Leveling kit and body lift together?

[AllyRhiannxo]

Looking to put a leveling kit and a body lift on my truck together, good idea? I know a little bit about trucks,not a whole lot but that's a lot of why im here to learn a little more

I want to clear 35 inch tires and achieve the lifted look as well as maintaining a nice ride quality. So I figured a level/body combo would be a good alternative to paying thousands for a high quality suspension lift.

I have a couple leveling kits in mind a fabtech 2in leveling system and the bilstein 5100 series ride height adjustable shocks. leaning towards the bilsteins but it says coil is not included? what does that mean? what do I need to buy with the shocks? are these shocks alone all I need to achieve a level? assuming I would need 4 of them?

and lastly, whats the best body lift kit to use? looking to put a 3incher possibly 4. Anybody have any pics of these on their 4th gen 1500s please post!!

 

[atticusfaul]

A lot of people do the bilsteins body lift combo. I've never heard of a 4 inch bl though.

 

[Saltbreak]

There are a lot of guys running level with 3 in or 1.5 in body lifts. Search in the lifted section. I have mine leveled with bilsteins at 2.1 and 1.5 in body lift with 295 70r18 tires.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AllyRhiannxo]

So with the bilsteins, is that all I need is the 5100 shocks? Do I put them all around or just in the front to level? ☺

 

[brandonjansen]

You can fit 35's with just a leveling kit... no need for a body lift. IMO a body lift is a really half assed way to achieve lift unless you have no options to go higher with suspension. They can raise a multitude of fitment problems with other items that you may want to add to the truck down the road. You'd be better off sticking with just the Bilsteins or going for a full 4" suspension lift.

Yes, on the front all you need is the Bilstein 5100 adjustable struts. During install your stock strut will be disassembled and the majority of the hardware will be put onto the Bilstein.

 

[Boomerboomer]

Body lift half assed?

My last two trucks had body lifts. Caused ZERO issues and no warranty problems. These new Rams sit so low on the frame you can do a three inch body lift and still see no frame. My trucks have been daily driver and I am beyond happy with the way they came out. Can't wait to get my body lift on my 2014. I can afford a four inch suspension lift and choose to do a body lift instead. I'll attach some pics. Let us know how you make out!

 

[brandonjansen]

My last two trucks had body lifts. Caused ZERO issues and no warranty problems. These new Rams sit so low on the frame you can do a three inch body lift and still see no frame. My trucks have been daily driver and I am beyond happy with the way they came out. Can't wait to get my body lift on my 2014. I can afford a four inch suspension lift and choose to do a body lift instead. I'll attach some pics. Let us know how you make out!

They have the potential to cause issues with other mods added to the truck down the road. A lot of guys won't have any issues but depending how far you go with the truck you definitely can. The body lift itself shouldn't cause any issues though. A suspension lift is just a better way to gain height, plain and simple. So personally I'd max out on suspension lift before considering a body lift.

 

[xrsman]

They have the potential to cause issues with other mods added to the truck down the road.

Sounds like you're talking out your ass with the above statement.

OP Don't listen to him, a body lift will be just fine unless you plan on doing some more serious offroading. If you're just going to drive on the road and the occasional mild

 

[Express SN95]

Ill throw my old truck in to the mix. It had Bilsteins at 2.1 and a Zone 1.5" body lift. For less then $350 I was able to go up 3.5" (not accounting for the shocks settling). The truck pictured below has 17" Method Standards and 315/70/17 (34.4") Goodyear Duratracs.




I've got to disagree with the half ass part on the body lift. The 1.5" body lift never gave me any issues for the 2+ years I ran it before I sold the above truck (in terms of fitment or durability). It gave me the extra little bit of clearance without having to spend $1,400+ on a suspension lift. Yes, the down side was I was not able to run tow hooks on the front but I did not mind. I loved this combo so much that I have ordered the same exact thing for my 2014 Ram. If this was a trail purposed truck then yeah I would order a 6" lift and deck it out, but that's not what I use my truck for. I wanted a very capable daily driver which is exactly what I got. The OP needs to weigh whats best for them in terms of use and budget.

