What to do?

NO-REGARD · 11-11-2009, 06:58 PM

I'd like to lift my truck a bit, but am not sure what I need to clear some 35's on stock wheels, at the most.

This is my daily driver / work truck. I've outfitted the back with a heavy duty rolling deck with custom tool and parts boxes. The boxes consumed 7 sheets of 3/4 plywood, and the roller itself weighs approx. 300 lbs. Add to that a fiberglass topper, pipe rack, about 800 lbs of tools and parts. Plus..... the parts and material for the days work which could weigh upwards of another 600 lbs consisting of motors, cable etc.. Also I somewhat regularly tow a tandem flat deck with skid steer.

I put on quite a few miles (7,000 in the first 5 weeks), alot of which are on bad gravel roads in the oilfield of southern Alberta.

Anyways, I've talked with a local dodge dealership that does lots of lifts, as well as the only local off road shop. They both had the same ideas of an add a leaf (or two) in the back, and blocks in the front and back. Also at a later date, (when the funds are back in the bank) I could add air bags, with or without a built in compressor.

Due to all the weight in the back the truck is sitting about level, measuring 39" to the top of the wheel well front and back.

Would 3" be enough? I believe the back to be about 2" below stock, would 3" be enough to comfortably clear the 35's?

If I did the leaf and blocks now, then added air bags later would that require another alignment?

Any thoughts and/or tips is most appreciated. Here's a couple pics.

__________________
'09 6.7L 3500, Patriot Blue QCSB, Full Ram Jam, 68rfe, 3" front / 4" rear BDS lift, 33" BFG KM2 M/T.

madakira · 11-11-2009, 07:12 PM

You can fit 35's without any lift. If you want a small lift, you can go with a 2.5" leveling kit. I have 37's on a 2.5 leveling kit.

__________________
"Religion is the opium of the masses." -Karl Marx
"This would be the best of all possible worlds,if there were no religion in it." John Adams

NO-REGARD · 11-11-2009, 08:05 PM

I know about the 35's or 37's fitting with as little as a leveling kit, but that is different than my situation. I'm already sitting level due to the back sagging by 2" from the weight.

Thus if I'm thinking of it correctly, adding 3" of lift will only put me 1" above stock. In the back anyways, what about the front?

Nice truck by the way, what's with the srt badge? I don't think I've seen that before.

__________________
'09 6.7L 3500, Patriot Blue QCSB, Full Ram Jam, 68rfe, 3" front / 4" rear BDS lift, 33" BFG KM2 M/T.

madakira · 11-11-2009, 08:14 PM

Hmmm. Well, for the back 3 inches should suffice. I would really consider some air bags in the back for all that weight you are carrying back there. As for the front you said "I've talked with a local dodge dealership that does lots of lifts, as well as the only local off road shop. They both had the same ideas of an add a leaf (or two) in the back, and blocks in the front and back." What did they mean by blocks in the front? Any kind of lift in the front will require an alignment. Thanks for the compliment. I bought the badges on this site about a year ago in a group buy through Billetbadges.com

__________________
"Religion is the opium of the masses." -Karl Marx
"This would be the best of all possible worlds,if there were no religion in it." John Adams

madakira · 11-11-2009, 08:20 PM

You will still need to do something for the front to get everything to sit level though. I would save up some looneys (do you guys still have those there?) and just get a leveling kit for the front and bags for the back. The ride might be nicer. Or if you really wanted a nice ride, you could find some 3" springs for the front and bags in the back. A leveling kit really makes the ride rough. i am taking min off in a month or so and getting some custom Thuren springs. I don't like the ride with the leveling kit. Speed bumps feel like 6"curbs.

__________________
"Religion is the opium of the masses." -Karl Marx
"This would be the best of all possible worlds,if there were no religion in it." John Adams

Mocho · 11-11-2009, 09:08 PM

I would leave your suspension alone, throw some air bags on the back and call it good. You will clear 35x12.50 tires just as good on stock suspension as you will with a 2" leveling kit. If you want it higher you could just put a 2" spacer front and say 1 or 2" block rear.

__________________
2004.5 3500 Quad Cab 4x4 CTD Laramie 6 spd std A few mods

**Skyd Ram** · 11-12-2009, 12:27 PM

With that much weight I would start with airbags in ther rear. Next step would be to do a small spacer or even better a Carli Level kit in the front.

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2wide · 11-12-2009, 01:47 PM

You could do a 2" spacer up front and 2" Superlift block kit out back for under $200 in the states - not sure what it would be there. With that much weight I would throw some Bilstein shocks on it while you have it apart and do airbags when you can afford it.
Just noticed the mud flaps up front. If you want to keep those you will definitely have to do the leveling kit and you MAY have to do a set of kick back flares.

Last edited by 2wide : 11-12-2009 at 02:01 PM.

