Jump to content

2014+ Leveling Kits

bcazier

By bcazier
in Modifications & Accessories

 Share

Recommended Posts

RobinhoodNC Enthusiast

RobinhoodNC

Posted
Posted

I'm amazed how ridiculous is the stock front suspension downtravel on these trucks. I initially measured for reference exactly 1,5" when I had the 3" front spacers installed with RC forged UCAs, difference from hub to fender. This was without the bumpstop rubber, UCA was resting on the chassis. I thought that the quite poor ride quality was due to that.

 

So I decided to lower the truck to get a bit more downtravel, to 2.25" (readylift). And to my surprise I didn't get that 3/4 inch back in downtravel... No...only a mere 1/5" more ! And the UCA wasn't even touching the bumpstop ! Strut was simply bottomed out...So my 2.4t 20feet long 4x4 truck has hardly 2,4" of downtravel on its front struts. Lol. Even my business car Kia Sportage has more wheel travel...This is maybe explained by the so stiff springs they have. They hardly compress when jacking down. Then  I did put back the rubber bumpstops but these are only slightly in contact with the UCAs. So with a 2 inch level kit on stock UCA I guess that full downtravel is still almost here, that's why ride quality isn't too much impacted. 

 

Know I just need to find longer/smoother springs...but impossible to find the spring rate on mine.

  • Replies 7.7k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

Saleenpowr
Saleenpowr

So i put my RC 2" level kit and Toyo 295/55/20's on this weekend. Install was simple, just like on my 2011. It definitely helps to have an extra set of hands when wedging that spacer in there. 295/

Saleenpowr
Saleenpowr

Thanks. Here is one more from yesterday. Considering we're getting 8-10 inches of rain the next two days, I won't be taking any better pics soon.  

FH212
FH212

Mine is finally done! After months of research I went with the RC 2.5" level kit front only, stock rear block. 20"x9" Fuel Nutz w/ +1 offset, 33x12.50x20 Toyo M/T tires. No rubbing, No trimming, yet a

Posted Images

ZX14R BUSA KILLER Enthusiast

ZX14R BUSA KILLER

Posted
Posted (edited)

I went with a Rough Country 3" lift leveling kit. 20" KMC DemoDog Wheels with -18 Offset, and with 33" Offroad Tires.

20200304_091621.jpg

20200306_080154_HDR.jpg

Edited by ZX14R BUSA KILLER
Riddick1224 Enthusiast

Riddick1224

Posted
Posted

I’m looking to lower the back of my 2016 to level the truck out. Any suggestions?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

mcdavis Enthusiast

mcdavis

Posted
Posted
On 4/13/2020 at 10:36 PM, Riddick1224 said:

I’m looking to lower the back of my 2016 to level the truck out. Any suggestions?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've read that you can just remove the blocks from the leaf springs and it'll drop the rear about 1 1/2". Google it, lots of info on it. Doesn't make it perfectly level, but makes it look much better from what I've seen.

Bensjamming Enthusiast

Bensjamming

Posted
Posted

Why does it matter with the RC 2' spacers if you install the bolts from the top down or if you have the nuts on the top of the strut since neither the head or not come into contact with the spacer itself?

mikeyk101 Senior Enthusiast

mikeyk101

Posted
Posted (edited)
38 minutes ago, Bensjamming said:

Why does it matter with the RC 2' spacers if you install the bolts from the top down or if you have the nuts on the top of the strut since neither the head or not come into contact with the spacer itself?

The one thing I see with doing the bolts from the top down is that changing out the struts when its needed wont be too easy. From bottom up, it is a much simpler job. However. The bolts used are too long and would cause interference. Some have solved this by cutting down the bolts. But with that being said, I did follow the Rough Country installation directions and installed them from the top down. Hopefully it wont be for awhile but dreading the time when the struts need to be changed out...

Edited by mikeyk101
Bensjamming Enthusiast

Bensjamming

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, mikeyk101 said:

The one thing I see with doing the bolts from the top down is that changing out the struts when its needed wont be too easy. From bottom up, it is a much simpler job. However. The bolts used are too long and would cause interference. Some have solved this by cutting down the bolts. But with that being said, I did follow the Rough Country installation directions and installed them from the top down. Hopefully it wont be for awhile but dreading the time when the struts need to be changed out...

