Hey everyone, new to the site and I can't get enough of it. I have a question in regards to my 06. I had a DS leveling kit and 2in pro comp blocks put in my truck about 7 months ago, my truck looked awesome. Well since then I have had to change the links, bushing twice and now my rack, upper ball joints. My mechanic says its better to take the leveling kit out or I'm just gonna keep having problems. So I decided to just take the leveling kit out. Should I be ok with leaving the rear blocks in? I do not off road.

 

Leaving the rear blocks will just give you a odd rake to the truck.

What size Leveling kit did you have? I know 4x4 shouldnt go over 2".
I got a 2wd and plan to get a 1.5" Leveling kit.

 

Leaving the blocks in should be fine, but you gotta post a picture of that rake!

And welcome to DF.

 

I had have a 2 inch... I love the way the truck looks lifted a little i just. Ant keep them in if there gonna cause that much damage. So im torn with changing the upper Bj, bushings, rack and leaving it in or just taking it out. Im hoping the rake isnt that bad.

And the two times i used 4x4 this winter i had no problems

 

Personally i think the parts just wore out because with or without a leveling kit those front ends arent the best. So well see!!!

 

I'm with you on that, sometimes it's just the luck of the draw. If I gotta replace anything, so be it. I'm only on the TM 1.5" kit though.

 

Are you replacing the parts with factory or aftermarket (MOOG)?

 

I have replaced the entire front end, even before I added my leveling kit with less than 45,000 miles, on a street queen truck that is never abused.

I would not blame the kit, unless you have a leveling kit more than 2". The blame is on DODGE!!

Yes I hope the Dodge representative member DODGECARES reads this, and passes on to dodge so they stop putting cheap parts and stupid engineering into the trucks. Companies get a bad reputation for a reason, and on the other side of the spectrum companies get a good reputations for thing also. Its time companies get good reputations.

 

Cowboy...I'm going with aftermarket.

Eimer...I def blame dodge too.

Well thanks everyone for the comments I'm gonna try to keep it in and just replace all those parts.

 

Sorry you had to learn your lesson the hard way.

I did as well.

I had a 2" leveling kit and 2" blocks way back, and I had 3 steering racks reaplced under warranty by my Dodge dealer. The head honcho there was very understanding, but when I reached strike 3 he pretty much told me how the rack and the inner tie rods get destroyed with any angle of the tie rods. At factory height they run nice and straight, as intended. He said he would only warranty rack #3 if I had the kit removed, and so I removed it. 3 racks in 30k with the kit....1 trouble free rack in the next 30k without the kit. I tend to believe the man.

Once I removed the kit, I never had a problem again, and I have driven 30,000 more miles since.

That same head mechanic told me the rear blocks would cause a rear pinion seal leak, and not to my suprise, I did have one only a year down the road. Got it fixed under warranty, and since the blocks have been removed I have been trouble free in that department as well.

Remove the blocks.


It is not news that leveling kits destroy steering racks...just google search it...Nissan, Toyota, Ford and the like all share power steering rack woes when leveling and lift kits do not address them (most don't).