To be clear, I did NOT start this thread just to stir the pot. I really do want opinions on what everyone thinks looks and performs the best, but I guess I always knew that asking for opinions and views was going to cause the back and forth banter that's already started, haha. I guess I can say I'm getting the knowledge, and entertainment at the same time. Keep it coming!

 

i have to agree with hemi ram, started driving in 73. first car was a camaro 327 short block, worked it as much as i could for "more power" . its like a drug, you always want more. with that being said i also agree with "to each his own". being part of the jeep world, i also agree with, "upgrade when it breaks. my point is simply, my 2011 ram sport 4x4 is good as is, if my needs change then i will add to my truck as needed.

to original post, there are many lift kits out there, i personally like old man emu and aev, though i am not sure if they make lifts for our truck. i would advise finding one that meets your needs and try to get one that stays as close to a stock ride and handling on the road. they all change the way the truck will handle on the road. as for cai, again make sure the filter is capable of filtering in your expected worse condition you will encounter. i prefer dry filters. wheels are easy, get the ones that fit properly, meet your needs, airing up and down, if you plan to offroad. backspacing will depend on size of tire you put on so it will fit with out rubbing, keeping in mind it will strain your front wheel assemblies if you go larger and wider. hope i helped a little.

 

Very well put Laramie1997!!!!To me its no different than paying for the internet,extra channels on the satellite tv,or renting movies......Whatever the expense may be.IMO,if your bills are paid,and you have some money stashed back for hard times,then lay it to it!!!!Like you said,you can't take your money to the grave with you,only left for someone else to spend,while you could have enjoyed it.All i'm trying to say is,you only have one natural life,live it to the fullest!!!

 

I completely agree, I just think that the wiser investment would be elsewhere in life; my truck is so good as is that I bought the wife one exactly the same

Or another perspective is I'd rather have the iPad I'm typing this on than make my truck a bit higher or lower.

Each to his own though.

 

lol I like to argue. That's about it.

To answer your question from earlier(I didn't see it or I would have at the time): The smallest wheel you can go down to is indeed a 17" wheel due to clearance over the rotors.

 

Wow, you guys are awesome. I love the fast responses, seems like everytime I come home I have at least a few more of them to read. As far as where to spend your money, that all comes down to personal preferance. Lol the iPad is your way of spending the extra money, some of us others like to do stuff to our trucks. I am in no way being confrontational, just wanted to point that out. I'm fine with having a computer that I can simply get on the internet with, I don't need something crazy. On the other hand, mods to my truck are what I will spend the money on.

As far as a lift goes, what does everyone think of Rough Country? They have a 4 inch lift for about $1300.00, but yes, I want to stay as close to a factory ride as possible. I think that should go without saying, but some people aren't that concerned about it. The 17 inch wheel issue is very good to know, I've stupidly or ignorantly been looking at a lot of 16 inch wheels, and I'm very glad to find this out before I spend the money. On the issue of the CAI, this may sound stupid, but what is the difference between a dry filter and an oiled filter? What are the benefits and drawbacks of each?

 

I don't play with lifts, so I cannot comment. BUT what I can say is that Rancho makes excellent lift products compared to some other brands out there. Just be willing to pay what they want for the system though.


As for the difference between the two filter elements...

A dry filter element is usually a paper filter just like you would find in a spa or anything else that has a filter. 90% of the time, these will be a use it once and throw it away type of design. Now, recently, there has been a few brands hit the market with a dry reusable filter made of paper. You clean them just like you do an oil system. I have not heard anything good or bad about the setup, but from what I have seen, they mimic a spa filter very closely. Which as you know will be immersed in water all the time, so they should hold up. The draw back is that over time, they will cost more money than an oiled element (Disposable) and they restrict air flow quite a bit more compared to others.

For an oiled system, the element is usually made out of cotton gauze with an oil applied to the gauze. The oil is there to aid in the filtration process which is part of why they allow better air flow compared to paper systems. The draw back for some is that you do have to clean them, and every time you clean them, you have to dry them and then reoil them. Drying for me takes about two hours in the hot sun. Also, you can go longer between change/cleaning compared to paper filters. The drawback that some feel is important is that an oiled filter does not filter as well as their paper counterparts. While this is true, it's also the same thing as trying to split a hair. The things that an oiled filter will not catch will incineration inside the combustion chamber before causing any damage. Of course, silica (sand) is a major concern as even the explosion that happens in your motor is not hot enough to incinerate it. Everyone stops at that last sentence and gasps. I know. My rebuttal to it is that it takes a large portion of sand before causing harm to your motor. In fact, you wouldn't notice it at all unless of course you decided to take your truck to the beach and in which case you'll know something's up. Again, I feel that it's a negligible issue. If our 5.7's were high revving high horse power motors that would react to the tiniest of changes in its environment, then I would be saying something different, but this is not the case.

 

From the Jeep world, Rough Country was always known for their saggy springs after awhile. Of course the rears went first to give you that squat look. They were known for a lift on a budget.

 

Ram09, is this typically due to heavy wheeling, or is this just going to happen over time with a Rough Country lift? I don't plan on doing anything too serious, I just don't want to go cheap and have something not last, but I don't see the need to spend every dime in the piggy bank if I'm not going to use the more expensive lift for hard wheeling. Please advise!

 

Then why do you have this in your signature?