering because the shocks arn't in the middle of their throw. I'm using the the belltech springs. I cut the stock rears for a 2in level. And they were even shorter...now those made me nervous.

You will find that standard length shocks, particularly mated to the 4" drop springs will wear excessively quick and result in a terrible ride. The 2" drop springs may not be as big of an issue, but will still expedite wear vs stock springs.

I recently swapped to Bilstein 5100's from Belltech Street Performers. My Belltechs were wore out after 30,000 miles. The Belltechs were soft/spungy and the Bilsteins are smooth/firm. They are the same length extended and compressed as the Belltechs. They took most of the body roll out of the truck and firmed the rear up on the interstate w/ the oscilating feeling when hitting bumps. They come w/ 12 mm bushings/sleeves and our factory bolts are 14 mm so you have to swap the bushings/sleeves which is very easy and takes 10 mins w/ a vise. I highly recommended them over the Belltechs. I run the factory replacement stock length Bilsteins 4600's in the front. They have done great. W/ the Bilsteins on all 4 corners I have almost no body roll

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/bsn-33-185606

Thanks all - I guess I am a little confused because there are so many people that say you shouldn't run stock length shocks on a lowered truck, but then they say how great the QA1 shocks are - which are just about the same length as standard OEM shocks...

Seems like the only "lowered" specific shocks are Belltech - and IMO they suck.

OutLore said:

Thanks all - I guess I am a little confused because there are so many people that say you shouldn't run stock length shocks on a lowered truck, but then they say how great the QA1 shocks are - which are just about the same length as standard OEM shocks...

Seems like the only "lowered" specific shocks are Belltech - and IMO they suck.

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I thought QA1s were available in varying lengths for non-stock ride heights...

dkmesa said:

I thought QA1s were available in varying lengths for non-stock ride heights...

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The ones that everyone seem to recommend (T*905 Rear and T*514 Front) are about .25" shorter than standard from what I can see.

OutLore said:

Thanks all - I guess I am a little confused because there are so many people that say you shouldn't run stock length shocks on a lowered truck, but then they say how great the QA1 shocks are - which are just about the same length as standard OEM shocks...

Seems like the only "lowered" specific shocks are Belltech - and IMO they suck.

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The Bilsteins I mentioned are not stock length. They are the same length extended and compressed as the Belltech lowering shocks. They arent meant for our trucks being lowered. They are for a whole nother vehicle but they work out very well on our lowered trucks. The QA1's are stock 07-08 Ram height BUT they are 2" shorter compressed than the stock 09+ Ram shocks.

Gary's Hemi said:

The Bilsteins I mentioned are not stock length. They are the same length extended and compressed as the Belltech lowering shocks. They arent meant for our trucks being lowered. They are for a whole nother vehicle but they work out very well on our lowered trucks. The QA1's are stock 07-08 Ram height BUT they are 2" shorter compressed than the stock 09+ Ram shocks.

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I recently installed the Belltech 964SP and I decided to use the Hitachi factory front shocks in the front because the mounting hardware and bushing is designed for the Ram and the Belltech shock has a cheap rubber bushing and the rod bolt is only 10mm in diameter compared to the factory 9/16", so they almost don't even fit the truck and of course using the rear Belltech shock of course. I am considering using the same Bilstein shocks you are using, are you still using them and have you had any issues?

So I received the Bilstein shocks that Gary's Hemi recommended and I removed the Bilstein 33-185606 rear shock bushing that would not work on the Ram 1500 aplication and used my vise with the assortment of sockets as a press to install the urethane bushing Bilstein 2202g that he recommended. After I got one shock completed I started to install the shock sleeve Bilstein E4-RO1-Z008C58 the same way and decided to measure them before I installed them and discovered the length was wrong, the OEM sleeve is 1.680" and the Bilstein is 1.377" or 35mm. I tried to remove the OEM sleeves from the OEM shocks and literally took me an hr to removed one sleeve because the OEM sleeve is molded with the rubber bushing and I basically had to destroy it. I got one bushing done and decided to find another Bilstein sleeve that would work and so last night ordered a Bilstein E4-B46-60R1, it's pretty much the same dimension as OEM. I ended up making a small order with Summit that cost me a $10 shipping and handling fee for 4 sleeves, that I could of put on the original order for free shipping and now I play the waiting game again. The only other observation I noticed with Bilstein 33-185606 shock is the cup or rod end for the bushing is a lot smaller in diameter than the OEM, I hope this doesn't affect how they install.

