D.I.Y 5" lift advice

[mike2me]

I'm going to put a 5" lift on my 97 4x4 to fit the 35s I have, but this is my toy truck so I'm not about to drop a ton of money into a lift kit. My goal is to lift it for around $400 (springs/shocks/pitman arm (if req)/extended shackles/ professional alignment when done)

For the front I'm going to buy a set of springs and shocks and fab up my own extended control arms,track bar relocater bracket, either make my own sway bar drop bracket or buy extended sway links, and try to make the lift work with my pitman arm by bolting the steering linkage to the bottom side (its on the top now) but if that doesn't work I'm willing to purchase an extended pitman arm.

In the rear I'm making some extended shackles to drop the springs and avoiding blocks completely.

Does anyone here have experience lifting this truck because I'm looking for some insight before i get to work.

Also if anyone has the specifics for the fabrication that I'm going to do, it would be cool if someone could shoot out some numbers like the length the control arms should be for the 5" lift, or how far the track bar needs to be shifted from stock.

Regardless im going to get started on the project soon but any advice beforehand would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Muddytazz]

My old 97 4x4 had 35's and just a 2" spacer lift up front and extended shackles in the back and never had any rub issues....So why go with 5"? Unless that is your intent.

 

[mike2me]

Fitting the tires is only part of the reason i want to lift the truck i like the look of a higher lift, when i bought the truck this was my intention.

Thanks for the reply i didn't think coil spacers would create enough room in the fender, I may buy those for some temporary clearance while i get ready to do the 5" lift. How wide were your tires, mine are 12.5 and i can get about 1.5 - 1.75 turns of the wheel before the tire hits the front of the fender.

 

[txbass06]

I also fit 35's on my '97 with just a leveling kit. 12.5's aren't the problem, it's the back spacing of the factory wheels that causes you to rub on the UCA's

 

[mike2me]

Im running 15"x8" rims with i believe 3.75" backspacing

 

[Muddytazz]

I was running 35x12.5x15 on 15x8 with 3.75 BS

Get some one ton front coils to replace your 1/2ton coils for an instant 4" lift.

 

[05ram4x4]

Does that that really raise the truck that much? ^ Sound simple. But is it as simple as it sounds? Does it mess with the suspension geometry at all?

 

[Okiespaniel]

Does that that really raise the truck that much? ^ Sound simple. But is it as simple as it sounds? Does it mess with the suspension geometry at all?

Yes it does...a lot!

Mike you should talk to Danny over at Dodge Off Road and see if he will give you some insight on control arm length. As far as the track bar I wouldn't mess with the stocker when better after market systems are availible.

The low backspacing is causing your rims to hit the front fender and spring spacers or cummins coils will probably move it to the back of front fender. You actually have too much backspacing. You probably need about 4-4.5 inches. The control arms might be an issue at that point but you can adjust or tap out your steering stop holes for that.

 

[05ram4x4]

What would have to be done to make it work? Could you just take 1ton suspension parts and bolt them in?

 

[Okiespaniel]

I don't like using cummins springs because a gas engine doesn't preload them enough. The ride is skittish, rough and dangerous under certain conditions. The control arms are not longer because the frame is taller on a 2500/3500 so thier mounting points are different. The track bar is the same POS that a 1500 comes with.
If you're a very competent welder/setup guy fabbing some decent components wouldn't be difficult. I would want longer control arms to try and smooth out the ride and adjust caster properly.

BTW.. you just can't turn the tie rod in your pitman "over" unless you are changing over to hiem joints. The arm is tapered one way. You'll have to buy a drop arm.

Again, I would reach out to Danny at DOR or one of the other lift mfrs. People like BDS, Fabtech, and a few others still make 2nd gen lifts.

 

[mike2me]

I finally got around ordering the lift about a week ago. I ordered up a partial rough country kit - 5" springs, shocks for front and rear, and a pitman arm in total spent $360. Picked up a set bushings from a local offroad shop that were made for 1.75" x .120 dom, and also the dom for the control arms from the steel shop.
Im still working on the measurements for the control arms but after i talk to the owner of the off road shop they should be done shortly. If anyone is interested I can post some pics and measurements for the control arms, I know how much of a pain it is to track down someone online who has done it so i may as well be the guy.

Also if anyone knows what the caster is supposed to be set at for the front axle it would help as of now I'm thinking is between 4.5 - 5.5 deg but i havent been able to verify that yet.

