Body lift issues?

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PDTRAD73

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So I was talked out of doing a 1.5 inch body lift by my installer. He says there are a lot of problems with body lifts. Just trying to get some feed back and if some have had issues with them in the past. I was basically getting the body lift to get away from the stuffed look with the 35s I’ll be adding. I’m doing bilsteins all the way around and setting fronts at 2.8 and adding a 1.5 inch spacer in the rear.
 

Joes1500

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Would love to know what these problems are?

I have had body lifts on several trucks. As long as there installed correctly there is nothing to go wrong.
 

Gary2

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You need an installer with real world experience. He is dreaming up problems that don't exist if he is being honest. I have had a 3" on my 03, 1.5 on my 07 and on my 14 I installed and removed a 1.5 Zone and installed a PA3" . Not a issue with any of them . All were reg cab short bed 4x4 leveled also with 12.50 35s. I switched to the 3" on the 14 because even with leveled and 1.5 after a couple weeks it didn't really didn't look like a 4x4 should from the factory even. Now at a glance all the work is now obvious and appreciated . The 3" is easier than the 1.5 to install also.
 

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you'll find lots of people running body lifts on the forum. Some are really active. I wouldn't hesitate to put one on. 1.5 or 3 depends on budget and clearance if you have to deal with a garage.
 
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PDTRAD73

PDTRAD73

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You need an installer with real world experience. He is dreaming up problems that don't exist if he is being honest. I have had a 3" on my 03, 1.5 on my 07 and on my 14 I installed and removed a 1.5 Zone and installed a PA3" . Not a issue with any of them . All were reg cab short bed 4x4 leveled also with 12.50 35s. I switched to the 3" on the 14 because even with leveled and 1.5 after a couple weeks it didn't really didn't look like a 4x4 should from the factory even. Now at a glance all the work is now obvious and appreciated . The 3" is easier than the 1.5 to install also.
Ok thanks. I can have someone else do it for me. I initially was going with 1.5 but am curious of the look with the 3 inch BL. Got pics?
 
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PDTRAD73

PDTRAD73

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you'll find lots of people running body lifts on the forum. Some are really active. I wouldn't hesitate to put one on. 1.5 or 3 depends on budget and clearance if you have to deal with a garage.
No garage so I’m thinking get a quote for a 3 inch from another shop
 

Addicted2fishing

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I’m just curious though. Why a body lift ? Especiallly for that height? I’ve toyed with the idea as it doesn’t change geometry (warranty purposes) but at the end of the day it’s the same price out the door and the bumpers get messed up and trailer hitch could look weird


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Joes1500

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I’m just curious though. Why a body lift ? Especiallly for that height? I’ve toyed with the idea as it doesn’t change geometry (warranty purposes) but at the end of the day it’s the same price out the door and the bumpers get messed up and trailer hitch could look weird






Body lifts do not "mess " your bumpers up.just read through a set of install instructions. Yes you have to cut a little out on the rear bumper. If you take your time and do it nice, it would be hard for anyone to tell you did it.

As for the hitch , so what if it looks a little lower. Again most people wouldn't even know the difference. And he will save money by not needing expensive ass drop hitches.

Body lift vs suspension lift and cost. They are not even close. Even if he has $1200 in the body lift and install, you cant get a 4 inch lift for that let alone installed.

Yes there are 3 inch lifts that use spacers in the front and dont dont have a diff drop to correct the geometry. But they will cause problems in the long run. So if your only keeping your truck for a couple years go ahead and use one of them.

I have been lifting trucks for 25 years. And there's always guys bashing body lifts. I would never go over 3inch on one that is street driven. But have seen as much as 8 inch on off road trucks.

At the end of the day you can lift it either way , thinking you are going to have more ground clearance. Problem is , the only thing that gives you more true ground clearance is bigger tires. Because you just cant get around those front and rear ends.
 
