Hi everyone. I am new to the IFS world, I have lifted lots of jeeps and currently own 3 of them. I am a complete newb with the IFS trucks though and have a few questions. I have an 04 QC 4x4 1500 with the hemi/auto and would like to lift it. Will going with a lift like the rough country 4-5" cause any driveline vibrations, and will I need anything other than the lift and a front end alignment? Sorry if these questions have been beat to death but I have been searching for a few days and couldn't find the answers I needed. Thanks in advance.

 

You shouldn't, the pre-'06 Rams with the torsion fronts don't seem to suffer the vibration issues that can be a problem with the coil-over front IFS Rams.

I have the Rancho 4" kit and if anything, it drives better on the highway.

I was in the same boat as you, this was my first IFS lift, done three SFA trucks and two Wranglers as well as a simple BB on my current Grand Cherokee myself...

 

Thanks, I knew the driveshafts were longer but my 99 grand cherokee came with the rezeppa shaft with the cv's at both ends and after 4" of lift it lasted less than a month. My ram has the cv at the t-case end and I wasn't sure if it would be a problem or not. Still not sure if I want to go with a full suspension lift or just a leveling kit, but it seems the leveling kit would be harder on the axle cv's. I don't plan to go much taller than 33" tires, just can't stand how low it sits now.

 

You are 100% correct, a level, especially over 2" puts those CV shafts at pretty severe angles. Most (but not all) suspension lifts keep the CVs at or close to stock angles. The Fabtech and Superlift kits for the IFS Rams are notorious for CV failures.

I don't have any hands on experience with the Rough County, but it has a reputation of being a sound kit in the lower end of the price scale.

Like any lift, you'll wear out some front end components (tie rod ends, ball joints, etc.) sooner. It's one reason I chose the Rancho kit, it comes with larger, beefier tie rod ends and replaces a good many front end parts. Of course with more parts, a full sub-frame (as opposed to just a single or dual cross-members) it's about the most expensive 4" lifts out there, costing more than most 6" kits.

My GC is an '02 Overland, so it started life about 1" taller with the Up Country suspension, I didn't want more than the BB because it's my DD...

 

Thanks for the info. I saw a previous post of yours about the rancho kit having the new tierods. I will likely save up and get a full suspension kit. After I sell the wrangler maybe I can afford to do some nice mods to the ram. I wish I would have just gone with the budget boost on my GC as well. I have a small fortune in it after all the issues that came with the 4" lift. I had to replace the rear upper A-arm with an adjustable, get adjusatble front upper arms to set the pinion angle, new front driveshaft with u-joints, and on and on. That is why I was curious about lifting the ram, I didn't want to have another snowball affect and end up replacing the whole nine yards.

 

yeah the only problem I got with the GC is my old 9000# winch that used to be on my truck got "hand me downed" to the GC when I stepped into a SUPER deal on the XD9000i I currently have on the truck. I installed a front receiver hitch shortly after the BB and 265/70/17 tires and I scrub a bit when I put the winch on. It's a good 120 lbs or so with the cradle and with the weight so far forward it pulls the front end down just enough to scrub after about 80% turn.

I have been looking at HD springs for the front, but the problem is, they only make them stock height, NOT 1" taller for the Up Country, so I'd lose the inch and be no better off.

It's not a big issue and I keep the home made light bar I made to fit the receiver on 95% of time, but I'd still like to be able to go full lock with the winch on without having to hack the front end up to do so...