Billstein 5100 vs Rough Country 2" levelling strut?

[Gary2]

Your sway bar end links looks wrong to me the nut should not be on the sway bar . The bushings should be one above the sway bar and one below . If the thread with the strut going through the top mount are true because of using spacers with large hole you may be in for a surprise from the looks of those tall spacer/studs are in the picture.

Edit. I guess the spacers in the following pic go over the studs which should remedy my last statement

 

[ram1500rsm]

I'm curious about what you're referencing about the spacers you cut ? I don't recall my stock struts had those things on the studs....

 

[Nicholas McEwen]

I believe the correct term I should have used is “isolators”. But they were on very top of strut when I took it out. I’ll post a pic too.
I was reading the notes on RC’s website and it says not to be used with spacers but I thought it meant like aftermarket spacer lift kits.
I’m waiting for RC to send me a reply on it just for clarification

 

[Nicholas McEwen]

Your sway bar end links looks wrong to me the nut should not be on the sway bar . The bushings should be one above the sway bar and one below . If the thread with the strut going through the top mount are true because of using spacers with large hole you may be in for a surprise from the looks of those tall spacer/studs are in the picture.

Edit. I guess the spacers in the following pic go over the studs which should remedy my last statement

Hey thanks man. I think I was a little to frustrated and needed to use the truck and missed that even though I know better than to rush it Appreciate tt

 

[Nicholas McEwen]

Any recommendations on ball joints tie rod ends. I see quite a few people on other threads say mevo and you tubers say Moog ends up loose and sloppy fairly quick
One last thing if anyone could point me in right direction
When I back out of my garage and driveway I hear squeaking when I’m apply brakes. Brakes are fairly new and I’m not feeling it in my pedal it seems like when nose or bed pushes down from brakes. Can’t replicate by bouncing on it though and I don’t see any zerks I could grease

 

[ram1500rsm]

I believe the correct term I should have used is “isolators”. But they were on very top of strut when I took it out. I’ll post a pic too.
I was reading the notes on RC’s website and it says not to be used with spacers but I thought it meant like aftermarket spacer lift kits.
I’m waiting for RC to send me a reply on it just for clarification

View attachment 201566

That looks like my 1/2" spacers
I added them to my Rancho QL struts to go to 2.5" lift.

 

[crazykid1994]

That looks like my 1/2" spacers
I added them to my Rancho QL struts to go to 2.5" lift.

Similar but his are about 1” thick and yours are only 1/4” thick.

 

[ram1500rsm]

Similar but his are about 1” thick and yours are only 1/4” thick.

Damn I don't remember the factory strut isolators at all.
That RC QL strut should be fairly similar to the Ranchos.
This is an example how the Ranchos look like, you don't put the stock strut isolators in them, i'm sure the RC ones should work the same.
The 2 spacers are aftermarket Wolf 1/2" spacers

2020-02-29_07-13-17 by RAM RSM, on Flickr

2020-02-29_07-13-27 by RAM RSM, on Flickr

spacer installed for 2.5" lift, i'll measure it to check exactly what they're. i have the assemblies in my garage.
Edited: Yep they're 1/4" each physically.
2020-02-29_07-12-25 by RAM RSM, on Flickr

 

[crazykid1994]

Damn I don't remember the factory strut isolators at all.
That RC QL strut should be fairly similar to the Ranchos.
This is an example how the Ranchos look like, you don't put the stock strut isolators in them, i'm sure the RC ones should work the same.
The 2 spacers are aftermarket Wolf 1/2" spacers

2020-02-29_07-13-17 by RAM RSM, on Flickr

2020-02-29_07-13-27 by RAM RSM, on Flickr

spacer installed for 2.5" lift, i'll measure it to check exactly what they're. i have the assemblies in my garage.
2020-02-29_07-12-25 by RAM RSM, on Flickr

Yea. I have the rough country version of the 1/2” spacers. The factory isolator is the same I believe. His looks like this kit.
https://www.suspensionconnection.co...MIr5jHv6TZ6AIVBYiGCh3O3AGNEAQYDSABEgKjm_D_BwE

