My experience with 2.8 Bilsteins and OEM control arms

[620mac]

So I have a '14 Laramie, and I've had the 5100's at 2.8 and 1.5 inch rear spring spacers for a couple days now, along with 275/65/20 **** Cepek Fun Country tires, and I have already been through some pretty rough stuff, and bad mud, and I've experienced no issues. The truck sits right around a half inch higher in the rear (I measured) and it looks perfect. I did not change control arms, and they said they don't think I need to, multiple shops said that, including Bilstein techs when I called them. Yes, installing these does throw your truck out of alignment, which mine goes in Monday for, but they said after you drive it in town for 100 miles or so, get it aligned, and everything should be just fine, no control arms necessary. I'm wondering if guys are having issues because they're getting their alignment done the same day they get the lift installed? I also have no 4x4 vibration. I used it in 4 high and low (I have locking 3.92 gears) and even under full acceleration I felt nothing, and this setup is awesome off road, and in mud. Just wanted to share my experience with everyone, as it seems there's a lot of discussion on this. I know I read for hours about all this, like I'm sure a lot of you do too.

 

[JCJ4290]

I'm glad to hear you're not experiencing any problems, I know many have but not all do. It seems most experience the problem over time. Let us know how it goes with the alignment. Truck looks great

 

[Csanders1992]

It has nothing to do with alignment. It's because the factory ball joints can't handle the angle a leveling kit puts them at.


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[h2oman]

That's good to hear. There have been a few problems with the 14's. Just to let you know though. You don't have locking 3.92's.

 

[chipmaker]

Makes u wonder how many real issues there were vs. people repeating what they read?

Love my Bils @ 2.1. No issues, stock arms, and 35s on stockers w/o spacers.

 

[h2oman]

Makes u wonder how many real issues there were vs. people repeating what they read?

Love my Bils @ 2.1. No issues, stock arms, and 35s on stockers w/o spacers.

Yup. 40k on my bils at 2.8. Still rockin.

 

[tripower]

Truck looks great! It's good to see another report that's based in reality

The guys that promote new UCAs for truck with Bilstein or Rancho leveling shocks mean well, but they are repeating information they read or heard somewhere. Those shocks aren't even close to putting the ball joints into a binding position at full extension - no issues.

 

[tttrv]

Alignment has nothing to do with BJ articulation angle. I had the bils at 2.1 and poped the BJ's.

 

[JCJ4290]

Maybe not, but any good shop will check the ball joints for him when he gets the alignment. Who knows, RAM could have fixed the issue half way through 2014 or perhaps he will be the lucky one.

 

[11BPSMIKE]

8 months at 2.1 and no issues for me.

 

[slodsm]

Is this a new issue? I had bilsteins on the front of my 10 for a very long time. 121k miles leveled up front when I traded it in and never touched a thing but an alignment once a year.

 

[NYCruiser]

Only affects 13/14's. Changing out the UCA's on a 14 with oem 09-12 UCA's will fix it, as well as some aftermarket options.

 

[StevoTee]

You get two issues with levelling:
1. Ball joints popping out (what I've read, on the 13-14).
2. CV angle vibration (vehicle dependent).

#2 is a variable issue, some guys have/don't have it. If you do experience CV vibration, really the only fix is high angle CVs or lower the Bilstein retainer ring (less level).

 

[620mac]

Come to find out, the shop that put them in didn't use the OEM bushings, so they are slightly loose until Friday. It was not in the instructions to replace them, so they just installed them. Now there has to be a deal worked out probably between them and Bilstein to pay for the bushings and labor to re-install since I don't have the factory shocks anymore. Not a big deal to me, not my problem to figure out! I had 2 different alignment shops that know they're stuff look at the control arms and they said it seems perfectly fine. Going to 2.1 is not an option, the rear is too high for that, it sits perfect right now. Will the ball joint only pop out when the suspension is extremely flexed? I would imagine so, but trucks are fairly new to me, I was a fast car guy for a long time, never had to worry about this stuff. I mean it did go through some pretty rough terrain already since the lift, the truck was bouncing pretty good and haven't had an issue.

 

[Liv2race]

Thanks for the post! Was doing homework on this now!

 

[clays laramie]

I have no experience with bilies on my new ram, but did have them on my 13 f150 fx4 and man did they **** up the front end on that truck. Very lucky the dealer didnt drive it enough to notice...didnt lose any money on the truck and have a brand new laramie.. will never do those shocks or leveling kit again... 4 inch or nothing... its not worth ******* your truck up.. just my 2 cents

 

[Crazy4info]

I have no experience with bilies on my new ram, but did have them on my 13 f150 fx4 and man did they **** up the front end on that truck. Very lucky the dealer didnt drive it enough to notice...didnt lose any money on the truck and have a brand new laramie.. will never do those shocks or leveling kit again... 4 inch or nothing... its not worth ******* your truck up.. just my 2 cents

May I ask what happened to it?

 

[HemiRoar]

like they said, it depends on the vehicle. mine is a '10 so no uca issues but i had BAD 4x4 vibration up to 25-30 mph

ripped 2 new pairs of cv boots in less than 6 months, luckily dealer covered it under warranty both times. no more level. learned to love the rake and the 285s still fit just fine.

 

[arod412]

Hemiroar and nycruiser are right...they changed UCA on the 13+....I'm thinking because of the air bag system. My 2012 has been leveled (bilstein set to max 2.8") with no issues for a year.

Someone posted a pic of the UCA side by side and the 09-12 where close to double the thickness.

 

[Bigpoppa14]

Put the 5100s front and rear today raised the front 3 inchs and rear half inch it sits level and rides great. 14 ram Longhorn