Need more height at rear

[Oddity]

Bit of a dilemma here.

I'm running into the constant issue of approach / departure angles on forest service roads (fire roads) with cross ditches dug through them. The ~500lbs of constant load in the back likely isn't helping. Front is easily solvable with a high clearance bumper, but I think I'm kinda hosed for the rear without getting dramatic.

Currently:
-Bilstein 5100s @ 2.8" up front
-Fox 2.0's w/ Ikon Springs (1.5" lift) in the rear

As I see it, my options are as follows:
-6" Lift on the truck - would help my clearance issues but this truck spends just as much time offroad as it does on, I'm not sold on lift kits being solid for heavy offroad use
-Repipe the exhaust to behind the wheel, custom fabricate a high clearance bumper w/ hitch and cut back some of the body for clearance
-Suck it up and accept that the 1500 is proving to be a tough platform to overland

Anyone wanna brainstorm better solutions?

 

[BOWERSFJ]

Normally I’d say Zone, but since you are actually offroad, I’ll say BDS 4”F/3”R with the Bils set at 1.4” ... You can sell your current rear setup in a heartbeat here


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fergeson]

How much do you want for the rear setup??? Lol

 

[ram1500rsm]

What portion of the rear end are you dragging?
How long are your rear shocks?
What’s the fender measurement from the ground with the Icons and those 500lbs of weight in the back?

 

[bruiserRAM]

What size tires do you have now? Bigger tires would help clearance, angles, and give you more off road capability...if they fit

 

[Oddity]

What portion of the rear end are you dragging?
How long are your rear shocks?
What’s the fender measurement from the ground with the Icons and those 500lbs of weight in the back?

What size tires do you have now? Bigger tires would help clearance, angles, and give you more off road capability...if they fit

Measuring 38.5" to the center of the fender all around on 35's
Mostly it's the hitch as that's the lowest point, but traversing crossditches at an angle has often dug into the corners of the bumpers too.
Fox says 25.8" at full extension

I've come across some heavy duty coils, thinking it may help some. What are you guys seeing for height to your rear fender?

 

[bruiserRAM]

What are you guys seeing for height to your rear fender?

38.75" rear driver, 39.25" rear passenger. Unloaded. Stock rear with a Daystar 2.5" spacer up front.

 

[Oddity]

38.75" rear driver, 39.25" rear passenger. Unloaded. Stock rear with a Daystar 2.5" spacer up front.

Hmm. What size tires?

 

[bruiserRAM]

Hmm. What size tires?

285/70/R17 Toyo Open Country AT (32.8")

 

[gofishn]

how much does the weight drop your truck bumper, loaded vs unloaded?
Heavy duty springs might be all you need.


Give me your answer, I will go measure my Tuftruck springs loaded and unloaded with 600lbs in bed., for comparison

 

[pacofortacos]

Couldn't you just add spring spacers in the rear if you don't already have them?
I have a set of 1.5" that I took off because it made my rear too high for my liking when unloaded.
They were easy to install but just raise the body.
I don't offroad though either.

 

[ram1500rsm]

Measuring 38.5" to the center of the fender all around on 35's
Mostly it's the hitch as that's the lowest point, but traversing crossditches at an angle has often dug into the corners of the bumpers too.
Fox says 25.8" at full extension

I've come across some heavy duty coils, thinking it may help some. What are you guys seeing for height to your rear fender?

Did you reinstall your rear rubber isolators ? i wold think they're good for 1/2" if any though, you lost a lot of height given that weight, i was at 39 1/4 stock, how old are the springs ? if they sagged that much with 500lbs, then what Icon advertises is ********, they claim 75% firmer than stock on the 2nd rate, which is what i hate the propaganda of the progressive springs when the vendors don't advertise any pressure rates.

I'm at 41 1/8" in the rear with the Icons 1.5" and a 100lbs spare in the bed, tires are 315/70/17, i was at 40 1/8 with just same tires on stock springs, I don't understand why yours are sagging so much with that weight, i've loaded my truck with about 400lbs, and i don't seem to loose that much height, but i haven't measured this to make sure, perhaps the springs are old ? i'm stumped at the lost height with 500lbs, again Icon claims their springs are 75% stiffer on the 2nd rate, lol problem is we don't know where that 2nd rate is because we don't even know what the rate pressure is in the 1st rate is, nor the stock pressure rate, hate the progressive spring propaganda, but if the springs are the same as mine, and i don't see how they would not be unless they have changed springs rates in the last 3 months or so when i got my set, you're literally 2.5" lower in the back compared to mine with just extra 400lbs, that means every 100lbs will put the rear 1/2" lower.

