Screw leveling spacers. A few of you proved me wrong.

[doz]

So I had HBS 2.5" leveling spacers on my truck for about 6000 miles. I wanted to go with Bilsteins right away but they were OOS so I went with the HBS spacers for the time being. Bad move.

I was one of the naysayers about the suspension angles being HORRID (I figured they were a little off, but this was bad). Needless to say I tore the lower control arm ball joint boot. I can say without a doubt that that I would NEVER recommend the cheap route of a coil spacer. I will get pics up later today of the spacer + factory coil and the Rancho QLL system side by side.

The Rancho QLL was MUCH easier to get in as well. Did not have to stress the CV axles like I did to get in the spacer and factory strut in.

Now, onto the Hell Bent Steel spacer. I am going to be in contact with them. I pulled out the strut and the spacer was bent!!! One side was just slightly out of wack but the other was WAY bent. It was HORRIBLE! I had a helluva time removing the strut due to this. I was always under the impression that HBS provided a quality component but I guess I was wrong. I will also have pictures up later this evening of the spacer that is bent and both of the factory struts w/ spacers side by side.

Pics added below. Factory strut w/ spacer next to the Rancho. Also pics of the HBS spacer and how it bent.

 

[Ratket]

It could of been worse.. just be thankfull that that is all that broke. **** happens even with stock applications. Spacers are always a bad idea. coil over"s are always the best way.

 

[autokraftgt]

I have used HBS 2" spacers on 6 2500's over the years....plowing snow, off-road, pulling trailers, etc....and have never had a problem. Are coil overs better?^^^^well of course they are...but a spacer serves its purpose well for the price...
Companies can let a faulty product slip out the door from time to time...but HBS makes a very good product....

 

[N1ck]

I think the risks of levelling with a spacer is well documented here, no one has forced you to put that product on your truck. If you saw an angle that bad after install you should have just removed it... I ran a 2.5" with 35's and beat the hell out of my truck for 33,000kms before going to a 6" lift and I never had any issue.

 

[Ratket]

Jesus took the wheel

 

[RyanJM]

I had a 2" ready lift spacer in my 13 I had installed when I got it new. I liked the procomp strut setup but they told me they would install and warranty the spacer so I wasn't going to argue about it. With the 2" it still had a stock ride and the angles weren't too bad. I am not sure about a 2.5". I was told the 2" is the biggest spacer they would install because it wouldn't harm anything. I beat on it and almost 14k later when I traded it this year everything was still good on it. Though I did notice the common problem with the UCA joint starting to separate a little. I think the bilstein, rancho, and pro comp setups are better overall but I have no complaints about the 2" I had.

 

[doz]

I think the risks of levelling with a spacer is well documented here, no one has forced you to put that product on your truck. If you saw an angle that bad after install you should have just removed it... I ran a 2.5" with 35's and beat the hell out of my truck for 33,000kms before going to a 6" lift and I never had any issue.

Well aware. Did I ever say someone forced me to use it? Im just creating a thread sharing my experience so others can possibly learn from it in the future. Never in my post did I say that I was forced to go the spacer route.

I honestly was not aware of the Rancho solution when I purchased the spacer and the 5100 were completely out of stock at the time. I planned on changing it out anyway.

That said, I do not believe the spacers (as others have said and told me) are good for the suspension AT ALL. Its a cheap ass way of doing it IMO and if someone is trying to save $250 on their nice truck, they should think twice.

 

[dave1970]

lift spacers

I put 2.5 spacers mudded, jumped, towed, and halled , for 300,000 miles with 0 problems ,snapped several 40,000 lbs tow straps ****** hard enough to lift back axel off the ground when hitting the end of straps v10 , 2500,1998

 

[jforse]

So I had HBS 2.5" leveling spacers on my truck for about 6000 miles. I wanted to go with Bilsteins right away but they were OOS so I went with the HBS spacers for the time being. Bad move.

I was one of the naysayers about the suspension angles being HORRID (I figured they were a little off, but this was bad). Needless to say I tore the lower control arm ball joint boot. I can say without a doubt that that I would NEVER recommend the cheap route of a coil spacer. I will get pics up later today of the spacer + factory coil and the Rancho QLL system side by side.

The Rancho QLL was MUCH easier to get in as well. Did not have to stress the CV axles like I did to get in the spacer and factory strut in.

Now, onto the Hell Bent Steel spacer. I am going to be in contact with them. I pulled out the strut and the spacer was bent!!! One side was just slightly out of wack but the other was WAY bent. It was HORRIBLE! I had a helluva time removing the strut due to this. I was always under the impression that HBS provided a quality component but I guess I was wrong. I will also have pictures up later this evening of the spacer that is bent and both of the factory struts w/ spacers side by side.

