Lifting questions

I'm getting a 4in zone lift and bilstein 5100s. If I use the bilsteins at a lifted position, would I still use the strut spacer that comes with the lift kit?

you'd have to. the bill's are maxed at 2.8". you'd still need to make up 1.2" of lift to make it a full 4". I would have the bill's set back to stock height and then use them. later on you can always get you a new coil spring for the rear and then make adjustments to your bill's to get even more lift!

I run the zone 4 inch lift and was thinking of doing the same shocks to get the 2 inch rake out If I take off the coil spacer where do I set the new shocks at the spacer gives you 1 inch unless I'm wrong i'm also running 35's

I'm running 35s as well I currently do not have the lift just preparing for when it gets here. Also does anyone know what size wheel spacers to run for stock wheels?

dhows31 said:

I'm getting a 4in zone lift and bilstein 5100s. If I use the bilsteins at a lifted position, would I still use the strut spacer that comes with the lift kit?

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Yes you definitely still need the strut spacers that come with the kit. The amount of rear height you chose (2" coil spacers or 3" springs) and the amount of stock rake you have will determine what you want to set the Bilsteins at.

Ferro said:

I run the zone 4 inch lift and was thinking of doing the same shocks to get the 2 inch rake out If I take off the coil spacer where do I set the new shocks at the spacer gives you 1 inch unless I'm wrong i'm also running 35's

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4" kits don't come with the preload spacers so you don't need to worry about that. It's just a matter of setting the Bilsteins up to where you want them and installing the strut spacers on top of them to get the truck sitting how you want.

I would run to 3 inch coil springs much better My truck rides like a stock truck

I thought I read somewhere where you have to remove the preload spacer if you use those shocks

Good to know. Thanks for the responses I appreciate it.

Ferro said:

I thought I read somewhere where you have to remove the preload spacer if you use those shocks

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On a 6" lift, yes as they use a preload spacer. A 4" lift doesn't use a preload spacer as stated above.

brandonjansen said:

On a 6" lift, yes as they use a preload spacer. A 4" lift doesn't use a preload spacer as stated above.

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Is the preload spacer on the 6" kits only for the 13 and up model years?

TSINND said:

Is the preload spacer on the 6" kits only for the 13 and up model years?

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Zone uses them on all 4th gen 6" kits.

brandonjansen said:

Zone uses them on all 4th gen 6" kits.

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I noticed rough country does on the newer rams but I dont recall having a preload spacer on my 2009 with a rcx. Any idea why on the newer trucks that is?

Just to elaborate on this... because I think its important for people to understand how this stuff works... the reason you need the strut spacer has nothing to do with the lift height of the bilsteins.

Once you install the lift kit, everything has been lowered 4". Thus, if you try to bolt your front OEM strut assembly back into position, it will be 4" too short. The spacer is used to lower your upper strut mount 4", or another way to think about it is that its extending your OEM strut 4" so it will bolt back up into the OEM mount. In a spindle lift, basically all modern lifts, the frame and UCAs are not altered. Everything else is dropped down 4, 6, 10" and a matching lift spindle is provided to reconnect your UCA at the new height. So in theory, your steering geometry and CV angles all remain factory, they just sit 4 inches lower than they did before, your UCAs are still where they were, a new spindle 4" taller is used to make it all work, and you are left with a 'gap' that's 4" taller now where your OEM shock/strut/coilspring use to be.

The other option, less common, is that you ditch the stock oem strut all together and get a replacement coilover that is 4" longer than the OEM assembly. Then you bolt that in, you don't need the spacer at all. Then if you wanted to get up to 6", you would preload the springs. Same thing as bilsteins or the preload spacer.

The preload spacer, totally different. Does nothing to alter the physical length of the strut assembly. It does the same thing the bilsteins do, it adds preload to the spring inside the OEM unit to provide more lift. But the actual strut itself is not altered. The bilsteins are factory replacements, so they are the same size. Whether you run them at 0 or 3 inches, makes no real difference as far how they work with a lift kit.

TSINND said:

I noticed rough country does on the newer rams but I dont recall having a preload spacer on my 2009 with a rcx. Any idea why on the newer trucks that is?

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Their old kits didn't use preload spacers. In late 2013/early 2014 they changed their kits to use preload spacers and no longer provide rear lift coils, only rear lift spacers. This is why I no longer recommend RCX lifts to anyone.