Those fox shocks are basically stock lenght (my stockers fully open were 25.5")
I was going to suggest getting a 1.5" rear spacer to compensate for the weight, so you can be back at 40", you also want longer shocks as well, as the spacer will eat into the shock extension you have now by the same amount you go up, i'm running Rancho RS999269 - 27.5 extrended, 17" compressed, you can also run Bilstein 24-187374 - 26.73 extended, 16.75 compressed, BDS also sells their own Fox 2.0 custom lenght, BDS Fox 2.0 98224758, 28" extended, 16.6" compress, the Icons should be able to run this lenght, assuming they're 28" exactly, make sure you test you can droop the shock in full with the springs fully seated, i've verified i can open the Renahos to 27.5" with the Icon 1.5" springs , i'd assume an extra 1/2" more will be ok, but you'll have to double check, otherwise you''l need to run straps or some sort of coil retaainer so you don't loose your springs while flexing the rear.

Asides from that, a steel rear bumper than can take abuse and slide over obstacles should get you all set, some 37's will be nice too, but start putting back the height you lost with the weight, this is prob your cheaper choice, and you'll see the gains right away.

Have fun.

 

[Oddity]

Not a huge fan of adding in a spacer to compensate for height lost due to weight. I've ordered the Tuftruck HD springs and will report back with my findings.

Did you reinstall your rear rubber isolators ? i wold think they're good for 1/2" if any though, you lost a lot of height given that weight, i was at 39 1/4 stock, how old are the springs ? if they sagged that much with 500lbs, then what Icon advertises is ********, they claim 75% firmer than stock on the 2nd rate, which is what i hate the propaganda of the progressive springs when the vendors don't advertise any pressure rates.

Springs are 3 years old, 60,000km on them. May be fatigue, I don't have measurements from when I initially installed them. I also did not have the canopy, roof rack, boat, platform, and all the recovery gear in the back. 500lbs additional weight is an estimate, might be able to get a better idea for weight when I take off my roofrack for modifications shortly.

 

[ram1500rsm]

Not a huge fan of adding in a spacer to compensate for height lost due to weight. I've ordered the Tuftruck HD springs and will report back with my findings.




Springs are 3 years old, 60,000km on them. May be fatigue, I don't have measurements from when I initially installed them. I also did not have the canopy, roof rack, boat, platform, and all the recovery gear in the back. 500lbs additional weight is an estimate, might be able to get a better idea for weight when I take off my roofrack for modifications shortly.

Cool, i'm curious to know more about your actual weight, and you'll do good tackling this with actual springs, curious about the part number for them, are they the progressive ones that will lift 2-3" without weight ? , i'm not into spacers either, only reason for me to use one will be 1/2" at the most, and just to correct a trim issue, i thought mentioning them in your case to give you the cheap way to fix this.

Can you post the free lenght on the tuff truck springs once you get them ?
I'm trying to build a spring database:

Stock crew cab springs are 18 1/4"
Untitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

The Icon 1.5" are 19 1/2", will be good to know what yours measure now, considering they're 3 years old, i'm very curious about this.
Untitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

 

[Oddity]

Tuftruck springs are 18 1/4", will measure the ikons when I take them off as well for your database

 

[ram1500rsm]

Ty Oddity, what part number do you have for this Tufftruck springs ? They're the same as stock, but i'd guess the coil diameter is bigger so they're a lot firmer.

 

[BOWERSFJ]

Timbrens for the added weight ...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AJAY]

You can step up to 285/75r17 Toyo At2 Xtreme and gain another half inch all the way around. Same width with more aggressive tread of the Xtreme and a deeper tread depth along with 3 ply side wall.

 

[Ratket]

Do you spend a lot of time off road? If like 80% or more.. you should look at tread wright.

https://www.treadwright.com/collections/filter

They hook extremely well, and you can’t beat the price. I have personally ran 3 sets and my brother ran 2. I was extremely impressed with their “Offroad”
Capabilities.