This information is for anyone thinking of buying a "Leveling Kit" or a mild lift kit for there modern day IFS, double wishbone, torsion, or any other IFS front end truck.
It's been really popular lately, for truck owners to install what is called a "leveling kit" or, a 2 or 3" front end lift kit for there pickup truck, so they can clear larger tires.
Currently I have done quite a few installs. I have done some F-150s, some Dakotas, and a Silverado 1500.
The point of this thread, is to inform potential buyers, to please stay away from such kits. The kit is generally a steel spacer that bolts to the top of the strut assembly. The spacer doesn't pre-load the spring, but instead, it sits like a crown on top of the upper strut plate, putting space between the strut frame mount and the strut itself.
Making a strut longer on any IFS vehicle is a bad idea. Increasing the struts length, and putting more space between the upper and lower control arm throws geometry way off. At static ride height, a vehicle wearing a leveling kit sits in a position where the suspensions down travel travel is at 2" or 3" (depending on the kits lift.) This puts the cv joints for the transfer case out of the normal operating range and angle they should function at, as well as causes the power steering rack (if applicable)to have poor tie rod operating angles. A tie-rod that used to operate nice and parallel to the ground, is now working at an angle.
With the kit installed, allowing full articulation of the front end causes even bigger problems. Now that the strut is displaced 2-3" lower in the strut tower/frame mount, it now fully extends too long for the other front end components, causing over extension of the cv joints, tie rods, and upper control arms.
Ive noticed that this translates into the upper control arm drooping down to the point where it swings into the struts coil spring, where it rests. This makes the upper ball joint the suspension limiter, instead of the strut. I can only imagine the shortened life the ball joint will suffer with a leveling kit setup.
Leveling kit companies such as "ready lift" and "truxxx" to name a few state that "our kits will not alter the factory ride feel" Although this statement is true, because the strut assembly's shock remains unchanged, it is doing a number on your front end.
I will argue that such a kit will make your truck LESS capable of off road tasks.
It seems there is very little information online about how these kits negatively effect a modern day IFS front end pickup truck. I figured I would start a rant on THIS FORUM, because it has been the best, and most thorough in exposing what a waste of money a K&N air filter is.
In short, you simply cannot lengthen a strut on an IFS and "call it a day". These kits are complete garbage, and I urge anyone who is taking good care of there pickup truck, to stay away from these things.
I apologize if I have posted this is the wrong section.
I am sure this isn't news to someone with a drive line or suspension background, but for the common guy looking to run larger tires, i think it should become common knowledge.
Anyone have any feelings on this?
It's been really popular lately, for truck owners to install what is called a "leveling kit" or, a 2 or 3" front end lift kit for there pickup truck, so they can clear larger tires.
Currently I have done quite a few installs. I have done some F-150s, some Dakotas, and a Silverado 1500.
The point of this thread, is to inform potential buyers, to please stay away from such kits. The kit is generally a steel spacer that bolts to the top of the strut assembly. The spacer doesn't pre-load the spring, but instead, it sits like a crown on top of the upper strut plate, putting space between the strut frame mount and the strut itself.
Making a strut longer on any IFS vehicle is a bad idea. Increasing the struts length, and putting more space between the upper and lower control arm throws geometry way off. At static ride height, a vehicle wearing a leveling kit sits in a position where the suspensions down travel travel is at 2" or 3" (depending on the kits lift.) This puts the cv joints for the transfer case out of the normal operating range and angle they should function at, as well as causes the power steering rack (if applicable)to have poor tie rod operating angles. A tie-rod that used to operate nice and parallel to the ground, is now working at an angle.
With the kit installed, allowing full articulation of the front end causes even bigger problems. Now that the strut is displaced 2-3" lower in the strut tower/frame mount, it now fully extends too long for the other front end components, causing over extension of the cv joints, tie rods, and upper control arms.
Ive noticed that this translates into the upper control arm drooping down to the point where it swings into the struts coil spring, where it rests. This makes the upper ball joint the suspension limiter, instead of the strut. I can only imagine the shortened life the ball joint will suffer with a leveling kit setup.
Leveling kit companies such as "ready lift" and "truxxx" to name a few state that "our kits will not alter the factory ride feel" Although this statement is true, because the strut assembly's shock remains unchanged, it is doing a number on your front end.
I will argue that such a kit will make your truck LESS capable of off road tasks.
It seems there is very little information online about how these kits negatively effect a modern day IFS front end pickup truck. I figured I would start a rant on THIS FORUM, because it has been the best, and most thorough in exposing what a waste of money a K&N air filter is.
In short, you simply cannot lengthen a strut on an IFS and "call it a day". These kits are complete garbage, and I urge anyone who is taking good care of there pickup truck, to stay away from these things.
I apologize if I have posted this is the wrong section.
I am sure this isn't news to someone with a drive line or suspension background, but for the common guy looking to run larger tires, i think it should become common knowledge.
Anyone have any feelings on this?