2023 Ram 1500 Rough Country vs. Readylift

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

ThunderMug95

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 3, 2018
Posts
2,189
Reaction score
3,185
Location
North Prince George, VA
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7
Comparing Rough Country and Ready Lift is like comparing McDonalds and Wendys…yeah they will feed you, but both will give you the squirts. They are low-tier/low-cost mass retail that market to people new to this game and unaware of the better options out there.
Bilstein, Eibach, Icon, Core, JBA, BDS/ Zone, Carly….These are the manufacturers that put out quality products. Yeah they cost more, but they are engineered and built better.
I can speak for Bilstein, JBA, Icon and coming soon Core4x4 (rear control arms are in the mail).
If you want a max level, just do Bilstein 5100’s and enjoy the results. I have 5+ years of experience on them.
 

dbNINE

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2022
Posts
12
Reaction score
1
Location
Deep South
Ram Year
2022
Engine
5.7 etorque
Yeah I know, but we talkin bout a level, not a "lift". Eibach probably has the best thing going out there. I'm just saying a double spacer by isn't gonna be better than a lifted strut. It's science yo.
 

Quick_Shifter

IG: @ak_trucks_pa
Supporting Member
TOTY Winner
TOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Posts
4,161
Reaction score
3,776
Location
ASTON,PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
AK Trucks Tuned 5.7
Yeah I have no doubt you're qualified. I'm mainly just talking about the RC lifted struts vs the Readylift SST. I'm sure most of Rough Country may be garbage but there is no way I can be convinced running a top hat AND a preload spacer (even if installed perfectly) is riding better than a strut with adequate length shocks and springs, this is evident by the many reviews online. How long will they last? Who knows, but 350 bucks ain't that bad of a hit if you had to replace a few years down the road. I'd like to know if you have any experience with the RC lifted struts, and a more nuanced opinion maybe.
Yes I have lot of experience with RC shocks that were deemed the worst thing on the market with millions of reviews saying buy their lift kits and just replace the shocks. Even RC fan boys wouldn’t get behind them. This went on for many years until recently when RC revamped their damper line renaming it and giving away 1,000’s for free to you tubers and shops like mine with a stipulation that you were not allowed to bad mouth any of their products under any circumstances. That’s pretty sad if you think about it. I have had a lot of the new n3 and the M1 line and a Monroe shock is far superior.

You’re also comparing a 4” kit to a 2 or 2.5” kit between RL and RC
 

Quick_Shifter

IG: @ak_trucks_pa
Supporting Member
TOTY Winner
TOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Posts
4,161
Reaction score
3,776
Location
ASTON,PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
AK Trucks Tuned 5.7
Yeah I know, but we talkin bout a level, not a "lift". Eibach probably has the best thing going out there. I'm just saying a double spacer by isn't gonna be better than a lifted strut. It's science yo.
Technically RC would have to get paired to Bilstein and Eibach and Readylift sst compares to a bracket lift like zone 4”
 

dbNINE

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2022
Posts
12
Reaction score
1
Location
Deep South
Ram Year
2022
Engine
5.7 etorque
Thanks for the insight, and I don't doubt anything you've said. But I do disagree about the comparison. 3.5" SST kit vs. 3.5 Loaded Strut kit is as direct of a comparison as possible. They're even very close in price as well, sub 1k. SST should not get compared to a bracket lift at all, it's a maxed out leveling kit.
 

Quick_Shifter

IG: @ak_trucks_pa
Supporting Member
TOTY Winner
TOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Posts
4,161
Reaction score
3,776
Location
ASTON,PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
AK Trucks Tuned 5.7
Thanks for the insight, and I don't doubt anything you've said. But I do disagree about the comparison. 3.5" SST kit vs. 3.5 Loaded Strut kit is as direct of a comparison as possible. They're even very close in price as well, sub 1k. SST should not get compared to a bracket lift at all, it's a maxed out leveling kit.
Fair enough I thought we were referring to a 4th Gen. On a 5th gen you are right it’s apples to apples can you do me a favor and post a picture of the RC loaded struts stating they a 3.5” for a 2019-2023 Ram 1500
 

dbNINE

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2022
Posts
12
Reaction score
1
Location
Deep South
Ram Year
2022
Engine
5.7 etorque
They just mean that you need the UCA's (the kit). C'mon man, show me where rough country touched you.
Screenshot_20230402_181109_Chrome.jpg
 

Quick_Shifter

IG: @ak_trucks_pa
Supporting Member
TOTY Winner
TOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Posts
4,161
Reaction score
3,776
Location
ASTON,PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
AK Trucks Tuned 5.7
They just mean that you need the UCA's (the kit). C'mon man, show me where rough country touched you.
View attachment 517791
 

