Most of the kits install above the strut, moving the whole thing downward to get the lift. This increases the travel at full droop since the strut can still extend the same amount as before on top of the distance the spacer moved it. As that takes your suspension outside the range of the factory geometry I could see the possibility of axle bind and increased wear.

The TrailMaster leveling kit installs inside the strut which preloads the spring to achieve the lift. The suspension can still only drop as far as it could with the factory setup but you have less travel from the resting position till you hit full droop. I have this kit on mine and I'm sure it's rougher on the struts but the suspension does stay within the range of the factory geometry.

One other point of difference is that the TM kit will stiffen things up a little as it's preloading the spring. The kits that mount above the strut will have no effect on the spring rate so it should feel the same.

 

after thinking about it I understand the potential for binding and as hard on trucks as i am off road I'm at a crossroad.

I fully understand full size 2wd suspension and setting a truck up for off road performance, but didn't do my due diligence when getting this little guy. I figured fabtek or rough country would have already built a suspension kit, considering it's a 5 yr old truck. As I've also only messed w/ solid axle 4wd, didn't even consider the cv's as an issue. so as far as that goes can someone enlighten me, am I incorrect in assuming that to create a functional susp lift the cv's would need to be swapped to achieve the angle and the shafts extended???(of course I know no one's created one yet)

now a tire question:
when my 98 sat at stock i went from the stock 265/65's(I think it has been along time since she sat like that) to 295/85's and didn't rub as bit, when I lifted the front I went to 36x15.5x18 mt mtx on mt classic lock 18x9's .

enough about that I guess my question now is how much can I get under her @ stock height with the stock 17"s on her without rubbing? Or at least with some minor trimming??

 

I think as far as tires go, 265/65/17 will fit without any rubbing. I'm on 20's and 16's though, so I'm not sure if you can fit 265/70/17's without at least a leveling kit.

 

yeah that's what she's riding on now... that's why I was wondering if anyone had tried to see how much they can get under her without a lift

no way in hell I'm putting a body lift on a truck, in the first place I feel it looks like crap, from driving with others who have them I don't like the ride, and I am way too hard on a truck might as well throw the money in the toilet if I decide to do it.
I'm getting to the point that I might as well trade it in for a RAM as this is looking to be more of a toy... can't do **** to it....

 

body lifts dont change the ride quality at all, as far as looks, well they do make gap gards to cover that up, and yes the frame does show a little more, but no one has ever noticed mine, and there is no durability issues with a body lift if you buy an actuall quality body lift, you should see what i put mine through on a daily basis, if you want to clear a bigger tire, its the perfect option, and it really helps with approach angles, and its the only option for now, other than the leveling kit