DON'T USE OPEN TOP LEVEL SPACERS

[Gary2]

The only part that seems odd to me is if this is caused by a design flaw, why did it take over 17 years of this front end design or even going with just gen 4 its been 10 years of people running these and just now a couple newer trucks have an issue . One had loose hardware but it just seems odd to me . I don't use them personally but have installed many for people with never a problem plus many of the drop bracket type lift kits use a really large spacer which I have no clue to the size of the lower hole in it . I do use a torque wrench more often as I don't trust my strength at 65 as much as I used too. Look at how much force is put on the little snap ring on a 5100 and it holds the same amount of weight and holds up to the forces from what I have seen . This whole thing has just made me curious

 

[Mike Murphy]

Every spacer (Leveling Kit) we put on at the dealership (GM, and Dodge,Chryler, Jeep) blew out the ball joints on all the vehicles within six months to a year. Even the name brand spacers.

 

[Tim Garceau]

If you’re doing a 2.5 spacer lift with stock uppers, spend a little more for a kit with bump stops that limit extension travel.

 

[hodge-xj]

The only part that seems odd to me is if this is caused by a design flaw, why did it take over 17 years of this front end design or even going with just gen 4 its been 10 years of people running these and just now a couple newer trucks have an issue . One had loose hardware but it just seems odd to me . I don't use them personally but have installed many for people with never a problem plus many of the drop bracket type lift kits use a really large spacer which I have no clue to the size of the lower hole in it . I do use a torque wrench more often as I don't trust my strength at 65 as much as I used too. Look at how much force is put on the little snap ring on a 5100 and it holds the same amount of weight and holds up to the forces from what I have seen . This whole thing has just made me curious

So take my reply with a grain of salt, as this is based off of what I've seen on my 2 personal trucks with ifs and "coilover/struts"

Spacers aren't a bad thing per se, they just need thought and supporting mods specific to each application. Our strut top hat requires the center bushing for the shock shaft be supported from above by the mount itself as the shaft is only retained by a bushing with a small metal ring, which over time unsupported will push through. My f150 had a fully contained upper strut hat and didn't need a solid shock mount as the nut and washed sandwiched the shaft inside it. Basic premise works, but the variables are different.

On our ram our bump stops for compression are shaft mounted, and it seems that they designed the shock to be the droop limiter. So in that case, that's where our BJ issues arise because in stock configuration that's what limits droop, or fails prematurely trying to limit it.

On Toyota's, the bump stops are frame mounted, and without relocation they are prone to fully compressing the shocks and actually destroying them.

But like you said, properly installed and with supporting mods they can function fine. It's all about the details, and like we religiously warn new guys here looking for the cheap way out, cheap cost more in the long run, so buy s comprehensive kit once and you're better off.

That's just what ive personally seen installing parts with my own hands, so that's where I get my info that I trust, I've seen much more on the internet, but than again, the earth is still flat to some and samsquatch still exists so I heed that info accordingly.

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[Gary2]

I understood your opinion from the start of the thread it just seemed odd that this has not been brought up years ago. I have been away from the Ram stuff for a little while being I gave the red one in my avatar to my daughter last year. Im reading through the threads getting caught up . I am looking to see if anything new has popped up while I was away and this attracted my interest being I had never seen it before. Yes I bought another for myself after playing with a couple other brands for a bit .

 

[hodge-xj]

I understood your opinion from the start of the thread it just seemed odd that this has not been brought up years ago. I have been away from the Ram stuff for a little while being I gave the red one in my avatar to my daughter last year. Im reading through the threads getting caught up . I am looking to see if anything new has popped up while I was away and this attracted my interest being I had never seen it before. Yes I bought another for myself after playing with a couple other brands for a bit .

What'd you settle on, i know you had a yota if i remember correctly from a post a while back.... anyways, Honestly I'm surprised nobody noticed this either. I mean it seems like the strutz are the same from the '10 and up I believe. Who knows, maybe shops are trying to hide their mess ups, maybe people just assume the spacers are noisy and suck and jump to bilsteins. I can say I wouldn't have assumed they did this till I pulled the spacer off myself and that Ah Ha moment happened.

