When you install the spacer on top of the strut, it allows the control arm to stretch beyond stock from what I understand, therefore causing problems with your CV. By installing it in the strut, it allows you to keep the stock restrictions in the strut play so you cant over-stretch your front end. At least I think.

 

i thoght the leveling kit jsut made bad geometry angles just from the regular stance

 

I can understand that. It just seems like it would result in a harsher ride because you are pre-compressing the coil spring with it inside the strut. I know it's not between the coils like a coil spacer, but the only lift you get is from the compressed spring as opposed to actually increasing the "height" of the suspension, if you know what I mean. Just trying to make an educated choice, i've been a "low rider" for awhile, now it's time to go in the other direction.....

 

Ok, we need to clear a few things up.

Here are the two types of spacer location: 1. between the spring and hat (inside the strut assembly). This is how TM currently has the instructions set up. This acheives a stiffer spring rate, hence "stiffening" the front end. Unfortunately, this makes the front end too stiff if you have rancho shocks.

2. between the hat and perch (outside the strut assembly, above the hat). This is how the daystar kits are installed, and how I installed my TM kit before they changed the instructions.

I ran a TM kit for more than a year, with heavy off roading, and zero issues. Here's the problem I see with locating the spacer between the spring and hat: this will increase spring stiffness in the front. Some people may want that, but I have found that the springs are plenty stiff to begin with. It's our factory struts that have all the issues with having a "soft" front end. A set of Ranchos completely solves this issue, even without a spacer to stiffen the spring rate.

Both ways achieve the EXACT SAME THING! Both of them increase ride height in the front, whether it is inside or outside the strut assembly. Therefore, changing the angle of the control arms, cv shafts, and tie rod ends. There is no harm in going with a 1.5" kit, or even 2". Some have reported problems, but they could be related to other issues as well. In my experience, I wheel my truck, and have never replaced ball joints, cv shafts, or tie rod ends. Even with my truck on jackstands, and the front wheels off the ground, at full strut extension, I do not get cv bind (with a 2" leveling kit).

Keaton, yes it is a little more labor intensive to remove the springs from the strut assembly, but it makes no difference if you are changing your struts to monroe's or ranchos at that time...because you would have to do all of this anyway.

 

so then what is the best way to install them?

 

I'm going with the ones on top of the strut so I can do it myself. Thanks Donkey

 

The TM spacer inside the strut may make the ride stiffer, but its a superior way to install a leveling kit., IF you don't plan on fixing all the rest of the front end to compensate...

The main difference is, with the TM kit installed inside the strut, the shock of the strut still acts as the suspension limiter, so the suspension cannot travel any longer then it normally would, because the strut runs out of play. This stops cvs, control arms and the like from extending any farther then they actually could with the stock setup. The kit works by eating up some of your travel to create the lift. The strut is actually still in the same location, but its static position is farther in the suspension travel, because the spring is now pre-loaded more, as if you installed a stronger spring. You don't actually gain articulation, you loose it, and gain lift.

With the daystar style kit, the strut is actually lowered in the mount, so its now 2" lower. Now when the strut fully extends, it virt.ually extends 2" longer then it normally would, because the strut starts a few inches lower in its mount. At that point the upper control arm swings into the struts coil spring, and the upper ball joint becomes the limter long before the shock runs out of travel. At this point all other components are stretched a few inches beyond what they normally could be. Since you displace the strut in its perch, you gain articulation, but no other components in the front end are equipt to handle such a thing.

Both types of kit suck imo, but the TM method could potentially be more reliable.

I wouldn't want either.

 

Im going with the TM kit inside the strut with Ranchos ..... Hopefully its not too stiff.

 

I have rancho struts and the trailmaster kit inside compressing the spring, and I think the ride is awesome, it's a bit stiffer but it's not unbearable.

 

the ONLY difference between the 2 styles is the extension of your shock. Over the strut will maintain factory shock stroke. Intalling inside of the strut (using the spring compressor) takes away 1.5" or so of shock travel. So you actually loose droop travel by installing it IN the spacer instead of ON the spacer. The balljoint angles and such are the same between kits.