New 2017 and lift options for standard cab short bed

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WiSH2oo0

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Good afternoon all,

Last weekend I ended up trading in my 2012 Ram 1500 with a 4" RCX and Superlift pieced together. This is my first brand new vehicle I have ever bought, I usually end up buying CPO to save a few bucks. Next week my new truck will be going in to have Line-X bedliner, rockers and wheel wells done. Hopefully this will help with all the salt used here in MN during the winter months.

So I ended up with a new 2017 Ram 1500 Express standard cab with a 6.4' bed. I was looking into the Superlift kit until I talked with the salesman on the phone. He told me they wouldn't recommend anything bigger then a 4" lift. They also expressed that I should buy adjustable lower control arms to correct the rear pinion angle to eliminate any rear drive shaft vibrations.

Next I called up Zone to see what they had to say. Their response was that either a 4" or 6" would be fine and I shouldn't have any problems at all with the rear drive shaft. I have to say after my first call to Superlift I was pretty bummed out that I bought my new truck and was in jeopardy of not being able to lift it.

So I'm now wondering if Zone is misinformed and I will indeed have to order adjustable rear lower control arms like Superlift had stated with there lift kit. Any help would be great so I can get this new toy in the air!

Thanks
 

Dantheman

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I'm assuming its 4wd? Lots of people have lifts on single cabs, not sure why it would be any different for a new truck unless something has changed on the suspension
 
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WiSH2oo0

WiSH2oo0

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Yes it's a 4wd truck. The single cab short beds have a 120" wheel base vs the quad and crew cabs 140" wheel base. So maybe on my truck the rear drive shaft is shorter which would put more of an angle on the drive shaft itself. Which is why I believe that Superlift is worried about rear drive shaft vibrations. Maybe both front and rear drive shafts are shorter l wouldn't know without measuring both styles of trucks.
 

Dantheman

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Well you have a couple options. Put the lift on, and if the drive shaft is too short have it lengthened, which is not a big deal (This is the safest option). Or, this is a theoretical or, get a double cardan joint (H style yoke I believe) to extend it down and get a better angle at the same time. I believe the u joint size is 1-1/16" outer diameter, so you'd have to find the corresponding H yoke to make that work, assuming the diameter hasn't changed for a 2017. Any particular reason you're going with 4" instead of 6"?

Or measure the bolt pattern and have a machine shop make you a spacer out of aluminum.

I think you have enough options to not worry about not being able to lift but thats just my opinion. You could always do a leveling kit and body lift if it is really bothering you.
 
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yillbs

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Pro-comp
 

Dantheman

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^ What? Pro comp doesn't even make a kit compatible with 2017s yet.
 
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WiSH2oo0

WiSH2oo0

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Any particular reason you're going with 4" instead of 6"?

I would like a 6" over the 4" but I was just relaying the response from Superlift "We wouldn't recommend anything higher than our 4" lift kit with adjustable lower control arms".

I've been searching google to no end and have only found maybe a half dozen of 4TH Gen single cab short bed lifted trucks on the forum boards. The two I seen on another board had 6" RCX lift kits.
 

Dantheman

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I would like a 6" over the 4" but I was just relaying the response from Superlift "We wouldn't recommend anything higher than our 4" lift kit with adjustable lower control arms".

I've been searching google to no end and have only found maybe a half dozen of 4TH Gen single cab short bed lifted trucks on the forum boards. The two I seen on another board had 6" RCX lift kits.



What about getting a driveshaft from a quad cab and swapping it in?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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WiSH2oo0

WiSH2oo0

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After some further reading on the Spohn Performance website. I think Superlift misspoke or I heard him wrong on the phone. But I think they meant I would need adjustable upper control arms to adjust for rear pinion angle.
 

57buick

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Mine is a 2015 2500 diesel but I used a 6" ZONE lift and it drives great. I didn't install the optional tranny indexing kit either. Didn't need it
 

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smiley

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Mine is a 2015 2500 diesel but I used a 6" ZONE lift and it drives great. I didn't install the optional tranny indexing kit either. Didn't need it



1500 vs 2500 I am sure the setup would be a least a fair bit different.
 
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WiSH2oo0

WiSH2oo0

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Just an update.

So I called BDS and RCX about there products on Friday. They just do the song and dance of trying to sell me a product. I can tell from there response to my questions they're just a salesman and have zero automotive backgrounds.

I did talk to a different Ram dealer on Saturday as well. They agreed with the Superlift statement about the possible rear drive shaft issues. He also said that even with using the rear adjustable upper control arms they can get the pinion angle close to factory specs but not right on target. They also surprised me with the lowest quote for a lift kit installation at $950 along with headlight adjustments, speedometer calibration and an alignment. He his getting back to me Monday for the cost of rear upper control installation and rear pinion angle adjustments needed.
 
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