For those looking to level a Trail Boss or AT4

wepiii · December 18, 2020

I’m not sure if this will help anyone or not, but I’ve gotten so much info from this forum, I wanted to try to give back some. I recently purchased a 2021 Trail Boss LT, and just finished getting it level.

Here is what I ended up doing.

I went with the Rough Country 1.5 inch level instead of the Ready Lift 1.75. I’m sure the readylift would have been fine, but I read a couple things about it being bad for 4wd Auto and my thinking was that maybe 1.5 would be a little safer on the transfer case. Also, at 1.5, that I would have less of a control arm issue. Especially because the Rough Country kit did not include new control arms.

Well, I had the level installed, and I was not happy with the angles. I’m 99.9% sure everything would have been fine, but my 3 year old rides with me, and that .01% was driving me crazy.

I ended up purchasing the Rough Country control arms that are designed to work with their non trailboss/at4 3.5 inch lift kit. My thinking was, 2 inches from the factory, plus 1.5 level is equal to 3.5.

I just had them installed, and they are a tight fit with 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers installed, but they do fit.

I’m attaching 3 pictures, from left to right it is control arm angle on factory ride with factory 275/65r18 Duratracs, then in the middle 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers with RC 1.5 installed and factory controls arms. And then last picture on the right is 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers with RC 3.5 inch lift kit control arms.

I’m satisfied with the angles now, and it could be all in my head, but I swear the ride is better now. I don’t feel every little crack in the road like I was.

Anyway, not sure any of this will help anyone, but figured I’d post it all in case.

Thanks!

wepiii · December 18, 2020

Oh, here’s a picture of the final product.

Kchampagne · December 18, 2020

6 hours ago, wepiii said:

Oh, here’s a picture of the final product.

Looks fantastic!

Firehawk99 · December 19, 2020

9 hours ago, wepiii said:

I’m not sure if this will help anyone or not, but I’ve gotten so much info from this forum, I wanted to try to give back some. I recently purchased a 2021 Trail Boss LT, and just finished getting it level.

Here is what I ended up doing.

I went with the Rough Country 1.5 inch level instead of the Ready Lift 1.75. I’m sure the readylift would have been fine, but I read a couple things about it being bad for 4wd Auto and my thinking was that maybe 1.5 would be a little safer on the transfer case. Also, at 1.5, that I would have less of a control arm issue. Especially because the Rough Country kit did not include new control arms.

Well, I had the level installed, and I was not happy with the angles. I’m 99.9% sure everything would have been fine, but my 3 year old rides with me, and that .01% was driving me crazy.

I ended up purchasing the Rough Country control arms that are designed to work with their non trailboss/at4 3.5 inch lift kit. My thinking was, 2 inches from the factory, plus 1.5 level is equal to 3.5.

I just had them installed, and they are a tight fit with 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers installed, but they do fit.

I’m attaching 3 pictures, from left to right it is control arm angle on factory ride with factory 275/65r18 Duratracs, then in the middle 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers with RC 1.5 installed and factory controls arms. And then last picture on the right is 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers with RC 3.5 inch lift kit control arms.

I’m satisfied with the angles now, and it could be all in my head, but I swear the ride is better now. I don’t feel every little crack in the road like I was.

Anyway, not sure any of this will help anyone, but figured I’d post it all in case.

Thanks!

Maybe its just me or the angle the picture was taken, but the last picture of the 3.5 RC control arm looks off. The zerk fitting which should be the center of the ball joint looks as if its not centered on the knuckle. In other words the UCA looks as if its to long. BTW the truck looks awesome!

Edited December 19, 2020 by Firehawk T/A

Ithan Henry · December 19, 2020

Looks good. Those angles with the stock arms look dicey. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade.

Coles5515 · December 19, 2020

13 hours ago, wepiii said:

Oh, here’s a picture of the final product.

Man! I have my kit sitting in the box in the garage and it kills me to see your truck cause we will have the same setup.

Kickerz71 · December 19, 2020

Man! I have my kit sitting in the box in the garage and it kills me to see your truck cause we will have the same setup.

Are you using the non trail boss level kit from RC?

Coles5515 · December 19, 2020

1 hour ago, Kickerz71 said:

Are you using the non trail boss level kit from RC?

No I’m using a TB Readylift SST kit

wepiii · December 19, 2020

10 hours ago, Coles5515 said:

Man! I have my kit sitting in the box in the garage and it kills me to see your truck cause we will have the same setup.

Get it done!

Coles5515 · December 19, 2020

5 minutes ago, wepiii said:

Get it done!

Hahah! Only if it was that easy, 70 hours a week at work, 2 kids under 4, and it’s effffing cold out! Might be sitting until spring

wepiii · December 19, 2020

Maybe its just me or the angle the picture was taken, but the last picture of the 3.5 RC control arm looks off. The zerk fitting which should be the center of the ball joint looks as if its not centered on the knuckle. In other words the UCA looks as if its to long. BTW the truck looks awesome!

Kinda had me worried for a second, I hadn’t noticed that but it does look off. I looked up a picture though and I think it’s just how they are. The zerk doesn’t appear to be on the same angle as the knuckle on the RC arm.

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wepiii · December 19, 2020

Hahah! Only if it was that easy, 70 hours a week at work, 2 kids under 4, and it’s effffing cold out! Might be sitting until spring

Touché

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22DarkAshZ71 · December 30, 2020

On 12/18/2020 at 10:52 AM, wepiii said:

I’m not sure if this will help anyone or not, but I’ve gotten so much info from this forum, I wanted to try to give back some. I recently purchased a 2021 Trail Boss LT, and just finished getting it level.

Here is what I ended up doing.

I went with the Rough Country 1.5 inch level instead of the Ready Lift 1.75. I’m sure the readylift would have been fine, but I read a couple things about it being bad for 4wd Auto and my thinking was that maybe 1.5 would be a little safer on the transfer case. Also, at 1.5, that I would have less of a control arm issue. Especially because the Rough Country kit did not include new control arms.

Well, I had the level installed, and I was not happy with the angles. I’m 99.9% sure everything would have been fine, but my 3 year old rides with me, and that .01% was driving me crazy.

I ended up purchasing the Rough Country control arms that are designed to work with their non trailboss/at4 3.5 inch lift kit. My thinking was, 2 inches from the factory, plus 1.5 level is equal to 3.5.

I just had them installed, and they are a tight fit with 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers installed, but they do fit.

I’m attaching 3 pictures, from left to right it is control arm angle on factory ride with factory 275/65r18 Duratracs, then in the middle 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers with RC 1.5 installed and factory controls arms. And then last picture on the right is 295/70r18 Ridge Grapplers with RC 3.5 inch lift kit control arms.

I’m satisfied with the angles now, and it could be all in my head, but I swear the ride is better now. I don’t feel every little crack in the road like I was.

Anyway, not sure any of this will help anyone, but figured I’d post it all in case.

Thanks!