 

[crazykid1994]

I believe the correct term I should have used is “isolators”. But they were on very top of strut when I took it out. I’ll post a pic too.
I was reading the notes on RC’s website and it says not to be used with spacers but I thought it meant like aftermarket spacer lift kits.
I’m waiting for RC to send me a reply on it just for clarification

View attachment 201566

https://www.suspensionconnection.co...MIr5jHv6TZ6AIVBYiGCh3O3AGNEAQYDSABEgKjm_D_BwE
this looks like that piece. It’s not an isolator. It’s an aftermarket lift spacer someone put on

 

[Nicholas McEwen]

Yeah I was like 3 pages deep into carid suspension parts. Looks like it a day star 1.5” kit

 

[Nicholas McEwen]

I’m going to have to go back in and take it off I think. BC my front is about 1” higher than the rear.
That’s crazy Crazykid I just found that same part on CarID and put my last post then checked your and it’s the same thing
Thanks though for looking out

 

[Nicholas McEwen]

LOL I see we all came to the same conclusion that it already had a lift/level kit. Which surprised me bc I believe my truck was the dealerships old courtesy vehicle which is what sales guy told me and I found an old reg in glove box. It’s also got a throttle body spacer

if anyone has or comes across a pair of 1-3” coils for the rear let me know. If I can find a decent pair used at fair price or a trade for some new Bilsteins 5100’s

I’m searching next for info on manifold bolts causing the tick sound. Just curious if any of you guys have it. It’s always done it since I bought it but would always go away when it warmed up now it doesn’t and seems a little more pronounced than before

 

[Addicted2fishing]

LOL I see we all came to the same conclusion that it already had a lift/level kit. Which surprised me bc I believe my truck was the dealerships old courtesy vehicle which is what sales guy told me and I found an old reg in glove box. It’s also got a throttle body spacer

if anyone has or comes across a pair of 1-3” coils for the rear let me know. If I can find a decent pair used at fair price or a trade for some new Bilsteins 5100’s

I’m searching next for info on manifold bolts causing the tick sound. Just curious if any of you guys have it. It’s always done it since I bought it but would always go away when it warmed up now it doesn’t and seems a little more pronounced than before

There are a few members that have done the work themselves. I belive there is also a YouTube video on the replacement. I think Shadowhawk is the one that did it on his truck.

If I come across the YouTube video I’ll post it.


Tiped on ifone using Tapatalk and auto correct. Can’t you tell?

 

[Nicholas McEwen]

I appreciate that addicted. Yeah I've watched a lot of the YouTube vids. I know better than to watch the guys who look like me in their garage and act like it was "not that hard" and then when I go to do something I can see everything they edited out. LOL

I did come across a guy today who does really good discussions on parts. He usually has a couple of different brands of varying quality and will do cut aways of them so he can really give an educated opinion of said product.

Is the first guy I have come across that will tell you all the parts your going to need when doing a mod. Which is the hardest part of DIY. Figuring out everything your going to need to learn for a project and.

I think I'm just going to break down and just buy one of the complete kits like a 4" that has min upper and lowers, knuckles, end links, coils so that way I can get the geometry back just a little better than stock. Hopefully I can make it by a few months like this and not cause any damage. I'm ordering some new UCA's today bc my stock ball joints are shot and I'm pretty sure even if they weren't their still not in the right spot anymore. But I'm having fun though that's all that matters. I haven't been able to get into mods this heavy since early 2000's before my daughter was born. I was in my Tuner 20's then and had a little Accord I was messing around with. Was just a lot easier back then working at a dealership with all the tools and tapping the mechanics brain

 

[Skipo]

For what it's worth I went with BDS Fox 2.0s. Coilovers in the front and shocks in the rear. The ride quality is slightly stiffer than stock but there seems to be zero residual bounce, i.e. very quick recovery time. These are BRAND new so I'm sure the ride will change a little once they're broken in.



View attachment 200099 View attachment 200100

Double or more the cost as well