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Leveling Kit, How Bad Is It For My Front End?

deepstuff

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deepstuff Enthusiast

deepstuff

Posted
Posted

Hi,

I have an '07 4x4 ext cab new style v-max. I have been thinking of installing a leveling kit. How bad is a leveling kit for my front end and how much extra stress and strain will it cause?

 

Thanks!

700 sportsman Senior Enthusiast

700 sportsman

Posted
Posted

Well, that depends on how you level it, and how much you level it. There are several different sizes of leveling 1",1.5"1.75", 2" 2.5". Also there are strut spacer kits, some mount on the bottom, some on the top, and there are also the Bilstein 5100 adjustable shocks that allow you to adjust how much "lift" you want.

 

Obviously the more you lift, the harder it will be on things. But if you stay at or below the 2" mark, you will keep the additional wear to a minimum, and IMO it will be a long time before the effects "kick in", but I think the added stress is fairly minimal

deepstuff Enthusiast

deepstuff

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Well, that depends on how you level it, and how much you level it. There are several different sizes of leveling 1",1.5"1.75", 2" 2.5". Also there are strut spacer kits, some mount on the bottom, some on the top, and there are also the Bilstein 5100 adjustable shocks that allow you to adjust how much "lift" you want.

 

Obviously the more you lift, the harder it will be on things. But if you stay at or below the 2" mark, you will keep the additional wear to a minimum, and IMO it will be a long time before the effects "kick in", but I think the added stress is fairly minimal

 

I was thinking about 2" with spacers. What are the pros and cons between top and bottom spacers?

blackout07 Senior Enthusiast

blackout07

Posted
Posted

Keep the lift to 2". And the only real difference in the mounting position is the ease of installation. I have had both upper and lower spacers on my truck and both were fairly easy to install. But a lower spacer is an easier install...and typically less expensive as well.

deepstuff Enthusiast

deepstuff

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Keep the lift to 2". And the only real difference in the mounting position is the ease of installation. I have had both upper and lower spacers on my truck and both were fairly easy to install. But a lower spacer is an easier install...and typically less expensive as well.

 

 

Why so some kits have both bottom and top spacers? Whats the purpose of having both in a kit that only gives 2.25" lift? Is there a good reason?

chevy913 Enthusiast

chevy913

Posted
Posted

I just put the rough country 2" level on mine and it was only like $70 and was super easy to install just make sure you get an alignment.

cbsaf Enthusiast

cbsaf

Posted
Posted
Keep the lift to 2". And the only real difference in the mounting position is the ease of installation. I have had both upper and lower spacers on my truck and both were fairly easy to install. But a lower spacer is an easier install...and typically less expensive as well.

 

 

Why so some kits have both bottom and top spacers? Whats the purpose of having both in a kit that only gives 2.25" lift? Is there a good reason?

 

 

 

Typically you can only get 1.5" of lift on top of the strut using a .75" spacer because the bolts run out of length. Also, when you add more than 1" of spacer on the bottom for 2" of lift the strut starts to have a weaker joint with the lower control arm. Seperating the two pieces allows for a larger lift with retaining the most possible factory hardware and strength.

deepstuff Enthusiast

deepstuff

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I just put the rough country 2" level on mine and it was only like $70 and was super easy to install just make sure you get an alignment.

 

 

Any before and after pics?

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