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What do I need to do to level out my truck?

Pyleketerson

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How did the hat spacer make the ride? Meaning it was more bouncy?


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Yeah. Anytime suspension was needed (turning in to a driveway, driving over bumps/ potholes etc) it was super bouncy. Springs aren’t meant to be compressed like that and also provide a nice quality ride. I know alot of folks go this route but I’ve tried it and it’s not for me, especially with such a nice truck.
 

djevox

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I think people are focusing too much on hollow vs non-hollow. The mopar hollow bar was designed with the amount of flex that it has. If they (or any manufacturer) wanted to make a hollow bar have less flex, they can do that through various methods (not necessary to cover those methods here). On the same side of the coin, a solid bar can have the same flex as a hollow depending on how it's designed. The key here between the hellwig and the mopar are the leverage arms.

You can easily see the differences in the leverage arms a couple posts above in IvoryHemi's post. While it's not exact, putting the end links in the outer hole provides a very similar lb/in rating between the hellwig and mopar. As you move the end links inward on the hellwig, you shorten the leverage arm and increase the effective lb/in rating, making resistance to sway greater. It's really as simple as that.

Of course, the hellwig could be a combination of solid + shorter leverage arms, but they feel so close when the hellwig is in the outer hole that I suspect the rating is very similar. I'd like to see the lb/in rating of both when the endlink is in the outer hole of the hellwig. I'm guessing someone will need to contact hellwig for that info.

Add 2in lowering springs to the rear. Much and quicker cheaper and you don’t have to pay for an alignment.


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That’s what I did at first. Wish it would have worked out well for me but it didn’t. I would have still have my truck like that and wouldn’t have spend the money on the lift, alignment and new tires now.
I also did what these guys did with the rear lowering springs. I really liked that setup, but in the back of my mind, I wanted large rims and a lifted look, so went that direction with a 3" eibach lift.
 

Choate

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Correct me if I’m wrong and I may be but a top hat spacer doesn’t compress the spring does it. It just extends the shock. There is no spring compressing required on those. I had a shop do it for me and a hellwig bar at the same time. The ride feels the same to me besides sway is gone. Still rides fantastic to me. I did the motofab 2” kit. First pic stock suspension. Second pic w the lift. 275/60/20
 

djevox

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Correct me if I’m wrong and I may be but a top hat spacer doesn’t compress the spring does it. It just extends the shock. There is no spring compressing required on those. I had a shop do it for me and a hellwig bar at the same time. The ride feels the same to me besides sway is gone. Still rides fantastic to me. I did the motofab 2” kit. First pic stock suspension. Second pic w the lift. 275/60/20
You’re correct. The preload spacer is what compresses the spring.
 

Pyleketerson

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Ah yes ok that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying. Big difference there. Then it was the extended shock that made my ride harsh and not not the compressed spring. It’s been a few years!
 

Idahoktm

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Correct me if I’m wrong and I may be but a top hat spacer doesn’t compress the spring does it. It just extends the shock. There is no spring compressing required on those. I had a shop do it for me and a hellwig bar at the same time. The ride feels the same to me besides sway is gone. Still rides fantastic to me. I did the motofab 2” kit. First pic stock suspension. Second pic w the lift. 275/60/20
Yep, exactly right. My ReadyLift leveling kit with UCA's made the ride slightly firmer, but still very smooth and not harsh at all. Most that go this route like the results.

20211005_155606.jpg
 

cervelo15

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Mopar 2” lift/level….ride quality is markedly better with the Fox shocks….been messing with the PSI for BFG tires and ride quality keeps getting better. 285/65/20

85DB1F7A-C729-49C9-BC78-FF38996296E4.jpeg E5CF6316-8F8D-4081-8F1F-572638E1C110.jpeg
 

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Choate

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One thing to keep in mind with ride and why I went with a 275/60/20 instead of a 275/65/20 is the latter only came in a LT rating or even E. I don’t tow much of anything and didn’t want the firmer ride so I went with a standard load tire. I had LT on my 2013 Silverado and it was a beast but pretty firm. Pot holes didn’t stand a chance but I didn’t want that on this truck
 

Whoa_Ram

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One thing to keep in mind with ride and why I went with a 275/60/20 instead of a 275/65/20 is the latter only came in a LT rating or even E. I don’t tow much of anything and didn’t want the firmer ride so I went with a standard load tire. I had LT on my 2013 Silverado and it was a beast but pretty firm. Pot holes didn’t stand a chance but I didn’t want that on this truck
I think Nitto G2's are the only non LT or E rated tires in a 275/65. I use to be a fan of them, but lately haven't cared for them too much.
 

