Thanks for the quick and thoughtful responses. All seem logical to me. I guess without spending a lot of money, we can't have our cake and eat it too as far as mpg and ride quality and a more aggressive look. Don't know how you guys feel but to me, my RAM rides better than any F-150 or Silverado I've ever driven or ridden in and I hate to mess that up too much just for looks. And considering it has a hemi, I'm very happy with my mpg, especially on the highway.

Given the stock stance, though, it takes a hell of a lot of load to actually bring the truck level in the rear. I have a 30 ft RV trailer that barely levels the truck out when hooked up. I've never had enough cargo in the bed to level it out that much. However, I certainly wouldn't want to be towing my RV and looking up at the sky through the windshield. So, I'd have to be careful what I do with it, if anything. Especially if I don't want to put a lot of money into it.

 

I was literally looking up at the sky and blinding everyone at night with my ATV loaded. I can tow a 7700 lb. tractor on a dual axle trailer and not have the back drop near where it did with the 700 lb. ATV in the bed.
The culprit was my tool box. The ATV sits so far back that ALL the weight is behind the rear axle. Air bags fixed it perfectly and it only takes about 30# of air in them (capacity is 100#) for the truck to sit perfectly level. I'm also VERY impressed with how much smoother the truck takes bumps when towing that big tractor.
SINGLE BEST $200 INVESTMENT I'VE EVER MADE were air bags...



The key here Greg, is to do the install yourself. Even though I have a full suspension lift (done myself), I've installed keys for a couple friends (I've also done the free bolt crank for guys). Keys are super simple to install as are a set of air bags. My bags (the only ones that work on a lifted truck) require drilling a couple holes in the frame, although I opted to go away from the instructions and welded my brackets on, but other models by Air Lift as well as Firestones and no-name ones on the internet allow for installation with just basic hand tools in about two hours in your driveway.
Keys are under $100 and the bag kits (as long as you don't opt for fancy add-ons like on-bard compressor, auto level kits, etc) are under $200. If you install them yourself, we are talking the look and performance you want for around $300...

 

Looking at it from a physics point of view it doesn't matter if you bag the rear or not. The more you raise the front the more weight transfer you get to the rear! The more weight transfer to the rear the more you unload the front suspension. That is great if you want to go drag racing but it's hell when you have to go around a corner! The more you raise the front the more the front geometry unloads and the more chance you have of loosing the front and ploughing into a tree!

 

Aerodynamics is the primary reason. For 2009, Chrysler dropped the front end an additional 1" i believe for MPG gains. .5mpg supposedly along with the side mirror design change resulted in a 1mpg difference?????


fyi...Also, EPA changed things begining for the 2008 year.
ALL vehicles under 10,000lbs must show mpg's now.

 

I have had mine leveled for about a year or so. No noticeable handling differences and it just looks good. I don't haul anything that heavy and don't really tow anything either so it works for me. Also, my mileage is about the same.

The ride quality is the same. A co-worker has a Nissan Tundra and that thing rides like crap....I was very surprised at how bad it rode.....one funny note is that she put 22"s on it and said it rides better now. I could not imagine how it rode before if it rides better with 22"s because it rode pretty dang rough. I was looking for the reins...

 

What year Tundra? Big diff between the 04/05's and the newer one's. Whole diff truck.

 

I also agree a truck looks better leveled out. My complaint when I bought the 08 was that everyone thought I had a 4X4. Dodge built all Rams on the same line and just installed transfer cases when needed. So a month old I installed a Ground Force drop kit, 4 inch in the rear and 2 inch up front. After I was done I had dropped the rear past level and I installed the Air Lift kit which is the best for ride and hauling the odd 1200 lb tongue weight offshore.

 

Personally I love the raked look, gives it more of an aggressive stance IMO.

 

Yea i'm at a toss up myself, to level it or leave it, i'm sure when i hook up my boat with 1000 lbs tounge weight it won't even budge it down at all, will try it this weekend

 

I bet it does. Mine levels out with my empty 2700# car trailer hooked up with a standard hitch. Not as much with the weight distribution hitch.




I like a bit of a rake myself. Looks faster