 

[tripower]

I'm not a fan of body lifts. I prefer clean, well engineered solutions and a body lifts don't fit into this category. A 3" BL stretches many, many electrical connections that were never meant for that length, fuel lines, bracketed bumpers (crash worthiness), steering column over extension, the list goes on and on depending on which kit you chose. Everyone's entitled to their opinion - but I would never put this type of kit on my truck.

Honestly, if you want that height, a factory stock 2500 is basically there already. A well engineered solution with a factory warranty and resale value!

 

[brandonjansen]

Sounds like you're talking out your ass with the above statement.

OP Don't listen to him, a body lift will be just fine unless you plan on doing some more serious offroading. If you're just going to drive on the road and the occasional mild

 

[xrsman]

Wow bud... way to be classy.

Look at your truck... you aren't even close to far enough mod wise you run into issues with the body lift. Try adding some aftermarket bumpers, tow hooks, items that bolt to the frame and extend out the size of the truck, items that mount inside the engine compartment (inner fenders etc.) that have to connect back to the engine... the list goes on. All of those will have fitment issues on a truck with a body lift.

If it wasn't a half assed way to lift why don't you see trucks at SEMA with body lifts? Or any other truck show for that matter. Anyone who knows anything about building a good quality truck and actually looks AND performs well wouldn't consider a body lift. End of story.

I probably know more about Ram suspension lifts than most on this forum, have lifted 1500's, 3500's (all work done by myself in my shop), given advice to literally hundreds of members on multiple forums regarding lift and wheel/tire setups that have all worked out amazing, most thanking me personally for all the help and detail I've provided with. I'd say I'm one of the best guys to listen to regarding lifts.



And that's perfectly fine... like I said, some guys will get away with a body lift no problem. All depends on what you want to do with the truck. But that still doesn't make them as good as a suspension lift. As you expereinced with the tow hooks, it does lead to a few fitment issues. Some guys can't afford not to have tow hooks depending on where they live and/or what they do with the truck.

I was insulted by your statement, it was an intentional insult to anyone who has a body lift. Just because you don't like it doesn't make it wrong.

As for my truck, I don't want all the **** on it. I built it exactly how I wanted. I'm pretty much done modding it. As for the tow hooks I found some that bolt right on. It's the stock ones on the new 2500's, they look like they'll work anyway

Sema trucks don't use them because they don't everything is for show, it's a "look how much I spent" convention. Who really cares though right?

I'm sure you're very knowledgeable on the subject, but different strokes for different folks right? When I was deciding what I wanted to do to my truck I considered everything, for me it made sense to go with a body lift. I don't go offroading much, if so it's just though a field or something. Other than that I'm all highway, so body lift was perfect for me! It wasn't that I couldn't afford it, I just chose to go body lift because it fit me the best, then I put that money into other things.

Anyway I don't mean to start ****, we all have a difference of opinion!

Cheers

Joe

 

[Boomerboomer]

My Dakota and my ram last dam both had three inch body lifts. Well over ten years and not one problem. Plus I never had a single issue with my warranty. I was so tempted to reply to that knucklehead but didn't. Can't believe he used semantic as an example. It's like asking the off road shop what they like. A body lift or a suspension lift that just happens to make them twice the money. Hahaha. P.s. Your truck looks awesome. Laramie rims are awesome with big tires!

 

[Boomerboomer]

I think I need to turn off spell check. Hahaha

 

[brandonjansen]

I was insulted by your statement, it was an intentional insult to anyone who has a body lift. Just because you don't like it doesn't make it wrong.

As for my truck, I don't want all the **** on it. I built it exactly how I wanted. I'm pretty much done modding it. As for the tow hooks I found some that bolt right on. It's the stock ones on the new 2500's, they look like they'll work anyway

Sema trucks don't use them because they don't everything is for show, it's a "look how much I spent" convention. Who really cares though right?

