2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Why a Leveling Kit?

[JKaptchinskie]

What is the purpose of a leveling kit besides making the truck look better? is there and advantage regarding the handling, tracking, ect?

 

[Forrest Nearing]

most guys do it for looks... you'll obviously clear more tire. I prefer these trucks to have a rake to them though

 

[NoSeeUm]

Yeah so do I. Always makes the truck look like it is ready to work. Never looks like a lifted overloaded 1/2 ton when it gets a loaded down.



And makes the truck look like it is going down hill... .



IMO if you lift the front then rear air bags should be installed as part of the set up. Unless you want a two passenger car that just rides and looks like a truck.



Jim

 

[jdooner]

I like the rake. . have since 1955...

 

[Forrest Nearing]

previous owner put a leveling kit on my truck... and it clears 35's just fine. but I want to raise the back a couple inches to get the ready-to-work rake back!

 

[Hammer]

JK. .

The leveling kit is for tire clearance and looks some will tell you. I did mine for looks as I didn't want to lift mine up into the way up club. My state is hard on lifted trucks and just leveling it I figured was enough. I did mine with the Skyjacker D25 coils and it helped the ride some also. Now,in retrospect,I wish I didn't do it as I liked the rake better. The next trip out to Ohio I make I will raise the back some to reattain the rake and give it back its feared stance. I have pictures of my truck in my readers rigs with both looks if you want to see the difference... ... ... Andy

 

[MarkMiller]

I did the leveling setup with BDS spacers. Worked and rode fine with 33 in swampers. I did it for tire clearance and because I hated looking at the ground everywhere I went(I also have a big winch bumper). I then went to a 4. 5 inch lift kit and am building a 6 inch kit homebrew style. Want to run 40's. I will have a full air rear soon to keep it level.



If you are looking for a leveling kit I have the pucks and shocks and will sell cheap.

 

[Cummins Pilot]

Mine came with D25s from the previous owner. I put on a Buckstop bumper w/winch so now its back to normal. Mine also has rear airbags I installed, I highly reccomend them.

 

[LMarshall]

Depends what you call a leveling kit. I just installed one from Lorenz and it's new springs and Bilsteins. It raised the front a couple inches and looks better but the main purpose is to increase suspension for the weight of a snowplow or winch etc.

Larry m.

 

[Makensmoke]

Hey you guys who like the rake... do you have your spare tire in front of the grill too? Just kidding... when you talk of the old "ready for work" look it reminds me of my g pas old binder he bought new in the earlyer 90's. First thing he did was mount the spare in front of the grill. I was pretty young at the time and couldn't figure out why he would do that. Moral of my story is times change... so does style, some like "level" trucks, some like hanging there spare in front of the grill.



No offense meant. Honest.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

sorry, but I don't really like the "Ford" look... you know... rear end 3" lower than the front with maybe a one car trailer in tow! :-laf

 

[JGrover]

I put some velvet ride rear shackles on my truck to take some of the harshness out. That dropped the rear down about 1"

But since you asked, I think a level truck looks better.

But a even better reason might be. With the front down, It puts more weight on the front end, causing the truck to push in the turns. I like to beat um down the straights, and give um fits in the turns also

 

[Nate]

I hate the rake on the 2wd Rams. The nose is a good 5-6" lower than the back.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

well, they were designed to be worked... I once had 4500lbs of steel in the bed of my 97. it sat level



you see a 2wd dodge cruising down the highway w/ a 3-4 car gooseneck behind it, and it's sitting level...



throw a thousand lbs in the bed of a Ford, and it looks like a puppy w/ worms dragging the floor! :-laf

 

[duckcarvr]

i leveled mine to hook up a fifth wheel trailer. i loved it up in the air in the rear but it was too tall to tow with. so i leveled it with a 3 inch drop and still had to raise the trailer 1 inch to make it almost level. if i wasn't towing i would put it back up in a heart beat!! it just looks sassy!! robert

 

[Forrest Nearing]

yeah, the 4x4's sit HIGH in the rear!!!!!!!



I've got 35's on my truck, and I'm pretty confident I could fit 37's without doing anything to the rear!