I mean, is there anyone WHO LIKES LEVELING SPACERS??

[terrywarfield]

So, I was initially looking for a cost effective way to level my front end out on my 20' Big Horn, and was initially set on getting some 2" spacers for the front from Motofab. After continuing research, I see so many people who are just totally against them.

Is there anyone who is HAPPY with them, and had them for a while with no issues? I would love to hear your thoughts. I would love to do a 3.5" lift but budget is a major factor right now. Thanks for any feedback!

 

[TNRamGuy]

Absolutely no problem with mine, didn't change the ride quality at all. Very happy with them.

 

[terrywarfield]

Absolutely no problem with mine, didn't change the ride quality at all. Very happy with them.

thanks for the feedback! how long have you had them on? What was your install cost if you dont mind?

 

[TNRamGuy]

Also see attached

Little light reading hope it helps
Thread 'Your choice in leveling kit, and would you do it again?' https://5thgenrams.com/community/th...leveling-kit-and-would-you-do-it-again.34344/

If you don't want to give up your comfortable factory ride, the easy solution is a "top hat spacer." These go by different names depending on the forum you're on but basically it's a spacer that mounts on top of the strut assembly. This is NOT a pre-load spacer. Those will kill your ride.
The top hat spacer is typically what is used for leveling kits. You take the entire strut assembly out, bolt it on top, and then reinstall the assembly. No need to take the spring out, no spring compressors needed, nothing like that. If you want to "lift" instead of just level, you can add a small block to the rear too.
It's been my experience that any lifts that replace the springs and struts ride firmer than stock. Nature of the beast I guess. Some people prefer it, some don't.

As for functionality. Like you, I don't go mudding. It's been a long time since I did that. Fun as it was, I've outgrown it. Not worth the cleanup and still having mud caked in every void for months. That said, I do take my truck off the beaten path from time to time. Typically I'm going hunting, hiking or camping. Regardless of the activity, if I'm going down a trail, or oil well road, and there is a mud hole I can drive around, I will. I'm only going though it if I have to. That's not to say these trails aren't a bit sloppy, but I'm talking mud that's partly up the rim not over the bumpers and partly up the doors.

I have 2.5" on the front and 1.5" on the rear. I could have gone smaller on the rear but I waned to keep a little rake so I don't sag when the bed is loaded. I think 1" for the rear would have been plenty for that. If you want it actually level you can use .5" on the rear or just use 2" up front and do nothing on the back.
Anyway, here's mine with 2.5/1.5. It rides just like it did when I rolled it off the lot, and it handles light off-roading just fine.

View attachment 121131

View attachment 121129

 

[Brunzca]

I have a 3” front, 1” rear level on my 21 Bighorn right now, and I love it. Ride quality is great (only diff from stock,because I also changed tires). Looks significantly different, lots of compliments. I did upgrade the control arms, to avoid potential long term issues, but about half the people I asked said it wasn’t necessary/they hadn’t done the same. I just ordered a lift kit to go bigger, but that’s only because now I want the additional height, and am ok spending more. Nothing at all wrong with this. The leveling kit alone from motofab, was only like $100.

 

[TNRamGuy]

thanks for the feedback! how long have you had them on? What was your install cost if you dont mind?

Had them on about 9 months now. Installed in about 5 hours and cost me $120 for a few combination wrench, and 2 sockets that I didn't already have

 

[Idahoktm]

You must be confusing spring preload kits with top hat spacers. I see very few posts against the use of top hat spacers. Top hat spacers simply make the shock longer, so it has very little effect on the quality of the ride.

 

[Lpsouth1978]

I have the Motofab 3" front/2" rear spacers and LOVE them! This left me with ~1" of rake for towing and allowed me to fit 35's without issue. I am also in the process of adding the Rough Country UCA's. The pucks cost me $125 and paid $300 for the install. I am doing the UCA's myself, so just the cost of parts for that.

 

[Shots]

Also see attached

Thanks for the tag.

OP, as Idahoktm said there's a difference between "spacers". There's no issue at all with running a top hat spacer, the issue people typically have is with preload spacers. The difference is where they're installed. The top hats mount on top of the strut assembly, whereas the preload mounts inside the strut assembly.
The difference in the way they work is that the top hat essentially lengthens the strut assembly which raises the front end. The preload applies pressure to the spring, which forces the front end up. In doing so it also stiffens the ride because modern automotive springs are typically progressive rate. The initial force required to start compression is less, which yields a softer/smoother ride, but as the spring compresses more force is required to compress it. If you preload the spring you eliminate some/most of that early compression so the truck will ride rougher.
Top hat spacers don't effect spring rates because they don't change it at all. As a result you ride will be unchanged unless you change the tires to something stiffer because they absorb some road feel too.

With all the technical stuff out of the way.
I've run top hat spacers on my last 4 Rams with no issues at all. A few key things though is that you have to keep it reasonable. On the 3rd gen too tall would cause binding of the half shaft which resulted in "popping" on some trucks. That issue seems to have been resolved with the 4th and 5th gen though. The only concern I've read about on the 5th gen is that too tall will cause wear on the upper ball joint. By too tall, I'm referring to greater than 2.5". This is easily resolved by simply replacing the stock UCA with a set designed for the Mopar lift. Same dimensions, just a higher angle ball joint. This isn't really needed in most cases, but some people do it as a precaution.

