Best and reasonably priced 2" leveling kit?

[Motorhead]

Just having installed the 285-75 17 tires and Centerline wheels, I'd like to level up the truck. I looked at the Tuff country 2" lift kit and it seems to be a good choice. I am also looking to rplace ALL the shocks with the yellow and blue Bilsteins. Does the 2" lift screw with the steering at all? Is the PITMAN arm dropped enough? Anything else that I need to weigh out? Best kits under say $200.00

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I used the coil spring spacer kit but I can't remember which brand it was; too long ago. I had it aligned and kept using the factory shocks. Eventually upgraded to the Bilstein black/silver shocks that supposedly were for truck with leveling kits. Approaching 300k without any issues.

 

[JJPage]

Tuff Country, Day Star, all the 2-2 1/2" spacer blocks are pretty much equal, depends if you want steel or composite. The Day Star composites I used for a couple of years, had no issues. You will need to check alignment after the install, I left my oem shocks in place and didn't experience any problems with steering or tire wear.

Motorhead, That is a very sweet looking truck, Good Job! Jess

 

[GrantP]

I have a 2" spacer lift on my 06 now, it's one of the "red" brands and it's terrible. It was already on the truck when I bought it. It offers zero benefit other than looks and the stock shocks top out if I even think about taking a bump with a little speed. The Bilstein yellow/blue shocks aren't meant for a lifted suspension, you'll need to use the 5100's in the front. The Kore leveling kit is very reasonable at under $500 and includes new front springs and shocks.

No need to worry about the steering arm, just have it aligned after the install (as others have mentioned). A dropped pitman arm would actually make the geometry worse.

 

[cerberusiam]

There is no leveling kit worth the money. If you don't do a suspension system you are much better off leaving it stock.

Even the pucks mess up the steering geometry and operation, pull the axle out of alignment, and place undue stress on all the steering and axle parts. Just a recipe for DW at some point and steering problems. You need adjustable control arms and adjustable track bar to realign the axle and make the steering\suspension work correctly. The VR spring spull the axle over 1" out of line, the pucks just under and inch. The suspension angle is already on the steep side and any moticeable lift just changes the thrust vectors the wrong way.

The Bilstein 5100's are specially built for the diesel trucks, the others are too soft and the valving is not as good as it should be, plus, the 5100's have the extra lenth for a suspension lift.

 

[Regcabguy]

I've ran a leveling kit for seven yrs now. Truck tracks great and has 2.5" of increased travel.
Don Thuren offers a 2" coil,white bodied shocks and a far superior than stock adjustable trackbar which will recenter your front axle. His coils are very soft riding.
My stock springs and shocks were so overwhelmed by my camper weight,I had to replace the whole deal within two weeks of ownership.
Even empty the frontend would nail the bumpstops at moderate speed when hitting the rain culverts on surface roads.
The one and only time I had dw was when a tire shops "tech" misbalanced my tires by up to 4ozs. It was his last day.

 

[Motorhead]

There is no leveling kit worth the money. If you don't do a suspension system you are much better off leaving it stock.

Even the pucks mess up the steering geometry and operation, pull the axle out of alignment, and place undue stress on all the steering and axle parts. Just a recipe for DW at some point and steering problems. You need adjustable control arms and adjustable track bar to realign the axle and make the steering\suspension work correctly. The VR spring spull the axle over 1" out of line, the pucks just under and inch. The suspension angle is already on the steep side and any moticeable lift just changes the thrust vectors the wrong way.

The Bilstein 5100's are specially built for the diesel trucks, the others are too soft and the valving is not as good as it should be, plus, the 5100's have the extra lenth for a suspension lift.

Is there then a way to keep the front end from hitting the stops so easily with the stock suspension? I am in NO way an off roader or even a guy that hits the dips fast. Will either the 5100'd or the standard Bilsteins help that? I have 66,000 miles and the original shocks. None of the shocks have even a weep of oil on them

 

[BLNRAY]

why do they call them "leveling" kits, should be called jack up the front kits.

 

[cerberusiam]

Is there then a way to keep the front end from hitting the stops so easily with the stock suspension?

If the you are hitting the bump stops in normal driving the springs are worn and\or it is not really normal driving.

The 5100's help a lot more with rebound and some with compression due to the valving. The stock shocks can still work good but they will bottom the springs almost from the start. The valving is set to NVH which is at odds with the weight on the front suspension. Just normal use on rough roads will eventually kill the shocks to where they do not work correctly. The Biltsteins have helped in every instance I have used them from stock, to pucks, to VR springs. They won't cure worn springs or lack of travel though.

The pucks really don't give much increased travel becasue the coils send up binding which feels like you hit the stops. All they really do is raise the front to level with the rear. To give a good ride and level the truck you need the VR springs, but, that requires some other parts to recenter the axle both forward and side to side. The side to side is more critical for handling but the forward\rear does impact ride and componenet life expectancy. The difference between just a leveling puck and stock componeents to VR springs and adjsutable track bar and control arms is substantial in ride and handling, especially on the standard wheel base.

If you level it and tow thne you need air bags to relevel with the load hooked up or it drives weird. With the suspension systems and VR spirngs you almost need to do the rear min packs to get a little rake or level back and make the rear ride like the front. It can get choppy with the front working well and the rear just being normal.

 

[JJPage]

When you start the task of leveling a truck, it is really similar to engine performance mods, a very slippery slope....and every change has consequences of it's own.

As cerb stated, level the front, then hook up a trailer, now you have to raise the rear(adjust headlamps) in some manner or your headlights will be blinding everyone. Raise the rear, need additional adjustments on ball mount, or 5th wheel hitch adjustments. May need to change spring pack placement on trailer to above the axle...now your stabilizers do not reach the ground without blocks, or your loading ramps are too steep. Sheesh! it's never ending!

I started off with a 2 1/2" Daystar level kit, then added airbags for above stated reason. Then I wanted 35" tires without rubbing...did a 4 1/2" Tuff Country lift, hooked up my 5th wheel, crap, even with airbags back end sagging, had to add 2" round spacers underneath the airbags. Now 5th wheel does not have sufficient clearance at the bed rails and does not tow level, had to install the Dexter spring pack kit to set axles underneath springs, you know the rest...

Here's a pic of my truck, I believe it looks nice, and it drives decent, even towing, but I sometimes wish I'd never slipped down that slope!

Jess

 

[pjorlando]

I have to totally agree with Cerberusiam, any modifications that alter the originally designed geometry of the front end leads to failure of parts and safety issues. With lift spacers, leveling kits, both the tracking and caster angles are effected. I will agree, some will never have an issue, but it is incorrect to alter these and expect no change in either ride quality or longevity. If you're going to increase the front end's ride height, do it the right way, invest in the adjustable track bar, lower control arms, and the correct springs. My 2 cents worth.