Hopefully this helps at least someone choose appropriately.

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[Jbp19classic]

So take my reply with a grain of salt, as this is based off of what I've seen on my 2 personal trucks with ifs and "coilover/struts"

Spacers aren't a bad thing per se, they just need thought and supporting mods specific to each application. Our strut top hat requires the center bushing for the shock shaft be supported from above by the mount itself as the shaft is only retained by a bushing with a small metal ring, which over time unsupported will push through. My f150 had a fully contained upper strut hat and didn't need a solid shock mount as the nut and washed sandwiched the shaft inside it. Basic premise works, but the variables are different.

On our ram our bump stops for compression are shaft mounted, and it seems that they designed the shock to be the droop limiter. So in that case, that's where our BJ issues arise because in stock configuration that's what limits droop, or fails prematurely trying to limit it.

On Toyota's, the bump stops are frame mounted, and without relocation they are prone to fully compressing the shocks and actually destroying them.

But like you said, properly installed and with supporting mods they can function fine. It's all about the details, and like we religiously warn new guys here looking for the cheap way out, cheap cost more in the long run, so buy s comprehensive kit once and you're better off.

That's just what ive personally seen installing parts with my own hands, so that's where I get my info that I trust, I've seen much more on the internet, but than again, the earth is still flat to some and samsquatch still exists so I heed that info accordingly.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I think this is all pretty much spot on information. Also worth considering that the strut top doesn’t self destruct immediately upon install of an open top spacer. Depending on how the truck is driven, it may take 10,20,30, 50k miles etc... by which time the truck had often been sold or traded in. Then when the new owner starts having front end problems we never hear about it on here. I think that’s why we’re just now starting to hear more about this type of failure on the late model Rams even though the spacers have been on the market for years.

 

[hodge-xj]

I think this is all pretty much spot on information. Also worth considering that the strut top doesn’t self destruct immediately upon install of an open top spacer. Depending on how the truck is driven, it may take 10,20,30, 50k miles etc... by which time the truck had often been sold or traded in. Then when the new owner starts having front end problems we never hear about it on here. I think that’s why we’re just now starting to hear more about this type of failure on the late model Rams even though the spacers have been on the market for years.

Funny you mention that, mine had the spacer already installed. It was a fleet truck and the 1/2 tons all had these spacers. They traded them in because they all had "front end problems" I bet the squeak they couldn't resolve one all of them was the spacer. They were foreman trucks for a tree company so they saw alot of offroad and I'm sure each one had strut rods that the bushes failed on.

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[Gary2]

What'd you settle on, i know you had a yota if i remember correctly from a post a while back.... anyways, Honestly I'm surprised nobody noticed this either. I mean it seems like the strutz are the same from the '10 and up I believe. Who knows, maybe shops are trying to hide their mess ups, maybe people just assume the spacers are noisy and suck and jump to bilsteins. I can say I wouldn't have assumed they did this till I pulled the spacer off myself and that Ah Ha moment happened.

Hopefully this helps at least someone choose appropriately.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I ran across a 17 short bed Reg Cab sport with that funky black with all the metallic and pearl paint . It has the luxury pkg . 8sp 3.92s 39,000 miles , 8.4 radio. Its probably the nicest truck I have ever owned but what the hell ya only live once. I replaced my Wrangler and Ram with a Tacoma. I lifted that and so on but its just to small and no Hemi . I will put the Tacoma up for sale next weekend after my son goes back to Ft Hood


I removed the pinstripe and the stick on wheel well trim


will be For sale 7-11-19

 

[hodge-xj]

Damm, both are nice looking trucks. Reg cabs are sweet! Bet that ram boogies!!