11-11-2009, 06:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
NO-REGARD Cummins Fan Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Lethbridge, Alberta Posts: 98 Thanks: 7 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts NO-REGARD's Truck Pics	What to do? I'd like to lift my truck a bit, but am not sure what I need to clear some 35's on stock wheels, at the most. This is my daily driver / work truck. I've outfitted the back with a heavy duty rolling deck with custom tool and parts boxes. The boxes consumed 7 sheets of 3/4 plywood, and the roller itself weighs approx. 300 lbs. Add to that a fiberglass topper, pipe rack, about 800 lbs of tools and parts. Plus..... the parts and material for the days work which could weigh upwards of another 600 lbs consisting of motors, cable etc.. Also I somewhat regularly tow a tandem flat deck with skid steer. I put on quite a few miles (7,000 in the first 5 weeks), alot of which are on bad gravel roads in the oilfield of southern Alberta. Anyways, I've talked with a local dodge dealership that does lots of lifts, as well as the only local off road shop. They both had the same ideas of an add a leaf (or two) in the back, and blocks in the front and back. Also at a later date, (when the funds are back in the bank) I could add air bags, with or without a built in compressor. Due to all the weight in the back the truck is sitting about level, measuring 39" to the top of the wheel well front and back. Would 3" be enough? I believe the back to be about 2" below stock, would 3" be enough to comfortably clear the 35's? If I did the leaf and blocks now, then added air bags later would that require another alignment? Any thoughts and/or tips is most appreciated. Here's a couple pics. __________________ '09 6.7L 3500, Patriot Blue QCSB, Full Ram Jam, 68rfe, 3" front / 4" rear BDS lift, 33" BFG KM2 M/T.

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11-11-2009, 07:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
madakira Diesel Freak Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Camarillo,Ca Posts: 530 Thanks: 0 Thanked 10 Times in 6 Posts madakira's Truck Pics	You can fit 35's without any lift. If you want a small lift, you can go with a 2.5" leveling kit. I have 37's on a 2.5 leveling kit. __________________ "Religion is the opium of the masses." -Karl Marx "This would be the best of all possible worlds,if there were no religion in it." John Adams

11-11-2009, 08:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
NO-REGARD Cummins Fan Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Lethbridge, Alberta Posts: 98 Thanks: 7 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts NO-REGARD's Truck Pics	I know about the 35's or 37's fitting with as little as a leveling kit, but that is different than my situation. I'm already sitting level due to the back sagging by 2" from the weight. Thus if I'm thinking of it correctly, adding 3" of lift will only put me 1" above stock. In the back anyways, what about the front? Nice truck by the way, what's with the srt badge? I don't think I've seen that before. __________________ '09 6.7L 3500, Patriot Blue QCSB, Full Ram Jam, 68rfe, 3" front / 4" rear BDS lift, 33" BFG KM2 M/T.

11-11-2009, 08:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
madakira Diesel Freak Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Camarillo,Ca Posts: 530 Thanks: 0 Thanked 10 Times in 6 Posts madakira's Truck Pics	Hmmm. Well, for the back 3 inches should suffice. I would really consider some air bags in the back for all that weight you are carrying back there. As for the front you said "I've talked with a local dodge dealership that does lots of lifts, as well as the only local off road shop. They both had the same ideas of an add a leaf (or two) in the back, and blocks in the front and back." What did they mean by blocks in the front? Any kind of lift in the front will require an alignment. Thanks for the compliment. I bought the badges on this site about a year ago in a group buy through Billetbadges.com __________________ "Religion is the opium of the masses." -Karl Marx "This would be the best of all possible worlds,if there were no religion in it." John Adams

11-11-2009, 08:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
madakira Diesel Freak Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Camarillo,Ca Posts: 530 Thanks: 0 Thanked 10 Times in 6 Posts madakira's Truck Pics	You will still need to do something for the front to get everything to sit level though. I would save up some looneys (do you guys still have those there?) and just get a leveling kit for the front and bags for the back. The ride might be nicer. Or if you really wanted a nice ride, you could find some 3" springs for the front and bags in the back. A leveling kit really makes the ride rough. i am taking min off in a month or so and getting some custom Thuren springs. I don't like the ride with the leveling kit. Speed bumps feel like 6"curbs. __________________ "Religion is the opium of the masses." -Karl Marx "This would be the best of all possible worlds,if there were no religion in it." John Adams

11-11-2009, 09:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mocho Diesel Freak Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 594 Thanks: 7 Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts Mocho's Truck Pics	I would leave your suspension alone, throw some air bags on the back and call it good. You will clear 35x12.50 tires just as good on stock suspension as you will with a 2" leveling kit. If you want it higher you could just put a 2" spacer front and say 1 or 2" block rear. __________________ 2004.5 3500 Quad Cab 4x4 CTD Laramie 6 spd std A few mods

11-12-2009, 12:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
Skyd Ram 07 MegaCummins Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Macomb Twp/Lewiston,MI Posts: 2,108 Thanks: 141 Thanked 118 Times in 105 Posts Skyd Ram's Truck Pics	With that much weight I would start with airbags in ther rear. Next step would be to do a small spacer or even better a Carli Level kit in the front. __________________ Your 3rd Gen source for products from: Carli/Bilstein/Pure Performance/Black Ops Diesel/DiPricol ISSPRO/Edge/SMARTY/Snow Performance/MBRP AFE/Randy Ellis Designs/H&S/Dynatrac/Shibby Engineering www.8LUGTruckGear.com 888-886-2480 Find us on Facebook

11-12-2009, 01:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
2wide Newbie Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Washougal, WA Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts 2wide's Truck Pics	You could do a 2" spacer up front and 2" Superlift block kit out back for under $200 in the states - not sure what it would be there. With that much weight I would throw some Bilstein shocks on it while you have it apart and do airbags when you can afford it. Just noticed the mud flaps up front. If you want to keep those you will definitely have to do the leveling kit and you MAY have to do a set of kick back flares. Last edited by 2wide : 11-12-2009 at 02:01 PM.