2020SilverMidnight
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yea I get the angles of the pics show different. Can you measure top of the tire to the fender well straight in the middle? Maybe that would help.
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?? For the Lowered Crowd
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Hambonehead
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What’s the complaints with the maxtrac 2/4 drop? I just ordered the kit and rear helper bags.
This is what I've read while looking into lowering my truck Still on the fence about what to do kit wise. Waiting to see Belltechs offering.
-Bottoming out on everything
-Rear axle shifting to drivers side
-Unable to align to specs
-Having to still cut springs to get the true 4" drop
-High speed <75mph instabilities
That is just some of what I have read. May not be every case but has me leery about getting the Maxtrac kit. I will be towing my jeep after lowering the truck and I would like to preserve some of the ride quality as well.
2020SilverMidnight
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^^^^^ this. The bottoming out on everything is enough for me to not consider it. I don't want to run air helper bags either as that will stiffen it up even more. So for now I am just going to leave mine as is I believe. I am so afraid to mess with the ride of this truck that I would hate it even if it were a lil stiffer. Comfort is of the utmost importance to me. I love the looks of a lowered vehicle and have owned a bunch myself. But my body can't take the beating anymore. I guess I am getting old, lol.
In my research for the best 2/4 drop I have found that IHC makes the best lowering kit. However, they don't make a 2/4 drop so you'll have to combine their kit with the Maxtrac 0-3" adjustable front struts. You will use everything in the IHC kit EXCEPT the front lower control arms, (they have a recessed pocket which is how they achieve their 3 or 4" front drop). The IHC front upper control arms are adjustable and will allow you to align back to spec. In the rear to prevent bottoming out I suggest the 4/6 "cut kit" relocation brackets as opposed to the 3/5 "no cut kit". By cutting the factory relocation bracket they claim you add 5" of clearance. All other issues in the rear are corrected with this kit. If you plan to tow, haul, or want to be perfectly level I would suggest using the Timber Grove Enterprises 4" lowered CRM (coil replacement mounts). This is the equivalent to replacing your rear coil springs with an air suspension. They sell a manual air compressor that mounts in the back seat storage bin. It is not cheap but it should give you a 2/4 drop that rides like stock with no issues.
IHC 4/6 drop kit $1,260
Maxtrac 0-3" adjustable struts $195
Timber Grove 4" low CRM $575
Timber Grove manual air system $480
IHC 4/6 drop kit $1,260
Maxtrac 0-3" adjustable struts $195
Timber Grove 4" low CRM $575
Timber Grove manual air system $480
Can’t speak for my 5G, but I have a 2/4 maxtrac on my 2014 RC 4x4. Rides on bump stops, front struts are pretty riged, maxtrac rear shock completely dead at 5k miles on kit, and will not align to spec if lowered to the lowest setting on strut. I’m on the middle height setting. Added Firestone helper bags until I get it sorted, helped a LOT.
Overall, just not impressed & will not install on my ‘19 5g.
Hambonehead
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Well I went ahead and installed the kit along with the airlift helper bags. I did not try to lower the front to the lowest setting(3” lower than stock) but did go with the middle position(2” lower than stock). Got the alignment done today and the caster and chamber are close but barely out of spec, less than 0.5 degrees, but were able to get them to match side to side. I followed the instructions and trimmed the bump stops and no issues there so far. No issues with the rear end not being centered using their drop bracket and no shakes, shimmy, or other vibration issues up to 85mph which is as fast as I got it.
Is yours 4x4?
Hambonehead
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Yes it is.
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2020SilverMidnight
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Been hearing this from Belltech for over a year. Emailing back and forth with them, still nothing. I too was patiently waiting on them, but I will likely trade trucks before they come out with their kit.
Olive Green 5.7
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I don't really understand why a 2"/4" drop kit is so hard to engineer and manufacture. There has to be something to it because there is only 1 kit on the market right now and it's total ****. So, I'll just keep waiting.....
The front is easy it's just a strut with the spring perch lowered 2". The rear isn't hard to drop just 4" drop springs and shocks. You will need a few other components to make sure the rear is centered front to back and side to side. The hard part is designing something to prevent you from bottoming out. The only solution I've found involves cutting and that's where most folks get spooked.
*Maxtrac 0-3" drop struts (set at 2") in front
*IHC 4/6 drop kit (rear components only) with the cut kit relocation bracket.
Olive Green 5.7
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Wouldn't that make it a 2 / 6 drop though? Or am I being a moron, lol?
My bad, that was misleading. The IHC 3/5 and 4/6 drop kits come with 4" drop springs. You then have to cut the springs in order to get the 5 or 6" desired drop in the rear. By leaving the spring uncut it remains a 4" drop spring resulting in the aforementioned 2/4 drop.
Hambonehead
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So I thought I would give a little update on my Maxtrac 2/4 drop kit. I did install helper bags when I installed the kit.
I already updated on the alignment deal, but to recap front caster and chamber are technically out of spec but they are less than 0.5 degrees from being working specs and they are even so no pulling.
After the springs settling in I did end up having some bottoming out in the rear. After looking at things and reading up on even the IHC kit it looked like I had 2 options: 1) to buy the IHC CUT control arm relocation brackets, 2) to cut the bump stop cups off. I decided on option 2 and it has provided me with close the factory upward suspension travel limit and have had no issues with bottoming out since. I do run the required 5psi of pressure in the helper bags and it is practically like factory ride. I even pulled a 7,500 lbs travel trailer with 25psi in the helper bags and no bottoming out issues and rode great, just like before being lowered. Over all I really like this kit and am happy with my purchase.
I already updated on the alignment deal, but to recap front caster and chamber are technically out of spec but they are less than 0.5 degrees from being working specs and they are even so no pulling.
After the springs settling in I did end up having some bottoming out in the rear. After looking at things and reading up on even the IHC kit it looked like I had 2 options: 1) to buy the IHC CUT control arm relocation brackets, 2) to cut the bump stop cups off. I decided on option 2 and it has provided me with close the factory upward suspension travel limit and have had no issues with bottoming out since. I do run the required 5psi of pressure in the helper bags and it is practically like factory ride. I even pulled a 7,500 lbs travel trailer with 25psi in the helper bags and no bottoming out issues and rode great, just like before being lowered. Over all I really like this kit and am happy with my purchase.
Can't wait till I get mine!!!!!!!!
Diamond Black Hemi
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I have the maxtrac kit and had rear sway really bad until I called and they told me u have to position the rear springs a certain way. Made a big difference once I did that. I love my kit and I have it really aggressive at 3/5 I also cut the rear bump stop and bump stop bracket and that solved the bottoming out. Rear helper bags are a must though when doing this.
