ReadyLift 2in level long term

[tkee]

Has anyone had the ReadyLift 2in level + UCA's on their truck long term? How is it holding up?

 

[boogielander]

it's still spacer lift.

 

[CHeYeNNe71]

Swap in some leveling struts with upgraded UCA. Buy once, cry once and have a proper working suspension

 

[LaxDfns15]

To answer your question @tkee, I have 2" spacers (not pre-load spacers) and Rough Country UCA's on my truck. Spacers have been on for 55k miles, and the UCA's have been on for 20k miles with mild off-roading. As long as you're not doing really aggressive off-roading, any billet aluminum spacer will hold up fine. I did not see a reason to replace perfectly good OEM components (springs and Bilstein reservoir shocks) with $5k+ worth of suspension parts for the use case for my truck.

Just make sure you get an alignment any time you change or adjust suspension components, keep an eye on your tire wear, know the limits of the components you've put on your truck, and they'll hold up just fine. I'm not rock crawling or dirt racing my truck because it's not built for that. I take it in the woods every now and then.

 

[CHeYeNNe71]

I did not see a reason to replace perfectly good OEM components (springs and Bilstein reservoir shocks) with $5k+ worth of suspension parts for the use case for my truck.

Nobody said anything about $5k upgrade. Spacers are garbage.

 

[LaxDfns15]

Nobody said anything about $5k upgrade. Spacers are garbage.

Nobody said anything about what the OP asked for either. Spacers are just fine if you understand that they are the budget option to get a lift and don't treat them like high end components.

 

[CHeYeNNe71]

I'd rather have a proper working suspension then cheap out. Band-aids are just fine also.

Spacer Lift vs Preload Spacer vs Coilover Preload – AccuTune Off-Road

accutuneoffroad.com

 

[PurpleRT]

$300 leveling Bilstein 5100
$150 Mopar ORG control arms
$100 alignment

I thought that was the “budget” lift… but hey what do I know it’s not like your driving around in a $40k+ truck?

Spacers are junk either level with struts or leave it alone

You don't have to spend big money on suspension components unless your driving style or wants/need say other wise.

I didn’t include install cost since you either pay a shop or pull out some very basic mechanical skills and do it yourself.

 

[tkee]

it's still spacer lift.

I drive to costco and back on saturdays.

To answer your question @tkee, I have 2" spacers (not pre-load spacers) and Rough Country UCA's on my truck. Spacers have been on for 55k miles, and the UCA's have been on for 20k miles with mild off-roading. As long as you're not doing really aggressive off-roading, any billet aluminum spacer will hold up fine. I did not see a reason to replace perfectly good OEM components (springs and Bilstein reservoir shocks) with $5k+ worth of suspension parts for the use case for my truck.

Just make sure you get an alignment any time you change or adjust suspension components, keep an eye on your tire wear, know the limits of the components you've put on your truck, and they'll hold up just fine. I'm not rock crawling or dirt racing my truck because it's not built for that. I take it in the woods every now and then.

Awesome info thank you! I was thinking about swapping in bilstein 5100's with the readylift uca's as I joined the forum after leveling the truck and didnt know as much as I have seen now.

$300 leveling Bilstein 5100
$150 Mopar ORG control arms
$100 alignment

I thought that was the “budget” lift… but hey what do I know it’s not like your driving around in a $40k+ truck?

Spacers are junk either level with struts or leave it alone

You don't have to spend big money on suspension components unless your driving style or wants/need say other wise.

I didn’t include install cost since you either pay a shop or pull out some very basic mechanical skills and do it yourself.

I already threw the readylift kit on my truck months ago I just wanted to see what people thought. But I like the bilstein 5100 idea.

Nobody said anything about what the OP asked for either. Spacers are just fine if you understand that they are the budget option to get a lift and don't treat them like high end components.

Spacers for costco and back on the weekends

 

[boogielander]

I drive to costco and back on saturdays.


Awesome info thank you! I was thinking about swapping in bilstein 5100's with the readylift uca's as I joined the forum after leveling the truck and didnt know as much as I have seen now.


I already threw the readylift kit on my truck months ago I just wanted to see what people thought. But I like the bilstein 5100 idea.


Spacers for costco and back on the weekends

you can drive to your neighbor's house 2 houses down and the fact is still spacers = incorrect suspension geometry that leads to premature wear on your truck and yields stiff ride.
your bumpstops are now useless because your lower arms will never touch them as they are intended to touch. you're also creating more stress for your CV and your steering joints as well.

if you're looking for "street only" bilsteins 5100s will be the least amount you can spend. yeap, bilstein 5100s are not only "light duty" offroad use (fully graded dirt road with no bumps or dips) in my book. Not even RC, not rancho, not falkon, none of those.

