Lift Confusion with Bilsteins

WilliamS · Jun 15, 2017

So ive confused myself into a corner on the lift kits on the market. I see a lot of guys running 6 inch with Bilsteins. So my thought was 6 inch plus the additional up to 2.8 so combined 8.5 inch front lift. Apparently I was off base there.

So was I wrong and you can combine them for a massive amount of height, or a 6 inch lift with Bilsteins still just 6 inches? I want to clear 37x12.5 on stock 20's. I know I will need a spacer to get the tire off the suspension but I like the stock wheels, and I like the stanced out look, but I also like a clean stock fender flush lines.

2014greatwhite · Jun 15, 2017

I have a 4" lift on my ram with bilstiens as well. When I ran just bils for a leveling kit I had them maxed out at 2.8. With my 4" lift I had them set at 1.4 setting which makes the truck sit level. A lift without the bils would have me sitting rear high so when carrying a load you would sit level. I didn't get any measurements before and after the lift which I wish I had. I hope this helps somewhat haha.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Curlyp · Jun 15, 2017

2014greatwhite said:
I have a 4" lift on my ram with bilstiens as well. When I ran just bils for a leveling kit I had them maxed out at 2.8. With my 4" lift I had them set at 1.4 setting which makes the truck sit level. A lift without the bils would have me sitting rear high so when carrying a load you would sit level. I didn't get any measurements before and after the lift which I wish I had. I hope this helps somewhat haha.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am confused now. I have the bilsteins 5100 sitting at 2.8 inch to level the front of my truck. I thought anything above leveling the truck you had to use Fox or Rancho? You can do a four or 6 inch lift with Bilsteins?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ricks Ram · Jun 15, 2017

Yes you can run the Bilsteins with your lift. I wouldn't recommend setting them at their max but most people set them up a notch or two to level the truck after they lift it. I have a 6" BDS lift with the Bilsteins set at one notch which I believe is 5/8". My truck sits almost level exactly where I want it.

Curlyp · Jun 15, 2017

Ricks Ram said:
Yes you can run the Bilsteins with your lift. I wouldn't recommend setting them at their max but most people set them up a notch or two to level the truck after they lift it. I have a 6" BDS lift with the Bilsteins set at one notch which I believe is 5/8". My truck sits almost level exactly where I want it.

Interesting. I thought the Bilsteins would be replaced when the truck is lifted to 4 or 6". This is my first truck so sorry for the noob question. Could you send a link to your lift kit?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

808ram1500 · Jun 15, 2017

Curlyp said:
Interesting. I thought the Bilsteins would be replaced when the truck is lifted to 4 or 6". This is my first truck so sorry for the noob question. Could you send a link to your lift kit?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The spacer is put on top of the shock/spring combo. Using Bilstein shocks gives you the option to lower or raise the height of the front of the truck + or minus 1- 2.5".

From factory these Rams have front rake. The front sits lower than the rear. So when you lift a truck 4-6"
It still sit's front down, thatS why the Bilstein can level it out. I don't think the lift kit compensates for the rake that came from factory.

6.7CumminsDrvr · Jun 16, 2017

4" and 6" lifts are a smidge different up front. A 4" is just the stock strut with a 4" spacer on top of the strut whereas the 6" is something like a 4.75" spacer WITH a preload spacer IN the strut the get you the 6" (not sure if those are the right numbers but hopefully you get what I mean).

So on a 4" lift, what you run your Bils at is simply added to the 4" straight up. 4" + Bils @ 2.1 = 6.1"

If you want to run Bils with a 6" kit, use the spacer above but LEAVE OUT THE PRELOAD SPACER. Typically running Bils maxed out on a 6" kit will put you around 7.5" of total lift. (Someone can do the math to see what the height really is, I'm ballpaking here).

6" lift goes something like this:
4.75" + Bils @ 2.8 = 7.55"

Curlyp · Jun 16, 2017

808ram1500 said:
The spacer is put on top of the shock/spring combo. Using Bilstein shocks gives you the option to lower or raise the height of the front of the truck + or minus 1- 2.5".

