That doesn't even make sense. If anything the coil spring is further away from the body, but the coil spring is still in the same position, same coil tension rate etc. The only change is the spacer exists between the coil spring and frame. There is no increased tension due to spacers. Infact I think it shifts the weight of the truck further back when you level (since you lose the rake effect of the truck) so if anything I think the front end would feel lighter, and thusly looser. I don't see how a 2" spacer makes it a night and day difference between it isn't stiff and it is stiff so I don't even know why it is brought up in the first place. I called you out on the 245 tire non-sense you stirred up and then others chimed in saying they don't have a problem. Now im calling you out on this mumbo jumbo. Who has first hand experience with steel spacers of 2" so the geometry stuff can stay out of the equation. Did you get stiffer, stay the same, or looser. Oh, to give my answer I think im in between "staying the same" and "looser" as I seem to have slightly more body roll with them, but not enough to say it got noteably looser.

 

I agree. The spring isnt altered. There is a slight tension, but not enough to cause a lot of stiffness. The angles are different, yes, but still no spring difference. I could be wrong, I know, but not from what I can see.

 

245 tire nonsense? What in the world are you talking about?


As for spacers, adding a 2.5 inch spacer made my ride extremely stiff. A night and day difference if there ever was one.

Think about it. You are compressing the spring.

 

I wish I didn't need spring compressors when I did my leveling kit a couple weeks ago, I had to rent a set from Advanced.


Heres my before and after pics, I'm happy with the end result, not bad for $65.



0408091620-00.jpg?t=1241140306

0409091906-00.jpg?t=1241140335

 

Get a close up of it. I'm going to do 3" soon.

 

I ran a 2 inch spacer on my ram for almost a 2 years. I don't believe it affected my ride quality at all but I also installed new shocks because the factory ones were trash. Handling was unchanged, and so was braking.

Pcfixer: I'm sorry you feel that discussing ride quality as it relates to suspesion geometry is unessesary. Sometimes explaining how things work will help folks understand why one change can significantly affect the entire system. It may bore some of you, but may save someone from doing something unsafe.

It also points out errors in short, quick, almost dismissive responses.

 

Did you jack your truck up real high with the jack, and place the jackstands by the doors on the frame, then let the axle droop? I did that, droped the swaybar and I was good to go. I did need a helping hand to get the coils in only by 1/4", but nothing a crowbar wouldn't fix. I know my buddy needed a coil compressor when he put his level on his 2500 a week later after me since he like how mine looked. Glad you got them in though. Looks good.

 

I was refering to Vipers mumbo jumbo, and not in relation to suspension geometry. That said, yes I do believe that 2" is not significant enough of a change to worry about suspension geometry change.

 

Truth, and so edited my original response to agree with that.

However, on applications with heavier or higher rate springs, you may notice a harsher ride as you move the geometry away from the factory angles, which I believe are 10 degrees.
A 2 inch spacer pretty much maxes out the factory's built in "play" if you will. Thats why most good 3 inch systems offer longer control arms, so that some geometry and most importantly CASTER, are restored
I say this because I know...after 2 inches...I wanted more!

 

As I did each side I dropped the swaybar, jacked it up real high and compressed the spring. The passenger side was the learning side and that took me and a friend about an hour and a half after trial and error. After compressing the spring about three times and still couldn't get it back on with the spacer we dropped the swaybar and that made all the difference in the world. I ended up pretty much doing the drivers side by myself and did it in about 30-45mins.

Overall it was easy even for someone like myself that doesn't know anything about vehicles in general.