Leveling shocks???

Chad's Trail Boss · March 22, 2020

I will man.

I was just checking out Eibach website and they are shut down right now with the Covid-19 crap going on so any orders places now won’t be processed until after this is all over.

The air bags are great because you can get rid of the rake and have the soft leaf springs but then just add air when you need them to be stiffer for a load.

Dunn · March 22, 2020

6 hours ago, Chad's Trail Boss said:

So if I’m reading all this correctly, the Eibach shocks are actually for the standard Silverado not specifically marketed for the Trail Boss but will work if set up right?
Correct?

If we set the bottom of the spring perch to the middle on the shock body or the top that will add back 1 to 2 inches of height getting us back to the 2” lift of the Trail Boss. We can also add the Eibach springs for an additional 1” of lift correct? So basically 3” total lift over standard Silverado. 1” more over the Trail Boss?

Now at this point I know the factory upper control arm is going to start being at the limits for the ball joint angle.

What if I already have the Ready Lift SST kit for the Trail Boss? It comes with new Upper Control arms with corrected length and angle for ball joint. The Ready Lift adds 2” of lift over the Trail Boss lift by using a 1” preload spacer under the spring so we already have to take the Rancho Strut apart to do this. The kit also utilizes a 1” spacer above the strut assembly and doesn’t require trimming the 3 factory studs up top.

I have this Ready Lift system for my Trail Boss at home still in the box.

What if I used the Ready Lift Upper Control arms (to correct upper ball joint angle) and used the Eibach front struts using the middle or top spring perch position (roughly 2” lift back to what the Trail Boss is from factory) then the Eibach springs (adds another 1” lift) then use the Ready lift top strut spacer (adds an additional 1” lift) all together equaling 4” lift over a standard Silverado (2” more than the Trail Boss)?

This would give me the same amount of lift as the Ready Lift kit would alone but more importantly give me a much much better ride and handling.

Would you agree?

For the rear I would install the 3” block supplied by Ready lift and this will still keep me a roughly 1” rake in the rear. I would then have to use shock extensions on the rear to be able to use the Eibach shock or call them and see if they have longer ones or use some Bilstein shocks in the rear that are long enough.

Thoughts?

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I don't know if I would use those ready lift spacers on eibach kit.....basically your just compressing the shit out of the spring to give you more height.....

Chad's Trail Boss · March 22, 2020

I don't know if I would use those ready lift spacers on eibach kit.....basically your just compressing the shit out of the spring to give you more height.....

I would only be using the top strut 1” spacer. Not the preload spacer.
After looking into this further I have decided not to go this route as I could only achieve maybe 1” more height than the Trail Boss already has.
I suppose I could go with a 2” top strip spacer but then I would have to buy even more stuff.
If Eibach would make longer replacement struts specifically for the Trail Boss it would be awesome.

Dunn · March 22, 2020

you should be able to get almost 3in from eibach…..once you get past 2.5-3in you need a lift kit really...don't think you will see any adj strut come out that is going to lift the TB more than it already is because its still just a basic Silverado once you remove the rancho strut.....and if people are doing lift kits on TB whats the point of buying one in first place kinda thing.....none of adj struts are coilevers are recommended at their max height

Ryguy · March 22, 2020

I just assumed the TB had a top spacer in the front coilovers, once I took them apart I realized they have a strut from Rancho with a higher spring perch.

Ryguy · March 22, 2020

1 hour ago, Chad's Trail Boss said:

I would only be using the top strut 1” spacer. Not the preload spacer.
After looking into this further I have decided not to go this route as I could only achieve maybe 1” more height than the Trail Boss already has.
I suppose I could go with a 2” top strip spacer but then I would have to buy even more stuff.
If Eibach would make longer replacement struts specifically for the Trail Boss it would be awesome.

I’m pretty sure the replacement strut is longer, they have to account for the spring adding an inch to the travel of the strut if that’s added.

Chad's Trail Boss · March 22, 2020

When using the Eibach strut and the Eibach spring it says here to not use the 3rd or top spring perch position because basically she strut won’t have any down travel left and it will damage it. So even using the Eibach springs you can only achieve 1.9” back to what the trail boss already is. This picture is from the spring installations.

Chad's Trail Boss · March 22, 2020

This one is from the strut installation instructions. This is using the stick spring. Can get up to 2.5” so maybe 1/2” higher than the trail boss already is.

