Levelling or 3” lift that rides as close to stock as possible

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Gary2

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I did Bilstein w/Eibach spring at stock setting . That gave me about 2" I did Eibach spring in the rear to maintain some rake being I have the performance hood which looks kind of backwards when the trucks are level . I then added a 1.5" body lift. I have had many rams with many different combos and other than my 03 that had torsion bar front end this combo rides the best . Staying away from heavy E rated tires helped also. I do believe if I put the Eibach springs on the OE struts it would be even better but have not tried that yet but probably will out of curiosity. Don't go by my avitar as thats not up to date
 
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Atcer2018

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I have a budget level on my 2018 CC. I went with the Bilstein 5100’s front and rear. The ride is a bit more firm than stock. To explain that a bit better, the ride over rougher terrain like railroad tracks, washboards and mildly rutted dirt roads is far better than stock. Seems to absorb the bumps better especially at higher speeds. The firmness is more noticeable over smaller road imperfections at slower speeds. Not harsh but more noticeable. I personally like the bit more firm ride especially on corners or twisting roads. I don’t tow or do actual off roading. My truck does see it’s fair share of gravel and dirt roads when I go hiking. Rutted washed out logging roads are common and the Bilsteins do a very good job on that terrain. You also won’t need new UCAs with the Bilsteins. I gained 2 inches in the front and have 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of rake on the 2.1 setting. I tried the 2.8 but was nose high probably because I have a V6 and it’s lighter than the hemi. The 5100’s can absolutely be installed by someone with modest mechanical ability. You will need to compress the springs and good luck saving the top mounts! With new top mounts and the Bils all around I have about $700 into it but that was April 2021 prices. Nick at gotehaust is a vendor on this form with great prices and fast service.
 

Quick_Shifter

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A lot of good examples here. A summary is Bilstein 5100’s are not meant to be maxed out at its 2.8 setting. It drastically degrades the around town ride as mentioned. The Bilstein 6112’s are a completely different animal. Since they do not use the factory coils and big body dampeners are just better on heavy trucks
 
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El_Lobo_Gris1500C

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Well, after a bunch of research and checking out specs, reviews, advice off here from various sources, I’ve made a decision on what I’m going to do.

Some might agree it’s a good idea, others will say I should have done this or that, but in the end it comes down to my decision, my wallet and what I’m willing to put the money out on, so I’m hoping I’m making a good decision with a kit that is affordable for my budget.

I am going for the ReadyLift 4” SST lift kit, with Bilstein rear shocks, 20x9 (+1) Fuel Assault wheels with a set of Toyo Open Country AT3 LT 35x12.5 tires. Seems to be a decent kit, cas the UCA, brackets to lower the front and rear sway bars to correct angles, parts are backed up by a pretty good warranty by ReadyLift, and wheels that should look pretty sweet.

I’ll probably make a separate post in the appropriate forum when it’s all said and done with a review on the kit, the wheels, figment, how it rides, road noise and all that stuff.

Wish me luck!?!?
 

RJL1

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Well, after a bunch of research and checking out specs, reviews, advice off here from various sources, I’ve made a decision on what I’m going to do.

Some might agree it’s a good idea, others will say I should have done this or that, but in the end it comes down to my decision, my wallet and what I’m willing to put the money out on, so I’m hoping I’m making a good decision with a kit that is affordable for my budget.

I am going for the ReadyLift 4” SST lift kit, with Bilstein rear shocks, 20x9 (+1) Fuel Assault wheels with a set of Toyo Open Country AT3 LT 35x12.5 tires. Seems to be a decent kit, cas the UCA, brackets to lower the front and rear sway bars to correct angles, parts are backed up by a pretty good warranty by ReadyLift, and wheels that should look pretty sweet.

I’ll probably make a separate post in the appropriate forum when it’s all said and done with a review on the kit, the wheels, figment, how it rides, road noise and all that stuff.

Wish me luck!?!?
Sounds like it's gonna be an awesome ride!! Post pics when you're done please.

Oh, and good luck.
 
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Quick_Shifter

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Well, after a bunch of research and checking out specs, reviews, advice off here from various sources, I’ve made a decision on what I’m going to do.

Some might agree it’s a good idea, others will say I should have done this or that, but in the end it comes down to my decision, my wallet and what I’m willing to put the money out on, so I’m hoping I’m making a good decision with a kit that is affordable for my budget.

I am going for the ReadyLift 4” SST lift kit, with Bilstein rear shocks, 20x9 (+1) Fuel Assault wheels with a set of Toyo Open Country AT3 LT 35x12.5 tires. Seems to be a decent kit, cas the UCA, brackets to lower the front and rear sway bars to correct angles, parts are backed up by a pretty good warranty by ReadyLift, and wheels that should look pretty sweet.

I’ll probably make a separate post in the appropriate forum when it’s all said and done with a review on the kit, the wheels, figment, how it rides, road noise and all that stuff.