Pics added below. Factory strut w/ spacer next to the Rancho. Also pics of the HBS spacer and how it bent.

How do you like the Ranchos? Did you do the rear shocks too? Spacers are a cheap ass way to lift a $45k truck and I dont get why people cheap oout on this stuff?

 

[Johnn123]

I have used HBS 2" spacers on 6 2500's over the years....plowing snow, off-road, pulling trailers, etc....and have never had a problem. Are coil overs better?^^^^well of course they are...but a spacer serves its purpose well for the price...
Companies can let a faulty product slip out the door from time to time...but HBS makes a very good product....

I put 2.5 spacers mudded, jumped, towed, and halled , for 300,000 miles with 0 problems ,snapped several 40,000 lbs tow straps ****** hard enough to lift back axel off the ground when hitting the end of straps v10 , 2500,1998

You guys have straight front axles in those trucks, not independent like the OP. Coil spacers work very different in them as there is no angles to worry about with 2" or 3". CV's in IFS are a whole different ball park to be fair. Plus you have strong 2500 front ends which will handle a lot more then 1500 IFS.

 

[doz]

How do you like the Ranchos? Did you do the rear shocks too? Spacers are a cheap ass way to lift a $45k truck and I dont get why people cheap oout on this stuff?

Like I stated before, I wanted to go the 5100 route but they were OOS for awhile so I just went with a spacer temporarily. Was never an end all solution which is why I have the Rancho's now.

I only did the fronts. They actually ride pretty nice, I was surprised. People say the ride is better with Bilsteins and it holds true for the Ranchos. You can adjust them easily for whatever type of ride you prefer. I set them a bit on the stiff side although I tried them on a softer setting. Gives more of a plush ride.

I plan on changing out the rears in the future as well.

 

[jlb]

That sucks that your spacers started bending like that, I haven't had any problems with mine, and I have used my truck, but using it, and beating on it are two different things to me.

Just one clarification though. You do realize that whether you use spacers, or the Rancho Quicklifts, or the Bilsteins, etc. Ignoring full droop, they all result in the same CV angles, and suspension geometry...

 

[CuylerTech]

That sucks that your spacers started bending like that, I haven't had any problems with mine, and I have used my truck, but using it, and beating on it are two different things to me.

Just one clarification though. You do realize that whether you use spacers, or the Rancho Quicklifts, or the Bilsteins, etc. Ignoring full droop, they all result in the same CV angles, and suspension geometry...

Thats not true actually

 

[Crescent1101]

Well I have been on the fence but I guess this picture above help make my choice. Now Bilstein or Ranchos?

 

[doz]

The main benefit to the Rancho system is easy install. They are a coil-over package so its easy to do in the garage. While the Bilsteins need a spring compressor to remove the factory spring. Still a garage project but much more of a pain in the ass with cheap auto-zone spring compressors.

I guess if you are having a shop install, it does not matter though.

 

[chipmaker]

And yet people with 13s or 14s will continue to install cheap spacers. Oh well...

 

[doz]

Has nothing to do with '13 and '14. The only issue to come about with those years are the upper ball joints popping out. I have never had that issue. And again, for the 3rd time, spacers were always a temporary solution.

 

[jlb]

Those pictures above are great for showing the limits, but 99% of your driving is in the range in between those pictures where the geometry is exactly the same (bilstein, rancho, spacer, etc.). What Bilstein doesn't mention in their picture is that you are over-compressing the stock spring when you go into full compression like that.

I am not saying the spacer is better, I am just pointing out that it seems like a lot of people blame boot tears on poor suspension geometry after a lift, and claim bilsteins don't result in the same suspension geometry as spacers which like I said ignoring full droop (a fraction of a percent of your driving) simply isn't true.

 

[tripower]

you are over-compressing the stock spring when you go into full compression like that.

I've checked the Bilstein's and at full compression they certainly compress the spring more than stock, but there's no coil bind, so I don't see why you would care? This is just a basic straight-rate spring.

Everyone is paying special attention to 'full droop' because that's the exact thing that's killing ball joints with spacer lifts on the newer trucks. It may be 1% of your time but it's very important.

'Geometry' is all over the place with any of these lifting methods. Running static CV angles outside of design spec, bad steering rack angles, incorrect sway bar link lengths, etc. All parts killers over time... But the damn trucks look so much better leveled!

 

[Csanders1992]

You tore a ball joint boot? That's just part of lifting or leveling trucks And putting oversized tires on them. Parts wear out faster.
Also the problem with 13-14s isn't the amount of down travel that causes failures of the ball joint, but the normal operating angles.


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