 

[Stangshcky12]

I've actually just started digging into the suspension of my girlfriends 2500 after running 35s with a 2" spacer for 3years
It uses the same suspension set up as 2nd gen 1500
I got a set of RC adjustable control arms with bushings and sleeves for $180 shipping, went ahead and spent the $100 on all new control arm hardware from spohn performance and I just ordered an icon adjustable track bar for $220 shipped

I'm not really sure what to do height was, 5" RC springs was a thought and so was RC leveling springs with the spacer but I think I'm going to keep it to 3" to keep the shocks I just put on earlier this spring

At 5" your control arms need to be an inch longer then stock and I believe caster should be 3.8*

 

[mike2me]

Many thanks on the info. I have heard 1 inch over stock on the control arms for between 3.5-5" of lift but then i began to think that if a 2 inch kit gets 3/4 over stock why would a 5 inch get only 1/4 inch more but i have a feeling i am over thinking the problem. Im going with 1" over and if its too short ill just remake them, the material was pretty inexpensive so if for some reason they are wrong its not like i cant make them again.

Also thanks for the caster info i'm still looking around im about to start digging through service manuals because im getting so many different numbers from different sources even though the numbers are fairly close together.

Goodluck in deciding on what to do with your girlfriends 2500 and especially in getting off those eccetric cam bolts on the lca's mine met the sawzall last night, the cams bolts nuts and sleeves all rusted together to make create a super pain in my ..

 

[Stangshcky12]

I gave the CA a shot last week
I was fully expecting a fight but I t was worse then I figured and ended up putting it back together cause I didn't have the time needed
I'm going to have to unbolt her down pipe to get the upper off

If you find a number for the caster please let me know, I only heard 3.8* from a friend of a friend who got the info from thuren
Everything I have read says for 2"-3" the control arms should be +0.5" and for 3.5"-5" they should be +1"

 

[mike2me]

The Passenger UCA had my exhaust in the way but i got it out w/o taking off the exhaust (after losing a socket and extension in the frame , btw still in there) Your gonna laugh but it worked. (i think the bolt was 15mm but i cant say for sure) 15mm 3/8 drive socket in a 3/8 socket adapter for a drill, then i took a 1/4" box end wrench (the size of the adapter) around the end of the adapter but it was too small to work with. So i but a 5/8" deep well and put it around the wrench, then i took the biggest extension i had, like 12" long and stuck that in the deep well and boom, worked that baby right out.

Ill post the caster on here when i find it.

 

[Stangshcky12]

Ha I can hardly get a socket on the head of the UCA bolt, its a boxed frame and the 4" downpipe takes up alot of room
I was about to weld a handle to the socket since it was just spinning in the vise grips I was trying to hold it with but decided it would be easier just to put it back together haha

 

[mike2me]

The caster depends on the height difference between the front and back of the truck and that will determine the appropriate caster. The service manual i used is stickied on this site.

Chapter 2 of the ram service manual posted by Bigtman07. The caster changes based on the difference in height between the rear and front of the frame.

Ill be setting my caster to 5.5* +/- 1*

 

[jsq789]

I finally got around ordering the lift about a week ago. I ordered up a partial rough country kit - 5" springs, shocks for front and rear, and a pitman arm in total spent $360. Picked up a set bushings from a local offroad shop that were made for 1.75" x .120 dom, and also the dom for the control arms from the steel shop.
Im still working on the measurements for the control arms but after i talk to the owner of the off road shop they should be done shortly. If anyone is interested I can post some pics and measurements for the control arms, I know how much of a pain it is to track down someone online who has done it so i may as well be the guy.

Also if anyone knows what the caster is supposed to be set at for the front axle it would help as of now I'm thinking is between 4.5 - 5.5 deg but i havent been able to verify that yet.

good! I was about to say you should definitely get a new pitman arm

 

[jfreakofkorn]

I finally got around ordering the lift about a week ago. I ordered up a partial rough country kit - 5" springs, shocks for front and rear, and a pitman arm in total spent $360. Picked up a set bushings from a local offroad shop that were made for 1.75" x .120 dom, and also the dom for the control arms from the steel shop.
Im still working on the measurements for the control arms but after i talk to the owner of the off road shop they should be done shortly. If anyone is interested I can post some pics and measurements for the control arms, I know how much of a pain it is to track down someone online who has done it so i may as well be the guy.

Also if anyone knows what the caster is supposed to be set at for the front axle it would help as of now I'm thinking is between 4.5 - 5.5 deg but i havent been able to verify that yet.

did you get any photo(s) up