Hello all,
I’ve seen a lot of posts that hit on this topic but often don’t 100% apply to what I’m looking for here, or go off onto a tangent that is completely off the trail of the info I’m looking for, so I’ll try to be as accurate and detailed in my question as I can be to avoid confusion or having this too closely related to previous posts.
I’m looking into a levelling kit or small 3” lift kit for my Ram 1500 Classic - 4x4 5.7L gas - crew cab 5’6” regular bed - stock 20” wheels with stock tire size.
After a level or small lift I MIGHT use some 1.5” to 2” max wheel spacers to get the wheels a little further out and aggressive looking, of course with quality hub-centric parts.
Specifically I want it to have as close to factory ride quality as possible, not rough, no issues over bumps on the highway/freeway etc. and I want to avoid ‘pucks” above the strut and more specifically, avoid the pre tension spacers that go between the spring and strut hat.
I’ve read good and terrible reviews of the Rough Country N3 drop in strut assembly with spring units and 3” lift kit (their sku #31231) and I’ve heard good things about the Bilstein 5100 and even better, 6112 complete strut assemblies. I’m not rich so I don’t want recommendations of $4000+ suspension kits, but I also know that you get what you pay for, and cheap kits or components often lack quality and result in a harsh ride, components failing and disappointment in the end.
Also I will be using changed out UCA’s (upper control arms with angle correct ball joints) whether with a kit or separately like the ‘Zone’ UCA’s for example.
So I’m curious who has used which kit or components together to achieve a levelled ride height, or even up to a 3” lift and level ride height (within 1/2” front to back - like 3” front and 1” rear lift) and which parts ride the smoothest and closest to factory feel when driving.
I absolutely do NOT want to end up with a harsh ride, noises, creaking or clicking, sketchy behaviour when hitting dips, bumps, uneven roads etc. if that’s the trade off, I won’t do anything at all and leave the truck stock, not worth all those issues for a better ‘look’ and slightly taller ride height.
(PS I cannot go any higher than a 3” lift or the truck won’t fit in my garage, which is a necessity for me/us since our outdoor parking spot is flanked by an old guy who cannot park straight or between two painted lines to save his life, and a big dually tow truck that hugs the line on the other side of our spot. That’s why our 2008 Dodge caravan is parked there lol, at least we can still get in and out no matter how the neighbours park, and I don’t care if their door hits the van lol!!!)
Thanks for any info, tips, reviews and pointing me in the right direction ahead of time.
Cheers all!