As for longevity. I had a set on my 2007 for about 4 years before I swapped it for a taller lift. I had one on my 2012 the entire 2 years I owned it. I had on my 2014 for 4 years too. I've had one on my current Ram (2021) since last summer. On all of these, I've had no issues at all. That's why I keep going back to them. They're cheap, they're easy to install, and they don't harshen your ride.
To be completely fair, they may not be the best option of you are looking to do extreme off-roading. That's mainly because it's just a stock suspension, and extreme off-roaders typically want something that performs better than stock. If you're looking mostly for appearance, and only use your tuck off road in a manner that the stock suspension is fine for, this is the way to go.

2007 Big Horn with 2" leveling kit on 33's:


2012 Outdoorsman with 1.5" leveling kit on 32's:


2014 Sport with 2" leveling kit and 1.5" body lift on 35's:


2021 Big Horn with 2.5" front 1.5" rear on 33's:



It's safe to say I like them.... Rams and leveling spacers, that is.

 

[terrywarfield]

So much good info in this thread. Thank you. I know the difference between pre-load and top hat, thank you all for chiming in however. I only asked because I have read about top hats wearing out the spring mounts prematurely, so that essentially what I was trying to figure out, if anyone had any issues like that, or any other issues, like squeaking, wear, etc.

I appreciate all the responses and looks like I'll be going with motofab 2" spacers to level the front out so I don't need to get new UCA's. (Trying to stay on the "budget" side of things. Thank you all for replying

 

[TNRamGuy]

Thanks for the tag.

OP, as Idahoktm said there's a difference between "spacers". There's no issue at all with running a top hat spacer, the issue people typically have is with preload spacers. The difference is where they're installed. The top hats mount on top of the strut assembly, whereas the preload mounts inside the strut assembly.
The difference in the way they work is that the top hat essentially lengthens the strut assembly which raises the front end. The preload applies pressure to the spring, which forces the front end up. In doing so it also stiffens the ride because modern automotive springs are typically progressive rate. The initial force required to start compression is less, which yields a softer/smoother ride, but as the spring compresses more force is required to compress it. If you preload the spring you eliminate some/most of that early compression so the truck will ride rougher.
Top hat spacers don't effect spring rates because they don't change it at all. As a result you ride will be unchanged unless you change the tires to something stiffer because they absorb some road feel too.

With all the technical stuff out of the way.
I've run top hat spacers on my last 4 Rams with no issues at all. A few key things though is that you have to keep it reasonable. On the 3rd gen too tall would cause binding of the half shaft which resulted in "popping" on some trucks. That issue seems to have been resolved with the 4th and 5th gen though. The only concern I've read about on the 5th gen is that too tall will cause wear on the upper ball joint. By too tall, I'm referring to greater than 2.5". This is easily resolved by simply replacing the stock UCA with a set designed for the Mopar lift. Same dimensions, just a higher angle ball joint. This isn't really needed in most cases, but some people do it as a precaution.

As for longevity. I had a set on my 2007 for about 4 years before I swapped it for a taller lift. I had one on my 2012 the entire 2 years I owned it. I had on my 2014 for 4 years too. I've had one on my current Ram (2021) since last summer. On all of these, I've had no issues at all. That's why I keep going back to them. They're cheap, they're easy to install, and they don't harshen your ride.
To be completely fair, they may not be the best option of you are looking to do extreme off-roading. That's mainly because it's just a stock suspension, and extreme off-roaders typically want something that performs better than stock. If you're looking mostly for appearance, and only use your tuck off road in a manner that the stock suspension is fine for, this is the way to go.

2007 Big Horn with 2" leveling kit on 33's:
View attachment 121407

2012 Outdoorsman with 1.5" leveling kit on 32's:
View attachment 121408

2014 Sport with 2" leveling kit and 1.5" body lift on 35's:
View attachment 121409

2021 Big Horn with 2.5" front 1.5" rear on 33's:
View attachment 121411


It's safe to say I like them.... Rams and leveling spacers, that is.

BTW, really like the flag decal

 

[Shots]

... I only asked because I have read about top hats wearing out the spring mounts prematurely, so that essentially what I was trying to figure out, if anyone had any issues like that, or any other issues, like squeaking, wear, etc.

I haven't had any noticeable wear, or any squeaks at all. I had a buddy who's truck was squeaking, but he just cranked them down, not to spec or anything. On his next truck he actually used the torque wrench as I told him he should do and had no issues with that one. I suspect improper torque contributed to the squeak. Either it was uneven, too tight, or too loose.

 

[Shots]

BTW, really like the flag decal

Thanks. It took a little while to come up with a design I liked, but once I tied it into the low stripe it just seemed right.

 

[TNRamGuy]

I would like to find something similar with a 'usn' or anchor as my wife and I are both vets, did you cut these at home or get them done?

 

[theblet]

2” motofab here. No issues.

 

[djevox]

I’m running 1/2” motofab tophat spacers in conjunction with my preload on my coilovers. Tophat spacers do the job they’re designed for very well and have their place when used correctly.

 

[Shots]

I would like to find something similar with a 'usn' or anchor as my wife and I are both vets, did you cut these at home or get them done?

I designed and cut them. I've got a commercial plotter/vinyl cutter that I bought so I could put a custom decal on my Jeep.

I made the mountains and hood decal. ↓↓↓↓