I was thinking the same thing. Is the interference with the cv axle then I take it? If so I might just measure the thickness of the stock configuration from bolt head to end of stock bolt and then just add the thickness of the spacer and cut the bolts right away. Just seemed like alot more work then needed when they could be put in the other way.

mikeyk101 Senior Enthusiast

mikeyk101

Posted
Posted

Yes, it is the CV joints that get in the way. If I had a way to properly cut the bolts down, I would have gone that way myself. I guess I could have just run out to the Menards or Home Depot and got the right sized bolts but at the time, part of the front end was in pieces so I had no way to get there, LOL!

Bensjamming Enthusiast

Bensjamming

Posted
Posted

I ended up just taking it all apart and doing it the right way. Start to finish it took me about 45 minutes to do both sides by myself this morning. Was way easier then I thought it was going to be. 

  • Like 1
superdave160 Enthusiast

superdave160

Posted
Posted

I installed the Rough Country spacers on my 2017 Silverado 1500 this weekend.  I could not get the upper ball joint to separate.  I didn't want to use a fork and damage the ball joint or the boot.  The tie rod ends popped right out though.  Since the ball joints would not separate, I couldn't get one of the strut bolts to go in from the top because the axle shaft was in the way.  I put the bolt in from the bottom and noted that there was very little clearance between the end of the bolt and the axle shaft.  I ended up adding some washers to the head of the bolt to increase the clearance.  That gave me enough clearance and still had enough thread penetration for the lock nut to work.  I measured at the front fenders through the center line of the wheels, and they went from 36 1/4 to 38 inches from the ground.

  • Like 1
jgraves13 Enthusiast

jgraves13

Posted
Posted
I installed the Rough Country spacers on my 2017 Silverado 1500 this weekend.  I could not get the upper ball joint to separate.  I didn't want to use a fork and damage the ball joint or the boot.  The tie rod ends popped right out though.  Since the ball joints would not separate, I couldn't get one of the strut bolts to go in from the top because the axle shaft was in the way.  I put the bolt in from the bottom and noted that there was very little clearance between the end of the bolt and the axle shaft.  I ended up adding some washers to the head of the bolt to increase the clearance.  That gave me enough clearance and still had enough thread penetration for the lock nut to work.  I measured at the front fenders through the center line of the wheels, and they went from 36 1/4 to 38 inches from the ground.

If you ever need to get the ball joint separated, just hit the spindle with a hammer until it jiggles itself loose


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
superdave160 Enthusiast

superdave160

Posted
Posted
19 minutes ago, jgraves13 said:


If you ever need to get the ball joint separated, just hit the spindle with a hammer until it jiggles itself loose


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Trust me, I hit it with a hammer!

  • Like 1
  • 4 weeks later...
Pig Sooie 4 Enthusiast

Pig Sooie 4

Posted
Posted

Hey guys! I am new to the board but i bet i have read most of the 496 pages on this topic. I am interested in the 2.5 Rough Country lift kit and was wondering everyones thoughts? I have always had the 2 inch rough country kit on my previous trucks but was interested in this kit due to the rear block. I have 295/55/20 Nitto Ridge Grapplers on this truck now. I received a quote from the dealership i purchased the truck from and the kit plus the labor was quoted at $1200. I thought that was extremely high given the kit is $450. I was wondering what everyones thoughts were on the kit and also the price i was given. Any help is appreciated!

acinquegrana Enthusiast

acinquegrana

Posted
Posted

Finally bit the bullet and got wheelsand tires. My 2016 Silverado 1500 Rally 2LT with ready lift 2.25 and UCA and Zone add leafs.

I went with 2019 GMC Sierra SLT replica wheels in gloss black and LT275 65 R20 Duratracs. Upgrading from 285 45 22 bridgestone duellers. What a difference. You would never know these are a 10 ply tire. Great ride.

To prevent UCA rub, I fabricated some steering stops and tack welded them to the lower control arm. I made them over size and then ground them down to a perfect fit. Lost 6 degrees of turning radius as indicated on the dash, but i dont care about that. I rarely max out my steering. I did this so I didnt have to run a wheel spacer. Trimmed the corner of my mud flaps too. No rubbing at all982e4efd068e0214a1c489ee4a0979b9.jpg

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
acinquegrana Enthusiast

acinquegrana

Posted
Posted

More pics. Pardon the excessive fluid film on the control arms lol. 06140ba1dafd8ae5df655596db4aba49.jpg15722f2b551ea1211f1026e9af359081.jpg6e751727a3466e897d112b640b02e82a.jpg420872c781b78649132dd738a3000e83.jpg