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Addicted2fishing

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Body lifts do not "mess " your bumpers up.just read through a set of install instructions. Yes you have to cut a little out on the rear bumper. If you take your time and do it nice, it would be hard for anyone to tell you did it.

As for the hitch , so what if it looks a little lower. Again most people wouldn't even know the difference. And he will save money by not needing expensive ass drop hitches.

Body lift vs suspension lift and cost. They are not even close. Even if he has $1200 in the body lift and install, you cant get a 4 inch lift for that let alone installed.

Yes there are 3 inch lifts that use spacers in the front and dont dont have a diff drop to correct the geometry. But they will cause problems in the long run. So if your only keeping your truck for a couple years go ahead and use one of them.

I have been lifting trucks for 25 years. And there's always guys bashing body lifts. I would never go over 3inch on one that is street driven. But have seen as much as 8 inch on off road trucks.

At the end of the day you can lift it either way , thinking you are going to have more ground clearance. Problem is , the only thing that gives you more true ground clearance is bigger tires. Because you just cant get around those front and rear ends.

Hey man thanks for the great reply? Wasn’t trying to be a ****. I legit just wondered and like the feedback [emoji106].

Sadly in my area a simple bisletein lift and UCA with rear spacer is $1600 installed at a reputable shop. Body lift quotes are about the same. To me with the money I’d rather go suspension because I don’t have to worry about the other stuff.


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Joes1500

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Hey man thanks for the great reply? Wasn’t trying to be a ****. I legit just wondered and like the feedback [emoji106].

Sadly in my area a simple bisletein lift and UCA with rear spacer is $1600 installed at a reputable shop. Body lift quotes are about the same. To me with the money I’d rather go suspension because I don’t have to worry about the other stuff.


Mods: EGR matte black bug deflector, Westin HDX drop steps, rough county bull bar with 20” LED, custom made NW seat covers in real tree camo, husky liner mats, husky liner mud guards, undercover LUX tonneau cover, Tailgate assist, flowmaster super 40 with resonators, tinted 15% front, LED C shaped tail lights. Line-X 5.7’ box




Didnt take it that you were.


You say you would rather do a bilstien lift then a body lift because you dont have to worry about the other stuff. What stuff is there to worry about ?

Another thing to look at is a body lift will not change the ride on your truck at all. Any lift that compresses the spring on the front will stiffen the ride. No way around it. The compression travel may act the same but you have now shortened the rebound travel (length) of the spring. Which will effect it.
 

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Hitch doesn't look goofy, I'm getting my 5" tips installed soon so the gap will be gone above the tips. No crazy gaps with bumpers either front or rearP_20180520_192840.jpg P_20180614_185728.jpg
 

Gary2

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Geometry dont change with bilstein settings. Changing the control arm angle don't change the geometry . Changing mounting point location does or control arm lengths will. Its a term misused often on here I've seen. Less preload on the springs allows them to compress easier which lets the Bilstein shock absorb bumps and other imperfections in the road rather than pass on the bump so its felt more in the cab. Thats why the 1.4 setting . I have had them on every setting but stock so I know the effect of each and some positions twice to be sure. Hind site should of bought 4or 6" suspension but ...... Adding preload stiffens the ride because it takes a bigger event to get the suspension to move. If it don't move naturally the whole truck then moves for no good reason in most cases on the road. If you use your truck as a prerunner that maybe a little better at higher speeds or catching air but you have a lot more to change to make that happen. In my case I prefer the shocks to absorb as much as possible being I have the no sidewall rock hard 20" E rated 10ply tires that absorb next to nothing. That was a mistake I made instead of going to 17" like I normally have on my gen2, 3 and 4 1500's. I like the truck a little lifted but try not to stiffen the ride to much and go to high so the tires look to small again . Thats why the 3" body lift and still not being real high with only 35-12.50's and still ride and handle good. It is a light reg cab short bed. Hope you could follow my long winded explanation of only 1.4 setting and 3" body lift.