Quick_Shifter

IG: @ak_trucks_pa
Supporting Member
TOTY Winner
TOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Posts
4,161
Reaction score
3,776
Location
ASTON,PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
AK Trucks Tuned 5.7
@dbNINE Here is a truck that came in RC kit was under 3 years old The lift was installed properly. The product is not good.
This guy was excited on the money saved and ranted on how the ride was great for about 6 months then it started getting worse. He blamed the tires and went to the tire shop they did everything to fix it and got it "better" he continued on for one or 2 years maybe 15,000 miles and blamed the tires again. Ended up going to a tire shop we do a lot of work with the guy drove it and called me. Said can you look over this truck its lifted and before i dive into the tire issue id like to make sure everything is good. So he drove it down I put it on the lift........ It wasn't the tires fault
CF8756E4-787F-4A4A-9FEE-6062CD1453F7.jpeg0EE941DD-72EB-48B6-A37A-FBCE3F0D5C24.jpegE4E50513-D2BB-449F-896F-1D3D5EFBA68A.jpeg654EB73B-F98E-4D0B-9A3D-80A14A604DDD.jpeg3AB41126-5C55-4EAB-829D-B4547EA59AC4.jpegD1DAF260-3C59-4797-B7B2-29485425DB1D.jpeg
 
Last edited:

dbNINE

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2022
Posts
12
Reaction score
1
Location
Deep South
Ram Year
2022
Engine
5.7 etorque
Yeah duh, no comparison to BDS. Now go read the SST reviews on Readylifts very own site. >50% of the reviews are about problems or the horrible ride quality. You keep reverting back to RC as a brand, I'm merely saying that on a budget, for a 3.5" lift (to fit 35's) the RC lifted strut KIT has more positive feedback than the SST kit and should be considered if you don't want the stiffness of spacers but aren't ready to invest in a good bracket lift. Everybody I know with a spacer lift says it rides like crap. Eibach>Bilstein 5100's etc>RC struts>SST is how I'm seeing the sub 4" options out there.
 

Quick_Shifter

IG: @ak_trucks_pa
Supporting Member
TOTY Winner
TOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Posts
4,161
Reaction score
3,776
Location
ASTON,PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
AK Trucks Tuned 5.7
@dbNINE
As you can see I replaced the entire rear suspension because things were living in the RC stuff. New front components but for financial purposes left the steering knuckles and shocks. But got the majority or hazzards replaced and yes the RC diff drop brackets we’re making the CV’s bind causing a chain reaction to everything they are attached to. If the full lift with everything was $150 I would still tell people that it’s going to cost you more money later. 17E13B93-C1F1-4413-8055-BB7E10669F44.jpegB68DD527-CAC2-465C-8708-F14E3FE599E4.jpeg04DD3C38-1C32-41D1-9DED-46D298B39E52.jpeg1400DB10-D471-41B3-9FCA-DDA09716D665.jpeg
 

Quick_Shifter

IG: @ak_trucks_pa
Supporting Member
TOTY Winner
TOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Posts
4,161
Reaction score
3,776
Location
ASTON,PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
AK Trucks Tuned 5.7
Yeah duh, no comparison to BDS. Now go read the SST reviews on Readylifts very own site. >50% of the reviews are about problems or the horrible ride quality. You keep reverting back to RC as a brand, I'm merely saying that on a budget, for a 3.5" lift (to fit 35's) the RC lifted strut KIT has more positive feedback than the SST kit and should be considered if you don't want the stiffness of spacers but aren't ready to invest in a good bracket lift. Everybody I know with a spacer lift says it rides like crap. Eibach>Bilstein 5100's etc>RC struts>SST is how I'm seeing the sub 4" options out there.
How many of those Readylift negative review's say they had a shop install their kit? Probably all or most because like I said before 90% of "reputable offroad 4x4 shops dont know how to install stuff" 9 times out of 10 those shops sell and install RC stuff
I'm saying if installed properly RL is the go to budget option. and RC should not even be considered
Yes RL is a spacer lift but it is NOT "the spacer lift" you refer to. The spacers your buddies are complaining about are the motofab and knock off pucks you can get all day for $60 a pair.
I do refer to RC as a whole because there is a multi billion dollar company ripping people off everyday and still hooking people like you. It wont stop until people stop buying junk
 

Quick_Shifter

IG: @ak_trucks_pa
Supporting Member
TOTY Winner
TOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Posts
4,161
Reaction score
3,776
Location
ASTON,PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
AK Trucks Tuned 5.7
Another clean install bud.

Great having you on the site with your wealth of knowledge.
Wait until you see the renovations!!!! As of today our new alignment rack is 30 days out
 
Top