3" Front and 2" rear "leveling" question

Guys/gals, I'm planing on doing some work to my 2016 BigHorn over the holidays. I have a 3" front / 2" rear kit on its way. I have a few questions or request for opinions before I start.

1st - I have a "glass half empty" type buddy that swears the 3" front will need control arm drops, new break lines, and on and on... The sales/tech that sold me the parts said that the 3" isn't a 1:1 therefore, will be fine without other alterations. Your thoughts?

2nd - The more I think about it, I want ZERO rake. I wouldnt even mind if the front was SLIGHTLY up. My question is, in your opinion would the 2" in the rear offset the lift in the front? In essence raising the front and back and keeping the same rake, only a little higher? I plan on doing the front first and seeing how I like it without the rear.

Thanks in adance for your advice / opinions to my 1st Ram Forum post!

How is the lift achieveed? If it's using just spacers then I wouldn't do it. You will have issues with the upper ball joints and the angle on the CV joints. It's better to save up and do it right. I'm sure others will say the same.

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Even though it's not a 1:1 you will still achieve 3" of lift with spacers due to the repositioning of the front struts. A 3" spacer will give you 3" inches of lift even though the spacer its self may only measure 2"

Also 2" rear typically goes with a 4inch front lift to achieve level. I'd get a 2.5" spacer and call it a day. If you don't want to actually to a suspension lift kit many do the Bilsteins or 2.5" spacer in conjunction with a 1.5" body lift(zone is preferred by most for the body lift) ultimately a" 4in lift". I wouldn't go off roading like that IMO.

Thanks for the good feed back. I could have went with the 5100 billstiens for the same price. Just thought this would be a little easier to install. The tech guy I spoke with acted like the 3 front was common and no big deal... I'm just leary now about doing all this to a truck with less than 10K miles....

CamdenRam said:

Thanks for the good feed back. I could have went with the 5100 billstiens for the same price. Just thought this would be a little easier to install. The tech guy I spoke with acted like the 3 front was common and no big deal... I'm just leary now about doing all this to a truck with less than 10K miles....

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Do you have a link to these 3" spacers?

What are your fender measurements?
How much rake do you currently have?

[/IMG] Supreme Suspensions - Lift Kits & Leveling Kits the current rake is about 2" @ 36" in the front and 38 5/8" at the rear.

This truck is brand new, I'm now worried to death about doing something that may damage it. I'll be adding 35x12.50s but - heres my thought process:

1st, I usually get a new truck every other year. So I'm not worried about long term but. I do want something thatll last that time frame.
2nd, its a daily driver all highway miles and only once or twice a week am I offroad and even then, I do not baja or mud in my truck. So for the CV axle wear and tear, If I use 4x4 its only to navigate a rough patch in our hunting lease. Never to "play".

I guess I'm hard headed and want to put the 3" on just to see. My last truck was a 2015 Rally Silverado with 2.5" leveling kit. 33x12.50 Nitto mud grapplers and it was nice but not quite high enough for me.

The biggest reason I wont go full on suspension lift is, I had a 2013 Ram 1500 with full body & suspension lift kits w/ 37x12.50s and when I traded it in 2015 and got nothing for the work i'd done to it.

So I've wanted to keep it cheap and simple assuming i wont have it long BUT, who knows maybe my run of new trucks comes to an end, and I have this one a while. I don't want it to start breaking down.

Picture of the parts

Picture of the part

Pic shows 2.5 rear but kit i ordered is only a 2" - I had considered taking the factory 1" out of the rear and replacing with the 2"

Heres how I pictured it all in my mind....

36 front : +3" front lift for 39" total

38 5/8 rear : -1" + 2" = 1" rear lift for 39 5/8" total

Slight (probably barely noticeable) 5/8 rake

a true 3" front level is too much. id return it and get a smaller spacer or run a leveling shock.

CamdenRam said:

Pic shows 2.5 rear but kit i ordered is only a 2" - I had considered taking the factory 1" out of the rear and replacing with the 2"

Heres how I pictured it all in my mind....

36 front : +3" front lift for 39" total

38 5/8 rear : -1" + 2" = 1" rear lift for 39 5/8" total

Slight (probably barely noticeable) 5/8 rake

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The rear shocks come with a 1" spacer from the factory?

I'd find a new level kit. First off you do not need to lift the rear. Find a 2.5" lift for the front and be done with it. Anything , more than 2.75" by way of doing something with just the shocks (Bilstein, spacers, etc...) you are risking damage to the CV's and/or ball joints.
If you are set on doing a spacer lift for the front, search ebay. They can be had for less than $50. They all work the same way and do the same thing. Sounds like you just need a inexpensive way to make room for some bigger tires, and get rid of the ridiculous factory rake.

I just did the front of my truck, again (new shocks) My fender heights are all right about 40" now.

novelmike said:

The rear shocks come with a 1" spacer from the factory?

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No, they don't. The coils just have a small rubber pad. The one on the left is stock, one on the right is a 1" spacer.

I have done 3in spacer lift in the front and 2.5in spacer lift in the rear. The rear also has adjustable air towing bags. Bottom is stock. middle is spacers in. Top is with 35s and spacers. Have ran this setup for close to 25k miles.

$30 for front
$25 for rear
$10 for rear shock extender

Desert dog where did you get your spacers? Is that a 1500?

Desert Dog said:

I have done 3in spacer lift in the front and 2.5in spacer lift in the rear. The rear also has adjustable air towing bags. Bottom is stock. middle is spacers in. Top is with 35s and spacers. Have ran this setup for close to 25k miles.

$30 for front
$25 for rear
$10 for rear shock extender

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Anyone else notice something VERY strange about these pictures???

mpittman said:

Anyone else notice something VERY strange about these pictures???

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Like the antenna missing on the top pic and the gas lid on the middle and bottom pic? Lol and the neighborhood

blackbeautyhemi said:

Like the antenna missing on the top pic and the gas lid on the middle and bottom pic? Lol

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I'm wondering how he moved that gas tank and antenna?? Some serious modifications there!!!

Or maybe it's the passenger side and driver side. He has the truck back in on top and pulled in on the middle.


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Trykonkid11 said:

Or maybe it's the passenger side and driver side. He has the truck back in on top and pulled in on the middle.


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I don't think that would matter.. we are still looking at the right side of the truck. The truck is pointing the same direction. I'm not saying he moved the gas tank, but somehow the image got flipped and I'm not sure how he did it.