If you have installed the TM kit, how much angle do your front cv-joint shafts have when the truck is on a level surface?

I'm wondering if my trx4 has too much angle to even drive normally, much less offroad even a little bit.

Normal height:
[IMG]local://upfiles/69390/4368795C7CC14035B1902FA14602F388.jpg[/IMG]

TM kit height:
[IMG]local://upfiles/69390/D2C9BF0C865749BAB758D44E6E4EA606.jpg[/IMG]

What do you all think, does the 2nd picture compare to your front end (if you can recall?)

 

is your kit the spring spacer or the one that goes on top of the shock?

 

The aluminum spacer that goes between the spring and the upper plate. The 'newer' way of installing it as per TM.

 

When I first put this into 4wd after the install, and tried to climb the side of my driveway I heard a 'popping' sound, pulled it out of 4wd and have not tried since.

I'm concerned that I was hearing some binding.

 

I dono but that 2nd. Pic didn’t look healthy. Need to have a kit to drop the transfer case as well to keep the shafts and joints even.

 

Drop the transfer case? Why? The axle is stationary. Maybe the axle. I personally don't see much of an issue. CV joints "should" be able to handle that angle as it doesn't look very extreme. Get an angle finder if your really worried about it and find the current angle. Or use a plum bob and a protrator. Take the difference between new angle and stock angle. I doubt there's much difference.

The pop noise could have something to do with being on concrete and in 4wd. I know if I'm in 4wd and grass the steering feels pretty stiff.

 

yeah i'm in agreement..i mean if you look at it your just really raising up the front end what 2 inches? so i mean really its gonna inlarge the distance but it looks about the same angle if not at a lesser angle or maybe 1 degree if that over stock...yeah uhm...if you heard a poping noise going up a concrete driveway thats probably because your front wheels were not slipping which in turn is gonna make it bind up a little bit more and you may hear some noise...so try it going on a dirt hill or grass hill and see what it does then!

 

Well what concerns me is that the trx4 package is advertised as having 1" over a standard ST/SLT/Laramie with no changes being made to steering or the axles, then add 2" more.

Really want to keep the TM kit, just don't want to damage anything of course. Most offroad would be maybe some forest trails at the most. Snow of course, nothing like the guys out in the desert do for sure

 

Here' s what you do. Jack up the front end and rotate the wheels make sure its not in 4wheel drive. If the wheels do not rotate freely there is a problem.

 

By installing the TM kit inside the assembly it is as if you just put in longer/stiffer springs. Your suspension is still fully factory limited by your shocks. You may have moved the shock out of its primary valving for cruising, but that sucked anyways...lol. If you had put the TM kit on top of the shock assembly then you would have increase the distance that the suspension could fall, like puting in longershocks. This could cause binding at max travel.
To check for binding at your current angle, the truck has to be lifted under the lower A arm (somewhere solid) just enough to get the tire off the ground. The suspension needs to be loaded like you were driving it, then spin the tires and see if there are any problems. If you jack up the truck by any other spot you can then see how much travel you have left before the shock tops out. Good luck, I think its ok though.