Dunn · March 22, 2020

18 minutes ago, Chad's Trail Boss said:

When using the Eibach strut and the Eibach spring it says here to not use the 3rd or top spring perch position because basically she strut won’t have any down travel left and it will damage it. So even using the Eibach springs you can only achieve 1.9” back to what the trail boss already is. This picture is from the spring installations.

that's with stock spring....add another inch with their spring

Dunn · March 22, 2020

they sell the shocks separate its not a kit with the spring

you can use the eibach spring on stock strut and gain a inch I believe

so if you used another spacer you would be compressing the spring even further.....doesn't matter if its top or bottom its still compressing to add lift....

and that's exactly what spacer does on your stock strut, your limiting its function and travel

shocks are made to ride mostly in top end of stroke where valving its plush, a spacer puts into more of mid stroke where its harsh....so when you alter the stroke of which shock is designed to perform your messing up the dynamics of whats its supposed to do......its why I don't like spacers.....

having a shock that is tuneable and rebuildable ( king,icon or fox coilovers) is worth every penny.....you can change the whole dynamics without buying another and rebuild it when seals, parts wear out.....it is essentially the last shock youll ever buy for that vehicle....

Edited March 22, 2020 by Dunn

Chad's Trail Boss · March 23, 2020

You can only use the Eibach springs with the Eibach struts. Says so in the instructions that I took the screen shots from.
1.9” is max suggested as it says to only use the 3rd position up if you have a heavy front end and not to use the top position at all. This is talking about with the Eibach springs. Not OE springs.
Why would they show ride heights on Eibach struts with stock springs in the instructions for the Eibach springs.
I thoroughly read through the installation instructions for both the struts and the springs.

Here read them:

https://eibach.com/us/pdf/274894

https://eibach.com/us/pdf/274843

It says not to use the Eibach springs with OE shocks because extended travel shocks are required. I’m sure they are referring to the standard Silverado shocks.
Not sure if the Trail Boss shocks would qualify as extended travel. I know they are longer but not sure if they have more travel or if the body is just longer at the bottom. Will have to call them and find out for sure.

Dunn · March 23, 2020

3 minutes ago, Chad's Trail Boss said:

You can only use the Eibach springs with the Eibach struts. Says so in the instructions that I took the screen shots from.
1.9” is max suggested as it says to only use the 3rd position up if you have a heavy front end and not to use the top position at all. This is talking about with the Eibach springs. Not OE springs.
Why would they show ride heights on Eibach struts with stock springs in the instructions for the Eibach springs.
I thoroughly read through the installation instructions for both the struts and the springs.

Here read them:

https://eibach.com/us/pdf/274894

https://eibach.com/us/pdf/274843

It says not to use the Eibach springs with OE shocks because extended travel shocks are required. I’m sure they are referring to the standard Silverado shocks.
Not sure if the Trail Boss shocks would qualify as extended travel. I know they are longer but not sure if they have more travel or if the body is just longer at the bottom. Will have to call them and find out for sure.

not true

Chad's Trail Boss · March 23, 2020

they sell the shocks separate its not a kit with the spring

you can use the eibach spring on stock strut and gain a inch I believe

so if you used another spacer you would be compressing the spring even further.....doesn't matter if its top or bottom its still compressing to add lift....

and that's exactly what spacer does on your stock strut, your limiting its function and travel

shocks are made to ride mostly in top end of stroke where valving its plush, a spacer puts into more of mid stroke where its harsh....so when you alter the stroke of which shock is designed to perform your messing up the dynamics of whats its supposed to do......its why I don't like spacers.....

having a shock that is tuneable and rebuildable ( king,icon or fox coilovers) is worth every penny.....you can change the whole dynamics without buying another and rebuild it when seals, parts wear out.....it is essentially the last shock youll ever buy for that vehicle....

Yes your right for a preload spacer as in you take the strut apart and put it back together with the spacer sandwiched in.
A spacer above the strut assembly doesn’t change any of what you talked about above. You don’t take the strip apart with a spring compressor to install this kind of spacer.

Dunn · March 23, 2020

members have them with stock springs and ive personally spoke to eibach

they didn't have springs yet and said either way.....which makes sense as long as the spring has correct diameters it wouldn't matter....eibachs are beefier and taller I believe

Edited March 23, 2020 by Dunn

snork · March 23, 2020

7 hours ago, Ryguy said:

Here’s how my truck sits with the extra inch in the front. I still have some rake which I’m happy with but not as much as before. That was just a plus for me, I was really looking for the improved ride quality over any lift.

looks good

stock tires?