Wish me luck!?!?
I thought you had tight clearance fitting in your garage?
This kit is going to net your roof line 5+ inches
Factoring in the larger wheels

I do like the Readylift kit, the Fuel wheels and my all time favorite tire combo.
 

Rickhead

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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!
2015 Ram ecodiesel. 3" front heavy duty springs in back. 35 inch tires on 17" rims. I had a local tire and suspension shop install a readylift 3" coilovers with drop upper A arms. 1 inch spacer in back. Used HD rear springs to get rid of the spacers and keep the same height. Drives great. The difference in ride from stock is almost unnoticeable. They would not install the 4" readylift I bought from 4wheelparts.com. kinda glad they wouldn't. But the lift they sold with labor was around $1300. The lift I bought online was more expensive than that. And I didn't have to do the install. So I would suggest calling around to see who around you installs what if you are in a well populated area. Was way better than wasting my time and hairline installing myself.
 
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El_Lobo_Gris1500C

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I thought you had tight clearance fitting in your garage?
This kit is going to net your roof line 5+ inches
Factoring in the larger wheels

I do like the Readylift kit, the Fuel wheels and my all time favorite tire combo.
I should be good with clearance, at least hoping so. The lift is 4” in front and 2” in back, the tires although 35’s only really measure 34.5” inflated I believe, and I have around 6.5” of clearance as of right now. So I am hoping it fits or barely sneaks under the garage door opening lol.

If it doesn’t we do have an outdoor spot, I just prefer to keep the truck parked away from prying eyes and careless people who park close to the line and probably don’t watch their doors when they open them. But if worst comes to worst, I can park outside.

I’ll post pics when it’s all done and especially how close the roof is when I test it out on return home with it lifted.
 

Quick_Shifter

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I should be good with clearance, at least hoping so. The lift is 4” in front and 2” in back, the tires although 35’s only really measure 34.5” inflated I believe, and I have around 6.5” of clearance as of right now. So I am hoping it fits or barely sneaks under the garage door opening lol.

If it doesn’t we do have an outdoor spot, I just prefer to keep the truck parked away from prying eyes and careless people who park close to the line and probably don’t watch their doors when they open them. But if worst comes to worst, I can park outside.

I’ll post pics when it’s all done and especially how close the roof is when I test it out on return home with it lifted.
Awesome. Park under the door at the highest point and measure. I have done a few where we cheat the readylift kit to loose an inch. Better to be exact and do it once. If you’re a 1/2” from clearing you’re gonna be ******.
 
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NOV87

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So I would suggest calling around to see who around you installs what if you are in a well populated area. Was way better than wasting my time and hairline installing...
Just need to make sure it's a reputable shop that stands behind their work. Some people (shop owners) on this forum have a lot of good feedback from customers. And, I'd certainly trust their expertise if I ever needed.
 

bigdog85

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my 2010 i just used 2.5 inch top hat spacers factory upper arms and in the rear i used a 2inch under spring spacer im was running 35x12.5r 17 on stock rims only had one set of tires rub aggressive sidewall a 1/4 inch spacer fixed the issue i have almost 175000 miles on it no issues i just put the new rims on i wanted the tires out farther with the flares
 

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Keifus

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I’ve done a 3” on my 08 Tahoe with the spring and shock lift and I did a all around level with 3” front spacers and 2” rear spacers on my 2018 ram 1500. So the Tahoe dose excellent! No bangs, squeaks ect. The ram does actually very well with the spacers but the only problem is big speed bumps I do max out on the larger ones if I’m going fast enough but other than that factory ride all the way.

Here’s a link for a 3” leveling kit that I’d recommend and won’t bust your pockets. Link

I also recommend driving it around for about a week after your lift before you get a alignment it will save you time, money and tires. FFD7007E-8FC1-4960-B60A-92C6FC70DE16.jpeg
 

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lukeadamson88

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Whatever @Quick_Shifter says is going to be the best recommendation 100%.

I have been running 5100's at 2.8 on my truck for close to 40,000 miles now. I put them on with less than 5k on the truck. I have the "warlock" package on mine which raises the truck about an inch from the factory. With the Bils on at 2.8 I sat almost exactly level with the stock warlock springs. This combo rode very well in all daily driving scenario's and mild off-roading. I have since upgraded the rear coils and shocks as my bed load has changed. Currently running Superlift SL-140 2" lift rear coils (these are confirmed by superlift to be the same coils in their 4" kit.) Paired with Icon 2.0 Rear shocks. This setup: 5100's at 2.8, SL-140 Coils, and Icon rear Shocks, Rides like a dream in most conditions. I am looking to upgrade hopefully soon, but only because I like pushing my truck to the limit off-road...

Personal recommendation would be Bilstein 5100 at 2.8, rear .75 spacer, and new rear shocks. The factory RAM rear shocks are trash even when new.

