So what size tire can I.... J/K! I've been thinking about the geometry of the front suspension and I'd like to know if anyone's has bottomed out their truck ofter they've installed a level kit, and if you have, did it bottom out on the shock or the bumpstops?

I've been thinking about it a lot lately, your bump stops are there to absorb the bigger hits, prevent other suspension pieces from contacting each other and the shocks from bottoming out damaging them. So if, on an 06-08, you lower the spring/shock assembly 1.5" wouldn't that in effect let the shock bottom out before the bumps stops come into play? Even with 02-05 with the spring spacer it's recommend to install a longer shock and with a longer extended length I assume the compressed length would increase as well and therefor increasing the compressed length pass the bump stops. Does this make sense?

I'm thinking about a level kit but not if it's gonna hammer the sh-t out of the front end should I bottom out.

 

I just added my 3'' spindle and 2'' coil lift on the front (did a shackle lift also) over the weekend and I havent had any issues but I also havent gotten down hard on it yet. I think the general consensus is people are not having issues with them. I say that only because so many people have done it and not once have I read a thread where someone had issues from it.

 

The spacer sits on top of the shock spring assembly, it doesn't lengthen them.

 

I haven't peeked at them yet, but I have heard guys going with longer shocks to prevent bottoming out. You need to take them out anyways and they only run like $140 for the Rancho's.

 

If I have spring/shock assembly, that's say 18", and I bolt a 2" spacer to the top, how is that not lengthening it? You've effectively increased the compressed length as well.

Read my original post a little closer and think about it.

 

Anyone? This is the technical section, right?

 

i installed a level kit and bottomed out the shocks all the time so i upgraded to 2'' longer shocks problem solved

 

By bottom out, do you mean your shock was maxed out/fully extended while unloading the suspension?

 

yes
every bug bump the shocks would extend past factory size their for you need a upgrade

 

I'm asking about bottoming out your suspension ie. fully compressing it, with a spacer above the strut or a longer shock logic would tell me that the wheel's up travel will be stopped by the compressed shock and not the bump stop as it was designed.