From factory these Rams have front rake. The front sits lower than the rear. So when you lift a truck 4-6"
It still sit's front down, thatS why the Bilstein can level it out. I don't think the lift kit compensates for the rake that came from factory.

6.7CumminsDrvr said:
4" and 6" lifts are a smidge different up front. A 4" is just the stock strut with a 4" spacer on top of the strut whereas the 6" is something like a 4.75" spacer WITH a preload spacer IN the strut the get you the 6" (not sure if those are the right numbers but hopefully you get what I mean).

So on a 4" lift, what you run your Bils at is simply added to the 4" straight up. 4" + Bils @ 2.1 = 6.1"

If you want to run Bils with a 6" kit, use the spacer above but LEAVE OUT THE PRELOAD SPACER. Typically running Bils maxed out on a 6" kit will put you around 7.5" of total lift. (Someone can do the math to see what the height really is, I'm ballpaking here).

6" lift goes something like this:
4.75" + Bils @ 2.8 = 7.55"

Thank you both for the explaining and clearing this up for me. This makes sense and I understand it now. I wonder why I was told I would need to spend around 2K to get a Fox lift get to reach 4" or 6" (he told me I could not use the Bils).

What spacer do you recommended to achieve the 4" lift all the way around?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

808ram1500 · Jun 16, 2017

If you're talking about doing a 4" lift might as well go 6" as the price isn't that much of a difference.

Or you could do a 2.5" leveling kit and add the Bilstein shocks up front to bring the front up a little to be level with the rear.

Curlyp · Jun 16, 2017

808ram1500 said:
If you're talking about doing a 4" lift might as well go 6" as the price isn't that much of a difference.

Or you could do a 2.5" leveling kit and add the Bilstein shocks up front to bring the front up a little to be level with the rear.

I already have the bils 5100 installed for level. I want a 4" lift now!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Drummin4jc · Jun 17, 2017

You could do a body lift if you didn't want to get into a suspension lift. I believe the largest body lift they make is a 3" kit. It basically just lifts the body higher off of the frame with spacers and bumper relocation brackets.

I'm running a 6" Zone suspension lift along with a 1.5" Zone body lift and the Bilstein 5100's set @ 2.1. I did that so I could be a step higher than the typical 6" lifts out there. Plus, that was the max bumper height I can run in PA.

Adam

Curlyp · Jun 17, 2017

Interesting! I had no idea you can do a body left. I like the look of your truck it's really nice. Is the suspension lift pretty expensive? Also, are there max bumper heights per state?

Edit: do you think you could take a picture inside the wheel well so I could see the actual suspension?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Curlyp · Jun 17, 2017

Does this allow me to keep my Bilsteins?

http://www.roughcountry.com/dodge-suspension-lift-kit-324c.html

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Drummin4jc · Jun 18, 2017

Curlyp said:
Interesting! I had no idea you can do a body left. I like the look of your truck it's really nice. Is the suspension lift pretty expensive? Also, are there max bumper heights per state?

Edit: do you think you could take a picture inside the wheel well so I could see the actual suspension?

Thank you for your compliment. My lift kit was in the $1400 range. I did the install myself with a family member's help. I can take a picture for you when I get the chance.... sure.

Curlyp said:
Does this allow me to keep my Bilsteins?

6in Suspension Lift Kit for 12-17 Dodge 4wd 1500 Ram | Rough Country Suspension Systems®

Any kit will allow you to keep the Bil's. You just don't install the "pre-load spacer" in the front suspension.

Adam

808ram1500 · Jun 18, 2017

I have a 6" RCX lift and I installed the front spacer on the Bils.

Lift Confusion with Bilsteins

WilliamS

Senior Member

2014greatwhite

Senior Member

Curlyp

Senior Member

Ricks Ram

Senior Member

Curlyp

Senior Member

808ram1500

Senior Member

6.7CumminsDrvr

The Dude abides………

Curlyp

Senior Member

808ram1500

Senior Member

Curlyp

Senior Member

Drummin4jc

WWG1WGA!

Curlyp

Senior Member

Curlyp

Senior Member

Drummin4jc

WWG1WGA!

808ram1500

Senior Member

Similar threads

Latest posts

Staff online

Members online

Forum statistics

Share this page