 

[Idahoktm]

you can drive to your neighbor's house 2 houses down and the fact is still spacers = incorrect suspension geometry that leads to premature wear on your truck and yields stiff ride.
your bumpstops are now useless because your lower arms will never touch them as they are intended to touch. you're also creating more stress for your CV and your steering joints as well.

if you're looking for "street only" bilsteins 5100s will be the least amount you can spend. yeap, bilstein 5100s are not only "light duty" offroad use (fully graded dirt road with no bumps or dips) in my book. Not even RC, not rancho, not falkon, none of those.

I agree with some of your points, but I ran the 2" Readylift kit on my Laramie and it didn't make the ride stiff at all.

 

[boogielander]

I agree with some of your points, but I ran the 2" Readylift kit on my Laramie and it didn't make the ride stiff at all.

ride is subjective.
however, i've done enough before and afters and can tell the difference by going on a 2 mile test drive. there's a section of bumpy pavement near the shop that's great for testing suspensions lol

bilsteins don't do well in that section. kings with overcranked preload are horrible in that section. icons even with adjustors at the softest settings are still stiff. falcons are straight trash there. fox DSC on softest settings soak it up real good, but off pavement at the firmest setting is still a bit too soft at times. spacer lifts (we don't do spacer lifts. but i test drive after doing brake jobs or other things) are spine shattering stiff in that section.

im guessing roads are better in idaho lol here in socal roads are trash cracks, bumps, potholes everywhere. i don't even take my M car to go to places that I know that has bad road surfaces because it's on track suspension and it's not an enjoyable drive at all.

 

[irishwake63]

Ive been looking at the RC 3.5 lift kit with the struts UCAs but if I go level kit I will get the struts from RC with UCAs

 

[CHeYeNNe71]

I drive to costco and back on saturdays.



Spacers for costco and back on the weekends

So did the guys that broke ball joints recently. Buy a proper working suspension when you can afford.

 

[CHeYeNNe71]

Ive been looking at the RC 3.5 lift kit with the struts UCAs but if I go level kit I will get the struts from RC with UCAs

Grab the M1 upgrade, they spec like Bilstein 5100's monotube

 

[Idahoktm]

ride is subjective.
however, i've done enough before and afters and can tell the difference by going on a 2 mile test drive. there's a section of bumpy pavement near the shop that's great for testing suspensions lol

bilsteins don't do well in that section. kings with overcranked preload are horrible in that section. icons even with adjustors at the softest settings are still stiff. falcons are straight trash there. fox DSC on softest settings soak it up real good, but off pavement at the firmest setting is still a bit too soft at times. spacer lifts (we don't do spacer lifts. but i test drive after doing brake jobs or other things) are spine shattering stiff in that section.

im guessing roads are better in idaho lol here in socal roads are trash cracks, bumps, potholes everywhere. i don't even take my M car to go to places that I know that has bad road surfaces because it's on track suspension and it's not an enjoyable drive at all.

Comparing my truck after the Readylift kit was installed, to my buddies identical Laramie with stock suspension, it was difficult to tell much difference. Mine was a little firmer, but in a good way. It still soaked up the bumps like stock, but it didn't wallow as much.

Roads are horrible here. Unlike California, we get subzero winter temps and temps in the 90's in the summer. That type of temp swing wreaks havoc on the roads.

 

[H2OMAN]

If you can afford a 60-70 K truck you can afford Bilsteins. Pucks are garbage and beneath your dignity. Don't treat your baby like crap. They are NOT ,"just as good" or even "good enough".

 

[tkee]

Comparing my truck after the Readylift kit was installed, to my buddies identical Laramie with stock suspension, it was difficult to tell much difference. Mine was a little firmer, but in a good way. It still soaked up the bumps like stock, but it didn't wallow as much.

Roads are horrible here. Unlike California, we get subzero winter temps and temps in the 90's in the summer. That type of temp swing wreaks havoc on the roads.

Yeah I didnt notice a difference. I am not against spending the money like I stated before I got this kit before even joining the forum I am surprised at the reaction I am getting LOL

 

[tkee]

you can drive to your neighbor's house 2 houses down and the fact is still spacers = incorrect suspension geometry that leads to premature wear on your truck and yields stiff ride.
your bumpstops are now useless because your lower arms will never touch them as they are intended to touch. you're also creating more stress for your CV and your steering joints as well.

if you're looking for "street only" bilsteins 5100s will be the least amount you can spend. yeap, bilstein 5100s are not only "light duty" offroad use (fully graded dirt road with no bumps or dips) in my book. Not even RC, not rancho, not falkon, none of those.

Wouldn't the added length from the spacers be equivalent to the added length of the bilstein? I guess obviously without the full travel capability. Or am I missing something about the angle on other components?

 

[SD Rebel]

Yeah I didnt notice a difference. I am not against spending the money like I stated before I got this kit before even joining the forum I am surprised at the reaction I am getting LOL

Forums are often filled with enthusiasts who have how shall we say strong opinions