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Dodge Ram 2009-Present: Lift and Level Modifications

There are many options to achieve new heights in your Dodge Ram. Here are some methods.

By Jeffrey Smith - July 27, 2015

This article applies to the Dodge Ram (2009-present).

Are you looking to exponentially increase your boulevard intimidation factor? Raising your Dodge Ram up might be just the thing. There are many different ways of lifting your truck, from the easy modification of adding some spacers to the top of your springs to the slightly more complex body lift. Which is the right choice? That is entirely up to your skills and abilities of mechanical work, as well as cost and time factors. Some can be done very quickly in about an hour to several hours for an entire kit and strut assembly. Spacers are a very inexpensive way to get some height, while lift kits get a little more expensive. Read on to learn about the different methods you can choose, based on how high you want to go or how much time and money you are willing to spend, to achieve the desired results.

Lift and Level Modifications

There are four main methods of lifting your Dodge Ram. Adding spring spacers, complete leveling kits, suspension, and body lifts will give your truck the height you are looking for. Each has their own pros and cons, but the ultimate choice comes down to what works for you. These kits vary in ease of installation; the choice is whether you want to do it on your own or have a professional shop do the work for you with the added expense of labor.

Figure 1.This lift created new heights for this Ram.

Spring Spacers

DIY Cost – $200

Professional Cost – $400 depending upon parts

Skill Level– Easy; No special tools required and can be done without removing strut.

Adding coil spring spacers to the front and rear are an easy method for achieving a little lift and leveling of your truck. Typical height on these adds about 2-2.5 inches of lift on the front and about 1.5 inches on the rear to get rid of the rake. These will not work for the TRX4 model unless you swap out the shocks to non-TRX4 such as Bilstein 5100s which is basically a leveling kit. This is the easiest and most cost efficient way to get some height on your truck without needing any extra work or much mechanical knowledge at all. You can do this in your own garage in about an hour. Recommended if you're looking for the easiest and cheapest way to lift your truck.

Leveling Kits

DIY Cost – $50-150

Professional Cost – Starting around $200 and up

Skill Level – Easy; Most leveling kits need no special tools or strut disassembly.

Leveling kits add some spacers to the existing coils and do not need strut disassembly either. These kits can add as little as one inch to the front and up to about 2.5 inches in the rear. This will negate the rake and level off the truck nicely. It will add a little extra clearance in the wheel well for your existing tires or may allow you to add one size up to your existing wheels. Recommended if you're looking to purchase big size tires with your lift.

Suspension Lifts

DIY Cost – $200-2,000+

Professional Cost – $500-3,000 depending upon parts and labor hours

Skill Level – Easy/Moderate; Minor lifts are much cheaper, larger lifts require additional work.

Suspension lift kits come in quite an array of options. Shorter lifts such as 2-3 inches are basically a full set of spacers to add as shown above. Those who want to sit really high in the saddle with gigantic tires can get a lift of six inches or more. With these larger lifts, there is additional work such as tearing down the OEM struts to add lifting coils and spacers to the strut tower, as well as dropping the differential to avoid the extreme angles they would otherwise place on your drive train. Unless you are highly skilled and have a great set of specialty tools, this large lift might be best left to the professional to install. Recommended if you're looking for big lifts and you're mechanically inclined.

Body Lifts

DIY Cost– $250-600

Professional Cost – Starting at $500 or more

Skill Level – Easy; There is a little more time involved with these kits, but no special tools or extra equipment such as new struts are needed.

Body lift kits take a little longer to install because they basically add spacers all around between the body and the frame. While this will allow for the addition of larger tires, they do not change the ride quality of your truck. They also will not require an alignment after install unlike any of the other suspension lift jobs would. Replacement shocks or struts are not necessary. You can achieve a lift anywhere from three inches up to about five. The higher the lift, the more expensive the kit becomes. Recommended if you don't want to alter the suspension.

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