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Big Wheels Need Clearance! How Much Lift?

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Old 09-03-2012, 10:11 PM
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Question Big Wheels Need Clearance! How Much Lift?

Okay, gotta 99' Ram 1500 extended cab with 35" tires and I don't want them to rub the hubs when I make a turn. I'd rather not Jack it up monstrously high, just enough to get adequate tire/hub clearance. So how much lift do u recommend? 2"? 3"? 5"?
 
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Old 09-03-2012, 11:24 PM
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I recommend searching first before you post. There's a lot of threads pertaining to this question.

But I'll give you the answer anyways...
A 3" lift will clear the tires but it'll rub a little, especially if the tires are real wide and depends on the amount of backspacing on your rims, etc.

5" lift is recommended. It'll clear the tires, look better than 3" and won't rub.
And by 5 inches of lift, I mean 5 inches of lift and all of the other components that go with a lift kit; control arms, drop pitman, tracbar/bracket, sway bar bracket, obviously shocks, etc.

...Not to mention you'll need to re-gear your diffs to lower gears such as 4:56 or 4.88 ratios so you won't kill your tranny
 

Last edited by Matt Nickerson; 09-06-2012 at 10:14 AM.
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Old 09-04-2012, 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Matt Nickerson
I recommend searching first before you post. There's a lot of threads pertaining to this question.

But I'll give you the answer anyways...
A 3" lift will clear the tires but it'll rub a little, especially if the tires are real wide and depends on the amount of backspacing on your rims, etc.

5" lift is recommended. It'll clear the tires, look better than 3" and won't rub.
And by 5 inches of lift, I mean 5 inches of lift and all of the other components that go with a lift kit; control arms, drop pitman, tracbar/bracket, sway bar bracket, obviously shocks, etc.

...Not to mention you'll need to re-gear your diffs to lower gears such as 4:56 or 4.88 ratios so you kill your tranny
That should be "so you WON'T kill your tranny"....
 
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Old 09-05-2012, 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Matt Nickerson

...Not to mention you'll need to re-gear your diffs to lower gears such as 4:56 or 4.88 ratios so you kill your tranny
i'm not incredibly mechanicly gifted, but plan to learn. part of my truck is a learning experience, how do i re-gear my diffs?
 
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Old 09-06-2012, 07:50 AM
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Would a 3" suspension lift and a 2" body lift do the same job as a 5" suspension lift?
 
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Old 09-06-2012, 10:13 AM
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Originally Posted by HeyYou
That should be "so you WON'T kill your tranny"....
Yeah that sounds a little better the way you said it. I'll edit my post.

Blake Swoveland: Re-gearing the differentials is swapping out the stock ring & pinion (which has a ratio of either 3.55:1, 3.92, or 4.10 depending on options) for a lower gear (numerically higher) such as 4.56:1 to compensate for lost power due to bigger/heavier tires. The actual procedure is pretty difficult for the inexperienced and should be left up to a shop to do ($$$)...but then again many have done it for the first time and haven't messed it up, so really it's up to you.

Ram It Hard: 5 inches is 5 inches...so yes that could work too. You just get less actual clearance.
 
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Old 09-06-2012, 10:25 AM
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i agree the 35s you will need to regear im sure.
 
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Old 09-06-2012, 10:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Matt Nickerson
Yeah that sounds a little better the way you said it. I'll edit my post.

Blake Swoveland: Re-gearing the differentials is swapping out the stock ring & pinion (which has a ratio of either 3.55:1, 3.92, or 4.10 depending on options) for a lower gear (numerically higher) such as 4.56:1 to compensate for lost power due to bigger/heavier tires. The actual procedure is pretty difficult for the inexperienced and should be left up to a shop to do ($$$)...but then again many have done it for the first time and haven't messed it up, so really it's up to you.

Ram It Hard: 5 inches is 5 inches...so yes that could work too. You just get less actual clearance.
Hhhhmmmmm..........
 
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Old 09-06-2012, 10:33 AM
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Oh I get it...
 
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Old 09-06-2012, 07:14 PM
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Haha you guys are funny..never seen that either. I was just making sure that the tires wouldn't rub w/ either full suspension or suspension/body lift. Being first time to lifted trucks I wasn't sure.
 


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