How much lift on stock control arms?

[NPloysa]

So does anyone know? I am building an air ride setup for my truck. The overall lift will be 2" rear, 3" front, with one of those inches being for a bit of leveling.



Is three inches too much for stock control arms? I know a lot of guys level with spacers or taller springs and use stock arms. These leveling kits are usually 2 or 2. 5 inches, so I am only going . 5-1" further.



Second question is if 3" is ok for stock arms, how much further can you go? With air ride lies the possibilty of lifting the truck with air when parked or what have you, but I DON'T want to bend or catch on anything.



Drive/ride height will stay at 3" front, 2" rear, but for parking, i. e. , no suspension travel, it may be higher.



Edit: I will more than likely be replacing the stock arms with DOM/Heim arms, but not increasing their length. The angle will increase with the lift, but not the length.

Thanks!



Nick

 

[betterthanstock]

The stock suspension is not even set up to the ideal, which is that the 4 links should be horizontal, the panhard rod (track bar) should be horizontal, and the steering links should be horizontal.

I can notice the stock truck steering by itslef as you go over dips in the road, first to one side, then to the other as it rebounds. (especially over high speed interstate turns)

The more you deviate from horizontal, the more it will bump steer. It gets worse with a trailer (sway). The extreme result is "Death wobble". Toe-in increases as the truck lifts in the air, and decreases as it compresses over a dip. All these movements will become exagerated with a lift, unless you change the mounting points for all links.

You should at a minimum get toe-in realigned, and it (toe-in) will vary a lot more as you drive, and as you load it up.

 

[NPloysa]

Thanks guys. I agree, betterthanstock, it isn't set up to the ideal. I may change the fronts to longer, more horizontal ones, if they fit!



Nick

 

[Big P]

Longer arms won't bring them closer to horizontal. They will re-center the axle in the wheel well, but to level them you would need to lower the attachment point on the truck.

 

[NPloysa]

Longer arms won't bring them closer to horizontal. They will re-center the axle in the wheel well, but to level them you would need to lower the attachment point on the truck.

I know, I just didn't say that! If and when I lengthen them I will get them to mount lower also. I would almost have to do that so I can clear the stock frame mounting points.



Nick