Okay, I gotta 99 4wd auto, and I wanna lift it. I'm smart enough to know I'm too stupid to do it myself so I asked around. Some say its not worth it due to even worse mpg, ive heard than entirely new hubs and axles are needed, ive even been told that a 5 inch suspension lift will cost upward 6-7k!!! I'm not that stupid, lol, but I would like to know what everybody else is using,how much everyone's coughing up for their lifts (ballpark figures of course) if any of these allegations carry any merit, and what are some real issues I need to be aware of from people that actually have Rams with suspension lifts.

 

I guess the first place to start is how high are you intending to go? Also what sort of driving do you do or plan to do with your truck?

The bigger the lift the more parts are going to be replaced and the more the cost goes up, especially if you are paying someone for their labor.

Axle upgrades usually come into play more when you start putting the bigger tires under your rig, which, yes is usually the purpose of lifting in the first place. But even then its a matter of how large the tires are and the sort of driving you do.

 

In my opinion it is not hard to gain a good looking stance to your truck. I would start with a 2 1/2 in level kit for from which runs around $75...and an add a leaf for rear...then id throw some 33s, or 35 in tires on


If your doing it for off roading purposes what i suggested would be good and make the truck stance look great...you dont need much my truck is stock height with 265s and she has been through major mudd pits, streams, i even crossed moxie river in maine with it....these trucks can go a long way with stock height

 

I usually drive like gramps, I use it for a DD, and don't really plan on doin any crazy off roadin, currently sits on 35" tires which is part of the reason I'm wanting the lift (clearance so the tires don't hit the hubs when I make a sharp turn) I'm lookin to lift her 5" all suspension

 

Well there are cheap ways to lift these trucks and there are expensive ways. A good complete 5" lift with shocks is going to be anywhere from $1500 and up. If you have some basic tools, a couple of jacks and jack-stands this can be done in a weekend by the average person. Shop time I would expect to see a 8hr bill plus shop supply's.

There are coil spring spacer kits and there are new coil spring kits, to each there own but I would never do a 5" lift using spacers.

Axles are more tire size related, the Dana 44 is good up to a 37 inch tire after that it is best to do a free spin kit or a Dana upgrade.

Yes it will get a little worse mpg.

Depending on what you are rubbing the tires on a lift kit might not solve your problem, that is a rim offset or backspace issue.

 

I see you got a lift, can you give me some specs? Issues you've had with it? Etc... ive heard that doing a suspension lift can destroy U-joints as well as dozens of other mechanical issues, any validity to these charges?

 

i've got a 5" rough country with 35's on mine. cost me less than $900 for the kit shipped which is a bargain (relatively speaking). i did a lot of shopping around and this kit is def the best bang for the buck IMO. not sure how much install would be though, i did it myself. no problems so far. as long as you don't drive like a moron and beat the p!ss out of your rig, this is a very solid entry level lift.

if mileage is important to you i'd advise against a lift. my drop in mileage wasn't significant (suprisingly..) but its for sure not going to go up or stay the same.

 

Well until this sat it just had a 5" lift but what you now see in my sig pix is a 7 inch lift and 35 tires.

The 5" kit was Skyjacker D501k or something, zero problems with the kit, none, well I did not like their hydro shocks one bit.

This is were a full kit comes into play, a good full kit will address all of the issues that can be associated with a lift kit. You start piecing a kit together it will bite you in the a** fast, unless you know what you are doing.

Based on a 5" lift

Cross joints no problem, drive shaft or in the diffs
Drive shaft lengths, no mods are needed.
T case angle is OK

I am not sure what else you have heard so I can't address them.

 

for you to just clear on a DD, id say get a 3" suspension kit and add a leveling kit on top of that, for the other 2". cheaper.

 

what all is included in a full kit? how much $$$? i wanna do it the right way or not at all, and why didnt u like the hydro shocks?