I went to a truck shop and they gave me the advice NOT to level the truck (I wanted 2 1/4" - 2 1/2"). They said it is too hard on the axles. That true? Anybody have had any problems due to the leveling?
It's a 2004 Ram 4x4 SLT

 

Many people on here with 4wd trucks leveled the front without any problems. They general rule of thumb though is 2" max.

 

I was told the same thing by a local off road shop just last week, don't do it unless you want problems down the road. But as said, lot of folks have done it. I'm still considering it.

 

It's not just these trucks, it's ANY IFS 4x4. The difference between a true suspension lift and a level kit is that suspension kits account for the CV axle by using drop brackets to keep the shafts at proper angles. Generally 2" Max is considered safe with a level kit...

 

+1. I also went to an honest-to-goodness off road shop and was told the exact same thing. The guy showed me pictures of a Ram he lifted properly that needed a new front differential after 2 years with spacers on it. He even told me he had a whole box of spacers that he'd removed from trucks that he would give me for free if I wanted a set. The cost to do a proper, safe 2" level, which also includes adjusting the rear, was around $3,000. I thanked him for his honesty and saving me from myself, and left.

This is the place if anyone questions his opinion:
www.rmsoffroad.com


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Oh, hmm. I definitely don't want to run into problems due to a level. What other options are there? All I want is my front end level with the rear. Lowering the rear is not an option. Will a lift kit level front and rear, safely? I don't want anything higher than 3" though.

 

You know, I was obsessed with leveling the truck for a time. I was going to use the 5100 leveling shocks after much research. The opinions here and on the Bilstien website were very convincing. But after talking to the off-road shop, who turned away my money for the shocks or spacer installation, I just let it go. I kinda like the jacked-up rear look anyhow. Looks like a hot rod should. don't worry, after a few days of not thinking about leveling he truck, you won't care anymore. That's how it worked for me. Glad I didn't do it now, actually.




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Do a T bar crank and call it a day.
Just don't go over the 2" and you'll be ok.
Makes for a stiffer ride but, after over 130K miles.....I'm still good.
Al.

 

Remember to buy longer shocks after the t-bar crank, and get an alignment. There's a DIY in the FAQ section at the top of the forum

 

There is ALWAYS a risk of premature wear with any lift kit and as I said, because a Level Kit doesn't account for suspension angles it's riskier than proper lift kits. But the risk is increased with height. "Specs" say you can run the CVs up to about a 20% angle which would equal about 1 1/2", but most never have a problem with 2". Hell I'm waiting for someone with 3" of level to come on and say they never had a problem - but it's all relative and the chances of issues increases as the height/weight of wheels/tires, etc. increases.

Level Kits have always been called a "Poor Man's Lift" for a reason and you can't reasonably expect the level of performance out of a free or $100 lift that a $1500-2000 lift can achieve...