tail pipes are adjustable

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Joes1500

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Geometry dont change with bilstein settings. Changing the control arm angle don't change the geometry . Changing mounting point location does or control arm lengths will. Its a term misused often on here I've seen. Less preload on the springs allows them to compress easier which lets the Bilstein shock absorb bumps and other imperfections in the road rather than pass on the bump so its felt more in the cab. Thats why the 1.4 setting . I have had them on every setting but stock so I know the effect of each and some positions twice to be sure. Hind site should of bought 4or 6" suspension but ...... Adding preload stiffens the ride because it takes a bigger event to get the suspension to move. If it don't move naturally the whole truck then moves for no good reason in most cases on the road. If you use your truck as a prerunner that maybe a little better at higher speeds or catching air but you have a lot more to change to make that happen. In my case I prefer the shocks to absorb as much as possible being I have the no sidewall rock hard 20" E rated 10ply tires that absorb next to nothing. That was a mistake I made instead of going to 17" like I normally have on my gen2, 3 and 4 1500's. I like the truck a little lifted but try not to stiffen the ride to much and go to high so the tires look to small again . Thats why the 3" body lift and still not being real high with only 35-12.50's and still ride and handle good. It is a light reg cab short bed. Hope you could follow my long winded explanation of only 1.4 setting and 3" body lift.

tail pipes are adjustable




If the bilsteins do not change the geometry, then why does everyone need an alignment after installing them ? People have even posted their before and after readouts.
 

Gary2

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When stock, if your suspension droops say 2.1 " like when ya hit a dip in the road at maybe 60 mph. At that point the alignment settings would be at the same setting as it is when you set bilsteins at say 2.1". At that point your alignment is out of whack by design. Your alignment settings change as the suspension cycles by design not because of any geometry change . Its just now that same 2.1" position is now your ride height so it needs to be realigned so at the new ride height it is aligned correctly . You are changing the the ride height not the geometry . The control arms and steering travel through the same arcs after bilsteins are set but the ride height is now at a differenct position in the arc than when stock. You are using the same geometry just ride height is now in a different location in the arc than before but still travels through the same arc. Exactly why the Rebel with air suspension has a setting for alignment so you don't try to align it in say the raised 4wd height setting , then it would be incorrect when the truck is in 2wd. The suspension cycles through the same arcs but alignment setting change as it cycles. Geometry change would be swapping a control arm with a slightly or longer or shorter one or just the rack and pinion mounting and nothing else . Changing the geometry in say ... a wrangler by installing a drop pitman arm and not dropping the track bar the same amount will cause geometry issues . In that forum we refer to that as Bumpsteer because now the draglink and the track bar travels in different arcs which makes your steering wheel rotate as the suspension cycles , not good.. when the geometry is correct both components would travel in the same arc . Its hard for me to explain I just understand the effects . Thats why suspension lift kits for the 1500 basically lowers the front suspension, rack and pinion and differential mounts down . In some vehicles that still is only concidered a drop bracket kit as it has not really redesigned the suspension for a lot more travel just dropped it with brackets and longer springs to provide some lift . That keeps the geometry pretty much the same as stock just everything that matters is dropped the same amount . Geometry remains pretty much the same but ride height is now higher . Thats the jest of it Like I said I suck at explaining it
 

Joes1500

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Any time you change anything in the suspension that changes the range of motion of the upper or lower control arm you have in fact changed the geometry. Otherwise you would not have to get it aligned to correct the camber.

The bilsteins will move both control arms down( lower on the arc of their swing) then when stock , unless using stock setting. The upper and lower arms are not of equal length and have been designed to ride at a certain point in the travel arc. By moving them down you have now changed were they ride at rest (normal driving) in their arc. So you have now changed the stock geometry. This is why it changes the camber and you have to get an alignment after.

Yes you can get it aligned to correct it. But now when you let it droop or compress the same 2-3 inches as a stock set up , it compounds how far out your alignment is.


Is it a big deal or anything to worry about, no. But it is still changing it.

I do agree with the 1.4 setting and body lift though.
 
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