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it could be the 6 inch kit but he only got 5.5 out of it...I know it happens that way sometimes when lowering...

That's kinda what my initial thought was. I've been lowered before, but never lifted. I think I'll call Fabtech this morning to find out what size spindles and shocks are on this kit. I'm thinking they're 3" spindles but I could be very wrong. Hopefully they're 4" spindles because then all I need are 3" lift springs and new shocks...I should be set. But as I said....I'm not as familiar with lift kits, so I'm trying to double check.

Hopefully Jeff reads this today and can give me some input too...since I heard he knows his shtuff pretty well.

Is this a 2wd? 4x4? 1500? 2500?

-Jeff

My bad....that would probably help to know that stuff.

2003 Hemi 1500 2WD

You are pretty much stuck at the height you've currently got. The Fabtech kit for this truck is a 6" subframe kit. You cannot replace the steering knuckle used with the Fabtech kit, that knuckle is built 100% specific to the kit. Here's why... Fabtech relocates the lower control arm mount with their drop subframe. This means the distance between the upper arm and the lower arm is increased by the height of the drop subframe. The knuckle used in the Fabtech kit is taller by this same amount. Trying to use a CST 4" lift spindle absolutely will not work, the CST spindle would be too short to even bolt up.

The Fabtech 6" kit uses a special length coil spring too. The 3" spring that CST offers for use with their 7" kit is again way too short to work with the Fabtech subframe. If you wanted to add a 1" spring spacer that will normally work and allow you to achieve a proper front end alignment. Going with a taller spacer may cause problems with the alignment. A 1" spacer is pretty cheap too: PerformanceLifts.com -- Daystar 2009-2010 Ram 1500 1" Lift Spacer - 2wd Only!

The 2002 through 2010 Ram 1500 2wd with the coil spring front end can use the same spacers.

Here's what the Fabtech kit looks like before it is installed:




The previous owner might be calling it a 5.5" kit but... Fabtech does not advertise or sell the kit as a 5.5" lift. He might have only achieved 5.5" inches of lift but it's still called a 6" lift.

-Jeff

Well crap....that's not good news. I'll need to scrap the Fabtech kit at some point in the future so I have more flexibility. At least I can still throw a 3" body lift on it.

At what point will I have to start modifying other things like the steering linkage?
I've heard that 6" is about the highest you can go without messing with that stuff.

You have a great kit on the truck already... I don't see any reason to scrap the Fabtech kit in favor of anything else. The CST 7" lift with the CST 3" lift coil spring won't give you a full 7" inches of lift on a Quad Cab 5.7L equipped model anyway. With a 4" CST lift spindle and a 3" lift coil spring spacer you'll have approximately 1" more lift than you have now.

If it were my truck and I wanted a small bump in height I'd add the 1" lift coil spring spacer and call it a day. If you need to raise the rear up more to match the increase in front height that's easy, a taller block and U-bolt will get you there.

-Jeff

So the most I could go up without buying a whole new kit is 1" plus a 3" body lift?

I should have bought a 4WD instead of a 2WD....because 6" of lift isn't enough on a 2WD truck but it would have been a lot different on a 4WD.

Thanks for your help Jeff!