I ran bora 1.25" spacers for a while till my new wheels came in (35x12.5 tires rubbed my Zone UCA) and did not have to trim any stud to fit thanks to the recess. - I would recommend bora for wheel spacers. They are the best.
I am running 275/65/20 BF KO2 tires and just ordered the bilstein 5100 along with rough country aluminum 3 inch raised control arm. Given your past experience with the bilsteins, did you not have an issue with the stock UCA's? also from everything i read the bilstein set around 2.8 using the heady duty factory coil you really have a 3 inch lift over other stock rams? did you notice any over travel issues? i just wanted to level the front with the rear. since it has the factory 1 inch lift in the back, thats high enough for me. I do a lot of towing and hauling material in the box so anything higher is inconvenient as a construction worker.

any input would be appereciated!
 

j-b

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I am running 275/65/20 BF KO2 tires and just ordered the bilstein 5100 along with rough country aluminum 3 inch raised control arm. Given your past experience with the bilsteins, did you not have an issue with the stock UCA's? also from everything i read the bilstein set around 2.8 using the heady duty factory coil you really have a 3 inch lift over other stock rams? did you notice any over travel issues? i just wanted to level the front with the rear. since it has the factory 1 inch lift in the back, thats high enough for me. I do a lot of towing and hauling material in the box so anything higher is inconvenient as a construction worker.

any input would be appereciated!
So the Warlock trim package is lifted 1" from the factory using a higher spring perch which is the same as the .7" lift setting on the 5100's The front coils are the exact same as any Factory Ram from 09-2022 So most warlock owners typically see 2" of lift from where they sit before 5100's. As far as the rear goes. It ranges from .5-1.5" of lift over factory. Those rear coils do have a higher spring rate so that's where the rear "lift" is achieved. I would suggest parking on a flat piece and measure your rake. This will help know exactly how much lift you will achieve and what rake you'll have. :cheers:

lift explanation.png
 
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El_Lobo_Gris1500C

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Well, I got the truck lifted, 4” ReadyLIFT SST kit with the Bilstein rear shocks, and 20x9 +1 offset Fuel Assault wheels (gloss and milled) with Toyo Open Country AT3 LT tires in 35x12.50/20’s.

No rubbing, nice and smooth, feels great riding, and still fits in the garage. I am super happy with it so far, tires feel just as quiet and smooth as the P rated Toyo AT3 that we’re on it before, and the kit doesn’t feel choppy, stiff etc. at all. Just a good ride and I LOVE how this truck looks now.

I’ll try and get better photos in the daylight soon, but here’s a couple of the wheels and lift height at the wheel wells, sorry for the dirty truck, it’s definitely winter here lol!!

Thanks for all the input and advice, tips, suggestions, I appreciate you all.
 

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lukeadamson88

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Well, I got the truck lifted, 4” ReadyLIFT SST kit with the Bilstein rear shocks, and 20x9 +1 offset Fuel Assault wheels (gloss and milled) with Toyo Open Country AT3 LT tires in 35x12.50/20’s.

No rubbing, nice and smooth, feels great riding, and still fits in the garage. I am super happy with it so far, tires feel just as quiet and smooth as the P rated Toyo AT3 that we’re on it before, and the kit doesn’t feel choppy, stiff etc. at all. Just a good ride and I LOVE how this truck looks now.

I’ll try and get better photos in the daylight soon, but here’s a couple of the wheels and lift height at the wheel wells, sorry for the dirty truck, it’s definitely winter here lol!!

Thanks for all the input and advice, tips, suggestions, I appreciate you all.
I was thinking about this kit but going up 4 inches just seems like it's going to be a headache without being done properly. Driveline spacers and all of that definitely need to be considered. I mean the ready lift gives you the look, but no longevity.

For the price difference, you should see if you can get your money back and go with Superlift 4 inch.

4" Lift Kit - 12-18 (19-21 Clc) Ram 1500 4WD - w/ Bilstein Frt Struts/Rr Shocks
K1019B

From any of the research I have done, this is the most budget-friendly, and I do believe they are the suppliers of the RAM MOPAR OEM 4 inch lift or Extremely similar.
 

Keifus

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Well, I got the truck lifted, 4” ReadyLIFT SST kit with the Bilstein rear shocks, and 20x9 +1 offset Fuel Assault wheels (gloss and milled) with Toyo Open Country AT3 LT tires in 35x12.50/20’s.

No rubbing, nice and smooth, feels great riding, and still fits in the garage. I am super happy with it so far, tires feel just as quiet and smooth as the P rated Toyo AT3 that we’re on it before, and the kit doesn’t feel choppy, stiff etc. at all. Just a good ride and I LOVE how this truck looks now.

I’ll try and get better photos in the daylight soon, but here’s a couple of the wheels and lift height at the wheel wells, sorry for the dirty truck, it’s definitely winter here lol!!

Thanks for all the input and advice, tips, suggestions, I appreciate you all.
Very nice looking good! if you had a shop do it and they didn’t break in and just did the alignment right after keep an eye out on the camber F1E71DEC-ADE7-4DB1-B2BF-656AFE6A7916.jpegof your front tires I’d hate to see them get trashed in six months like what happened to me with my kt0s. You always need to break in your new suspension before alignment.
 
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