HEMI-FI said:

I recently installed the Belltech 964SP and I decided to use the Hitachi factory front shocks in the front because the mounting hardware and bushing is designed for the Ram and the Belltech shock has a cheap rubber bushing and the rod bolt is only 10mm in diameter compared to the factory 9/16", so they almost don't even fit the truck and of course using the rear Belltech shock of course. I am considering using the same Bilstein shocks you are using, are you still using them and have you had any issues?

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Hows your ride with the factory front shocks? Mines 2/4, My kyb gas ajust started riding like ass, too stiff over small stuff, too much give over dips. I still got my factory shocks and a set of belltech rears. Was going to order the summit street truck shocks today but they only have 1 for front, and they are discontinued. I believe they are doetsch tech

abouttobeglue said:

Hows your ride with the factory front shocks? Mines 2/4, My kyb gas ajust started riding like ass, too stiff over small stuff, too much give over dips. I still got my factory shocks and a set of belltech rears. Was going to order the summit street truck shocks today but they only have 1 for front, and they are discontinued. I believe they are doetsch tech

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Well honestly my truck is an Express/Tradesman, with the OEM towing suspension and heavy duty shocks, it rode like a hay wagon. After the Beltech 2/4 964SP drop kit and stock front shock it rides smother now, but does bottom out sometimes, Missouri roads are the worst I've ever seen, makes me flat sick the property tax I pay and how they refuse to repair roads, they use the excuse that taxes go to education and my wife is a teacher here and doesn't get paid crap. Its really hard to say how it rides, pretty sad that you need to own a Jeep to live in Missouri, anyway sorry for the rant, but hoping the Bilsteins help, they did wonders on my 2016 Ram 1500 4x4 Quadcab, it was almost to soft, it had 5100's with the front shock at 2" lift.

Got the stock fronts in and belltech in the back in. Ride is better now

I had that Bilstein combination on the truck for one day and the ride was almost unbearable, handled like it was on the rails. I put the Street Performance shocks back on today, I am disappointed with the front Street Performance shocks because they have a 10mm shaft and the factory shocks use a heavy duty 9/16 shaft. The Beltech rubber bushings are really cheap, so made a 9/16” OD x 1.5” L x 10mm ID steel sleeve so that I could use the factory rubber bushings on the upper front shock, for as cheap as the shocks are, they are smooth.

HEMI-FI said:

I had that Bilstein combination on the truck for one day and the ride was almost unbearable, handled like it was on the rails. I put the Street Performance shocks back on today, I am disappointed with the front Street Performance shocks because they have a 10mm shaft and the factory shocks use a heavy duty 9/16 shaft. The Beltech rubber bushings are really cheap, so made a 9/16” OD x 1.5” L x 10mm ID steel sleeve so that I could use the factory rubber bushings on the upper front shock, for as cheap as the shocks are, they are smooth.

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Have you tried just the stock springs up front. Some say they feel better Than the street performance from BT

When I did the drop kit a couple of weeks ago, I took one look at the Beltech front shock with its tiny stem and weak bushings and immediately threw the OEM Hitachi shock in instead. With that combination it did ride smoother than the OEM suspension, I couldn’t find the right size bushing to install the Beltech with the OEM rubber bushings, so I made some this morning.

HEMI-FI said:

When I did the drop kit a couple of weeks ago, I took one look at the Beltech front shock with its tiny stem and weak bushings and immediately threw the OEM Hitachi shock in instead. With that combination it did ride smoother than the OEM suspension, I couldn’t find the right size bushing to install the Beltech with the OEM rubber bushings, so I made some this morning.

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Thanks. I also see I typed springs instead of shocks. Oops

I am lowered about 2.5 inches in front. Would the stock shocks work for a 2.5-3" front drop? I keep reading where people say use the stock front shocks but I want to be sure.

hdoggie24 said:

I am lowered about 2.5 inches in front. Would the stock shocks work for a 2.5-3" front drop? I keep reading where people say use the stock front shocks but I want to be sure.

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I’m not sure mine is a 2” drop in front and with the Bilstein shocks that were factory length I had several inches before they were bottomed out, just do some measuring.

I sent the shocks back to Summit and unfortunately they charged me a 15% restocking fee and I told them I would exchange them for the 63-1561 K&N cold air intake, not only did I get the Military discount but I noticed I’ll be receiving it tomorrow and they haven’t even got there shocks yet, Gotta love Summit!