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • twgraham
      Video processing module location

      By twgraham · Posted

      Can someone tell me where the video processing module is in a 2023 Silverado? I'm getting conflicting results that it's in the front passenger area or the rear passenger area behind the seat.
    • Chuck FB
      Missing thrust bearing? And oil selection

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      Yes I agree, its what amounts to free advertising to let people know about his UOA testing company, and not that there is anything wrong with that but certainly that is a motivator for putting out videos about the science of oil as well as other topics such as oil and air filtration etc. The interesting part I found with his last video is not only the physics behind the reason for the varying wear due to a diesels working torque range causing more bearing load and that higher viscosity oil is of benefit, it was also that the chemistry behind the GM Dexos 0W-20 and the Mobil Dexos licensed 0W-20 are far enough apart that its showing up with a difference in wear even though the two oils are matched in viscosity and in that comparison viscosity was not having the finger pointed at it.    There are a few youtubers out there or one anyway that I have watched a bit of who has gone through the pains of accessing various countries manuals for a certain engine platform and while in the US/Canada it may say use 0W-20 or what have you for some Toyota product, in some other countries it sings a very different tune for the very same engine with the typical traditional oil viscosity/ambient temperature charts to help choose which oil viscosity is correct for the conditions the vehicle will be used in and in some cases its taken an engine in a US manual that states only use 0W-20 as per warranty coverage and yet that same engine in certain other countries may have up to a 15W-40 etc oil option that meets the spec. Another words the guy who is driving through Death Valley or Phoenix and south weather at 120f is often being fed a line of bs by the US system that has forced vehicle companies to restrict the warranty to a specific low viscosity oil for anterior reasons as well as the long drain interval suggestions.    Thankfully youtube is free ( yet anyway ) for viewers to sift through information and of course comes with the good and the bad ( truth and lies ) and we can choose to turn off/not watch what a person finds is bs or just not interested in the topic.         
    • Atlas
      Missing thrust bearing? And oil selection

      By Atlas · Posted

      No doubt... But, as someone who doesn't pay for his services, but who has provided a few views/clicks on his Youtube platform, the data around the Mobil oil testing I think does have some value including to "freeloaders" like me.   A lot of what he's doing is likely showing the OE's work in their oil selection, something that many of us had kind of assumed was true all along, a good balance of both excellent protection and efficiency.
    • Z45
      Missing thrust bearing? And oil selection

      By Z45 · Posted

      Lake Speed is drumming up business for his company just by being in the spot-light so he has a vested interest in stoking the 0W-20 fire.  IMO  
    • Chuck FB
      summer road trips in the 2026 2500HD

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I knew when I bought my truck that it had off road hill decent or craw control or whatever they call it and rolled my eyes at that but it gets throw on with other options my truck has, I just never had a heads up if the highway speed regular cruise setting had anything to do with the brakes and that took me by surprise. If you've ever been to the top of Pikes Peak and watched those ahead of you on the way down with their brake lights on constantly, one can guess they are probably not gearing down or not enough anyway if their vehicle will allow and a good reason their is a brake check spot part way down where they use an infra red heat gun to check how hot ones brakes are front and rear.    Your right that once one gets out of the front range by Denver and I've not been on that stretch of 285 between Denver and Fairplay myself but I know its high and Fairplay at 10000 feet, Buena Vista at 8000, it drops a bit from there but then your going back up and over the 11000 pass and Durango is at 6500 . So yes your definitely right that 6500 and a lot higher is the theme of going anywhere out in that direction from Denver but hey, the down hill sections give fantastic fuel mileage !.    I don't even look at the fuel pumps for what premium costs here, since I live on a farm and up to this point get fuel delivered I am rarely in front of a fuel pump and when I am, I am often using card lock bulk fuel stations so it tells me what the price is AFTER I buy the fuel. Looking up on gas buddy and converting to US gallons but in Canadian dollars, regular on average of the prices listed was around 5.95 and premium is around 7.00 . That was one reason I did not go for the 6.2 half ton aside from its lack of carrying/towing if one was going by the rule of using premium fuel and until recently one could only buy regular farm gas if playing the few cents off game for farm dyed fuel for a "farm licensed pickup". But yes I hear you on the fuel price difference and like the diesel theme with it often being more expensive then gas it doesn't have quite the charm to it either as it once did although right now here for some reason the price of diesel has come down more so its now inline with the price of regular gas. 

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...