I'm sure you're very knowledgeable on the subject, but different strokes for different folks right? When I was deciding what I wanted to do to my truck I considered everything, for me it made sense to go with a body lift. I don't go offroading much, if so it's just though a field or something. Other than that I'm all highway, so body lift was perfect for me! It wasn't that I couldn't afford it, I just chose to go body lift because it fit me the best, then I put that money into other things.

Anyway I don't mean to start ****, we all have a difference of opinion!

Cheers

Joe

Fair enough. Fully agree that there's no need for all that **** on trucks; that's not my style either. I just like to bring up the point because there's some guys who don't realize the fitment issues that can happen with future mods like that when thinking about body lifts.
Unless they've changed the tow hooks on the 2015 2500's I can't see them working... Unless you're thinking of bolting them on a different way than I'm thinking. Here's what the 3rd and 4th gen 2500/3500 OEM tow hooks look like (minus the notch and hole drilled through them):



I think the 5500 tow hooks are more of a style like the 1500 ones. Are those the ones you're referring to maybe?

Again, fair enough. I agree that everyone has their difference in opinion. We'll leave it at that.

 

[xrsman]

Fair enough. Fully agree that there's no need for all that **** on trucks; that's not my style either. I just like to bring up the point because there's some guys who don't realize the fitment issues that can happen with future mods like that when thinking about body lifts.
Unless they've changed the tow hooks on the 2015 2500's I can't see them working... Unless you're thinking of bolting them on a different way than I'm thinking. Here's what the 3rd and 4th gen 2500/3500 OEM tow hooks look like (minus the notch and hole drilled through them):



I think the 5500 tow hooks are more of a style like the 1500 ones. Are those the ones you're referring to maybe?

Again, fair enough. I agree that everyone has their difference in opinion. We'll leave it at that.

Yep that's them. When I look at my truck it looks like they should bolt right in..however it's always hard to tell until you actually have the piece in your hand and you can test fit it!

 

[quinton579]

i did a 2.5" level with the zone 1.5" body lift and it was probly half the work and a quarter of the price of a suspension lift so it seemed like a no brainer to me as im not planning on pounding my truck through the baja or putting it in the SEMA show..

 

[rammanriley20]

Not trying to get into an argument here but every lifted truck ive owned has had both a suspension and body lift and i never had a problem. 2003 dakota with a 4in suspension and 2in body lift. and a 2001 ram 2500 with a 3in suspension and 1in body. never a single problem and both were pretty heavily modified trucks

 

[Cloviz]

You can fit 35's with just a leveling kit... no need for a body lift. IMO a body lift is a really half assed way to achieve lift unless you have no options to go higher with suspension. They can raise a multitude of fitment problems with other items that you may want to add to the truck down the road. You'd be better off sticking with just the Bilsteins or going for a full 4" suspension lift.

Yes, on the front all you need is the Bilstein 5100 adjustable struts. During install your stock strut will be disassembled and the majority of the hardware will be put onto the Bilstein.

The only issue thats caused is the extra fabrication and planning if you want to reinstall the tow hooks or put on a bullbar/bumper.

 

[SuthrnRAM]

Not trying to get into an argument here but every lifted truck ive owned has had both a suspension and body lift and i never had a problem. 2003 dakota with a 4in suspension and 2in body lift. and a 2001 ram 2500 with a 3in suspension and 1in body. never a single problem and both were pretty heavily modified trucks

I was actually going to say the exact same thing. I've owned many trucks and a jeep, and almost all had both a 3" body lift and suspension lift and never had issues with them ever. My jeep I had for 15 years and other than wear and tear stuff it was a beast on the trail and I'm no offroad pro but it handled whatever I took it thru. Guess it's really just about what you want to spend and the look your going for. I doubt I would do a body lift on my new truck as I will probably just level and be done this time around as it's my daily driver, but who knows I may throw a lift on it down the road, modding just is so addicting!