Pros & Cons between single 3.0"/3.5" strut top spacer and combo strut top spacer + pre-load spacer

[rsonedecker]

What are the pros and cons of using a single strut top spacer that gives a 3" or 3.5" height, compared to using a combination of strut top spacer and pre-load spacer (like what comes with the RL and RC lift kits).

Obviously one reason the RL and RC kits come with both top and pre-load is because they sell those parts individually as well. However, is there a benefit to having a combination of the two types of spacers? Motofab and others have 3"+ strut top spacers.

One Pro I can see to the single strut top spacer is easier installation since you don't have to break the strut down. But are there negatives to having all the lift come from a single strut top spacer?

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

What are the pros and cons of using a single strut top spacer that gives a 3" or 3.5" height, compared to using a combination of strut top spacer and pre-load spacer (like what comes with the RL and RC lift kits).

Obviously one reason the RL and RC kits come with both top and pre-load is because they sell those parts individually as well. However, is there a benefit to having a combination of the two types of spacers? Motofab and others have 3"+ strut top spacers.

One Pro I can see to the single strut top spacer is easier installation since you don't have to break the strut down. But are there negatives to having all the lift come from a single strut top spacer?

The reason they use a spring spacer and top hat spacer is to prevent the strut from over extending on the down travel. Also you will have a hell of a time trying to squeeze anything larger than a single 2.5" top hat spacer back in once it's mounted to the strut. because of the strut design and the geometry of the front, it makes it pretty difficult to get a 2.5" in there and get the holes realigned to mount the strut back in. Essentially the ready lift 3.5" combo top hat/pre load spacer is actually shorter and easier to install than a single 2.5" top hat spacer.

 

[Smashy71]

Every spacer kit ive ever had installed always had a squeak when going over rough terrain. Spend the extra and get you some adjustable struts that way your ride won’t suffer. Imo. Don’t forget to have it realigned when adding any height to the suspension.

 

[rsonedecker]

The reason they use a spring spacer and top hat spacer is to prevent the strut from over extending on the down travel. Also you will have a hell of a time trying to squeeze anything larger than a single 2.5" top hat spacer back in once it's mounted to the strut. because of the strut design and the geometry of the front, it makes it pretty difficult to get a 2.5" in there and get the holes realigned to mount the strut back in. Essentially the ready lift 3.5" combo top hat/pre load spacer is actually shorter and easier to install than a single 2.5" top hat spacer.

Alright, totally makes sense - the tradeoff between not having to break the strut down is that the strut is taller and more difficult to maneuver back into position. The guy from American Trucks I talked to made a huge recommendation that you should unscrew the axle nut and you can gain some additional downward movement (?).

 

[rsonedecker]

Every spacer kit ive ever had installed always had a squeak when going over rough terrain. Spend the extra and get you some adjustable struts that way your ride won’t suffer. Imo. Don’t forget to have it realigned when adding any height to the suspension.

Thanks for your feedback. I've done both (complete struts as well as spacers) in the past, and had good success with both, but both were always for tire clearance only and mild (1" - 2"). This is the first time I'm really considering lifting all around. I have read accounts of some issues, but there are a ton of 3.5" lifts installed on this forum, and I'm hearing (reading) the majority are thoroughly happy with them. Struts were the first I inquired about, but I haven't talked to any of the companies who said they are coming out soon (Bilstein and Rancho both told me end of 2019).

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Alright, totally makes sense - the tradeoff between not having to break the strut down is that the strut is taller and more difficult to maneuver back into position. The guy from American Trucks I talked to made a huge recommendation that you should unscrew the axle nut and you can gain some additional downward movement (?).

Just make sure you have a sizable torque wrench available to tighten it back up , I don't know rams torque spec but I'm sure it's well over 150 ft-lbs, the torque is critical because it holds the hub together and sets the proper load on the hub bearings

 

[ksn240]

You also need to think about your brake lines. The top hat spacer will stretch them out, the in strut spacer will not. This is why Readylift and Rough Country use a combination of both for their 3.5" kits. You may be fine at normal ride height, but full droop may stretch them out too far.

 

[rsonedecker]

Great info transfer here, much appreciated. I'll probably look at picking up tuff country's pre-load spacer and a top-hat spacer, and then from there I can judge how much I wan't to bring the rear up.

So I've come up with another observation that perhaps can make sense if I ignore basic mathematics, lol. It looks like somewhere between 2" and 2.5" front lift is what most are doing to "level" their trucks (and in some cases there is still a slight rake) - but yet it appears that those that are doing the 3.5" lift (which has a 2" rear list) are also experiencing leveling which what should be a +1.5" difference. I also noticed that it looks like the 3.5" kit actually features both the 2" pre-load spacer and the 2" top-hat spacer put together. Is this the case, and does it net less than a 4" lift because of some sort of suspension geometry thing?

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Great info transfer here, much appreciated. I'll probably look at picking up tuff country's pre-load spacer and a top-hat spacer, and then from there I can judge how much I wan't to bring the rear up.

So I've come up with another observation that perhaps can make sense if I ignore basic mathematics, lol. It looks like somewhere between 2" and 2.5" front lift is what most are doing to "level" their trucks (and in some cases there is still a slight rake) - but yet it appears that those that are doing the 3.5" lift (which has a 2" rear list) are also experiencing leveling which what should be a +1.5" difference. I also noticed that it looks like the 3.5" kit actually features both the 2" pre-load spacer and the 2" top-hat spacer put together. Is this the case, and does it net less than a 4" lift because of some sort of suspension geometry thing?

Some lifts are nominal and some are actual gains. The 2.5" motofab will raise the truck 2.5 inches. The 2 inch readylift is actually about 1.75 inches, so a nominal 2", same with the preload spacer, both net 1.75" by themselves and 3.5" together, yet when they sell them individually they call them 2 inch kits. Not sure about superlift and RC kits and actual gains. I bought the ready lift 2" with uca and ditched the top hat spacer for a 2.5" street rays off of ebay. Truck sits .25 to .5" higher in the front probably going to raise the rear .5"