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[Gary2]

yup it does. I was never really happy with the performance of the red 14, 6sp and 3.55s . I think if it was because all the rest of my 1500's and had 3.92s or 4.11s .Used to be if it had the 20" wheels it had the 3.92s. Some point in time they quit doing it and the 14 was also the first one I didn't crawl under to check when I bought it . Oh well Daughter loves it . It was kind of a gift for getting her Masters degree and a job that required the degree

 

[scott_intx]

I had 2" spacers installed at 19K miles. At around 35k the squeak started. After having to continuously grease them, I decided to remove them at 40k. I ended up installing the 5100's at 2.8" with Mevotech UCA's. Ended up having to replace both strut mounts. Turns out that in 21k miles the spacers completely destroyed the bushings in the strut mounts. They were both detached, flat spotted, and pretty much cut in half horizontally. I did put back in .5" spacers up front and 1.5" spacers w/5125 shocks in the rear. Truck sits nicely with 35's. I can believe the difference in the ride.

 

[SPEEDSTER00]

good topic as I have this issue Ive been researching. I had spaces for about a year...20k miles. I recently replaced them with 5100's and noticed the bushing on top of the UCA was trashed. I have new ones but havent installed them yet. MY TRUCK SQUEKS LIKE CRAZY! Other than that top rubber bushing im replacing, what else should I swap out? truck has 77k on it.

 

[FF1899]

On the control arm? Do you mean the ball joints are trashed? As long as the strut top isnt worn out I you shouldn't have to replace anything unless its loose. If theres a problem w the ball joint or arm I would suggest replacing them. The factory ones are junk and pop out easy I would grab a set of mevotech at minimum just to be on the safe side

 

[T_Unit114]

On the control arm? Do you mean the ball joints are trashed? As long as the strut top isnt worn out I you shouldn't have to replace anything unless its loose. If theres a problem w the ball joint or arm I would suggest replacing them. The factory ones are junk and pop out easy I would grab a set of mevotech at minimum just to be on the safe side

Pretty sure he meant the bushing in the top plate of the strut. With the open top strut spacers, some have a hole large enough that allows the top rubber bushing, that the strut shaft goes through, to tear or pop through the strut top plate and wreak all sorts of havoc.

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[FF1899]

Pretty sure he meant the bushing in the top plate of the strut. With the open top strut spacers, some have a hole large enough that allows the top rubber bushing, that the strut shaft goes through, to tear or pop through the strut top plate and wreak all sorts of havoc.

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Hence my post about what he actually had bad. And scroll back a few posts you will see the damage I found on my buddy's truck

 

[SPEEDSTER00]

edited..

 

[SPEEDSTER00]

Pretty sure he meant the bushing in the top plate of the strut. With the open top strut spacers, some have a hole large enough that allows the top rubber bushing, that the strut shaft goes through, to tear or pop through the strut top plate and wreak all sorts of havoc.

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Bingo...Thats exactly what I meant. Sorry, its been awhile since Ive had it apart. after removing the spacer, that bushing was trashed and the strut shaft had been rubbing on the strut mount. I replaced the struts with 5100s, and had to order new mounts which I havent installed yet. Just wondering if that mount is causing the squeak or if theres something else I should replace while im in there.

 

[T_Unit114]

Bingo...Thats exactly what I meant. Sorry, its been awhile since Ive had it apart. after removing the spacer, that bushing was trashed and the strut shaft had been rubbing on the strut mount. I replaced the struts with 5100s, and had to order new mounts which I havent installed yet. Just wondering if that mount is causing the squeak or if theres something else I should replace while im in there.

Should be good with the new top plates. I bought a new set with my 5100s as well.

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[El Gallo]

I too put in open top spacers. My squeak started from day one of having them on though. Sprayed every little bit of the front suspension and it didn’t quiet down. They are three inch. That’s Borderline for all stock components right?

So the general consensus is to eliminate the spacers and put in Bilstein 5100 shocks? Is the ride quality decent at a 3 inch adjustment? I love my trucks height now.