advise: Nephew is looking at a 98 2500 4wd gas v10 with a 12 in lift kit

[Tim1]

Hey guys with the lift kits, is this 12 lift disaster waiting to strike? He is young and into the lifts. With the steering stabilizer I put on my 97 2 wh drive, it helped alot, but what happens with the lift kit? He is in another state calling me for advice, and he not listening to WALK AWAY! Any help? Thanks Tim If i need to go to second gen, I can.

 

[AEdelheit]

It just depends on the quality and engineering of the lift, if done cheap and half assed it should be in a scrap yard, done right and ive seen them trouble free, can you get close up pics of the lift kit or any details?

 

[MGreer]

I can't give any advise on lift kits since I don't have much experience with them. Before I bought my 04 CTD I had a 98 2500 4x4 with the V 10 engine in it. At about 70k miles on the truck I started noticing what sounded like a main bearing rattle when starting the truck after it sat for a while. It would rattle for about 3 seconds and then the oil pressure gauge would finally start moving at about 5 seconds.
At 80k miles on the truck the noise was getting worse. I was getting ready to go on a long trip pulling our camper. I didn't have faith in the engine surviving the trip. I bought new main and rod bearings and pulled the oil pan off. The main bearings looked good but the rod bearings is where the problem was. I replaced all of the bearings since I was in there.
Trying to figure out what caused this I noticed something sticking out of the screen of the oil pick up tube. The screen was packed full of pieces of thin rubber. Apparently Chrysler sprayed some type of rubber coating on the inside of the oil pan. We (Dad and me) started looking at the oil pan at this coating. The oil returning to the pan from the engine bubbled this coating off and it ended up in the screen.
We put it back together and I ran the truck for about 5k more miles before trading it in for my CTD in 04. I would advise your nephew try and start the truck after sitting for a while and listen for engine noise and watch the oil pressure gauge.
Hope this helps.

 

[p-Bar]

That V-10 is a fuel sucker. I would be more worried about that. Though the 12" lift is a lot almost too much . My personal opinion is that most lifts are poorly engineered ,oversprung, uneven tire wear and PIA to get in and out of. I wish him luck

 

[JR]

I can't give any advise on lift kits since I don't have much experience with them. Before I bought my 04 CTD I had a 98 2500 4x4 with the V 10 engine in it. At about 70k miles on the truck I started noticing what sounded like a main bearing rattle when starting the truck after it sat for a while. It would rattle for about 3 seconds and then the oil pressure gauge would finally start moving at about 5 seconds.
At 80k miles on the truck the noise was getting worse. I was getting ready to go on a long trip pulling our camper. I didn't have faith in the engine surviving the trip. I bought new main and rod bearings and pulled the oil pan off. The main bearings looked good but the rod bearings is where the problem was. I replaced all of the bearings since I was in there.
Trying to figure out what caused this I noticed something sticking out of the screen of the oil pick up tube. The screen was packed full of pieces of thin rubber. Apparently Chrysler sprayed some type of rubber coating on the inside of the oil pan. We (Dad and me) started looking at the oil pan at this coating. The oil returning to the pan from the engine bubbled this coating off and it ended up in the screen.
We put it back together and I ran the truck for about 5k more miles before trading it in for my CTD in 04. I would advise your nephew try and start the truck after sitting for a while and listen for engine noise and watch the oil pressure gauge.
Hope this helps.

I've pulled the pans off of a few Fords with the exact same probelm. They used silicone in place of a gasket and excess chunks broke loose and clogged the pick up screen of the oil pump.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Lets not get into center of gravity being so high that the truck isn't stable. Lets also not get into durability or lousy gas mileage of the V10 either. Focus on the lift kit. The transfer case or transmission output is at a certain angle, and that isn't changed by a lift kit. The differential angles if not changed cause a severe universal joint angle that reduces strength and increases wear. Therefore, pretty much every lift kit rotates the diffs to reduce the angle at the diff. However, the angle at the transfer case isn't changed. Now, with different angles, the driveshaft, which speeds up and slows down through each revolution due to the nature of a universal joint, is trying to speed up and slow down at different rates and amounts on one end vs. theother. That increases wear, vibration, and if bad enough causes failures of the shaft which then tries to pole vault the truck. A partial fix would be double cardan aka constant velocity joints everywhere in the driveshafts.

 

[Tim1]

Thanks so much for the input. Much of this I have passed on to him,as he tries to justify by only 2 miles to work each day,will service religiously,and has a small step ladder. I asked him to send me some photos of the lift design, and cautioned him to check the title carefully, as well as take it to deq first to see if it will pass! He currently has a tacoma lifted 9 inches for 6 years and needs more truck. Can't swing a diesel yet. Really good new job, renting a nice house,girl friend with one year of college left, you know how it is. I told him save for the diesel before any kids come, probably won't listen. Thanks again fellas, will post photos if I get them. Tim