Idahoktm

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One thing to keep in mind with ride and why I went with a 275/60/20 instead of a 275/65/20 is the latter only came in a LT rating or even E. I don’t tow much of anything and didn’t want the firmer ride so I went with a standard load tire. I had LT on my 2013 Silverado and it was a beast but pretty firm. Pot holes didn’t stand a chance but I didn’t want that on this truck
I did the same. The last set of tires I bought before I got my Ram were LT tires. They were very heavy, which killed my gas mileage and the ride was pretty harsh. Fortunately, Nitto made an XL tire in the size I wanted. There aren't a lot of AT, XL tire sizes available right now. Hopefully that changes in the not too distant future.
 

Pcustoms

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Well I've got a readylift level kit coming Monday and BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 ( LT275 /65 R20) coming Tuesday.

Trying to get dealer to install and align, they're understandably reluctant to touch aftermarket parts, but they can't get me the Mopar kit so....
 

Idahoktm

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Well I've got a readylift level kit coming Monday and BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 ( LT275 /65 R20) coming Tuesday.

Trying to get dealer to install and align, they're understandably reluctant to touch aftermarket parts, but they can't get me the Mopar kit so....
That's too bad. My dealer offered to install my kit as soon as I bought it up.
 

Diesel123

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Well I've got a readylift level kit coming Monday and BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 ( LT275 /65 R20) coming Tuesday.

Trying to get dealer to install and align, they're understandably reluctant to touch aftermarket parts, but they can't get me the Mopar kit so....
Not that hard to do by yourself, if you have some tools(good jack stands!) and garage space. Good videos online to show you how.
A721C465-A3FF-4C62-AAD4-19F8028AFBDD.jpeg
I did get alignment done by a shop afterwards though .
 
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Pcustoms

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Not that hard to do by yourself, if you have some tools(good jack stands!) and garage space. Good videos online to show you how.
View attachment 110987
I did get alignment done by a shop afterwards though .
Yep, not hard but I've got no garage space, it's November in VT and have 3 evenings to do it before the alignment next Friday and my trip Saturday.

OP sorry to hijack the thread, thought I was replying to something else originally. I'll get pics when it's done though.
 

Diesel123

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IMO - just leveling it won’t look “right” without some bigger tires on.

After 2” level with stock tires:


e3b4b39a12ccb07aa2ebab8101c5231a.jpg



With 34.1”:

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So after 8 months the front level wasn’t cutting it. Towing sled trailer made it squat a fair bit and two weekends ago with two dirt bikes in back was too much for my liking.

Didn’t know what kind of rear lift I was going to put in , not wanting to spend big bucks - I tried a 1” (1.5” spacer) cool spring lift on each side . Just jacked up each side and rotated the rubber donut up to top of uncompressed coil spring .
Given this portion of the spring is always fully compressed (not now however) , ride hasn’t changed much/if any.

Haven’t had anything in back yet - but should sit a little more level when full.

Still like the looks of it on the 34”’s.


e2c25886f8d8d6b0b1b8fd54655c1c83.jpg


c50f65ae5f978ed2bfdaebdd99f4c2d8.jpg



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sessman

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Google can help with finding them, lots of people make them as well, not just StreetRays, but that is what I found to be the best value & quality when I purchased them, so yes, they are on my truck. "Hard to install" is subjective, for me, it wasn't too bad, about 3-4 hours or so with power tools. I don't have any before/after type pics, but below is my truck after, you know what before looks like.
Looks great, are those 34" tires?
 

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