Trail Boss Lift Options

[Unclebud87]

10 hours ago, 21trailboss said:

Thanks for posting the pic and the update. Did everything turn out the way you expected?  It looks good for sure and your upper control arms look beefy as hell

Came out great. Just have to find a place to get an alignment now. Anyone have stock height measurements to the bottom of the fender? I'm at 40-1/8" up front.

[Spyderwebb]

29 minutes ago, Unclebud87 said:

Came out great. Just have to find a place to get an alignment now. Anyone have stock height measurements to the bottom of the fender? I'm at 40-1/8" up front.

I'm stock at 39-3/8" front , 40-1/2" rear (same on both sides).

[Unclebud87]

34 minutes ago, Unclebud87 said:

Came out great. Just have to find a place to get an alignment now. Anyone have stock height measurements to the bottom of the fender? I'm at 40-1/8" up front.

Hmm... I'm betting my fender flares are messing up my measurements because you can definitely tell I have more than an inch of lift on mine . I think my rear is 41" I shouldve taken a measurement with the 1.5" spacer I had before because I'm definitely taller than I was with that.

[Spyderwebb]

55 minutes ago, Unclebud87 said:

Hmm... I'm betting my fender flares are messing up my measurements because you can definitely tell I have more than an inch of lift on mine . I think my rear is 41" I shouldve taken a measurement with the 1.5" spacer I had before because I'm definitely taller than I was with that.

Probably right if you're a GMC, the Silverado's have no fender flare:

[21trailboss]

1 hour ago, Unclebud87 said:

Came out great. Just have to find a place to get an alignment now. Anyone have stock height measurements to the bottom of the fender? I'm at 40-1/8" up front.

I’m 39.5 front 41 rear. I have right at 2k miles and haven’t hauled anything in the truck yet 

Edited January 21, 2021 by 21trailboss

[21trailboss]

21 hours ago, lapoolboy said:

Well....I have changed course on my plan....

 

After speaking more with Bilstein and ReadyLift today, I am NOT installing the 2" SST kit with the Bilsteins.  I am going with the Bilstein 6112 kit up front set to the max lift of 1.2" (which should put the truck pretty close to level) and keeping the 5160s in the rear.

 

This way, I can ditch the 1.5" leveling kit (preload spacer) I have and get better shocks at the same time while maintaining close to the same height up front I have now.  I'm not even sure the RC 1.5" leveling kit actually gives a full 1.5" anyway so the difference may not be much.  The other good news is I don't have to replace the UCAs with the 6112s either.

One more question/observation here. Please feel feee to correct me if I’m wrong. To my way of thinking all of these leveling kits are all going to do the same thing to the control arms. Let’s just use 1.5” leveling kit. If it’s a spacer at the bottom at the lower control arm, preload spacers in the spring seat area, spacer in the upper shock mount/frame cup, taller shock, new adjustable coil overs or a combination of any of these.... It’s still shoving the lower control arm down to get the lift. The lower control arm is connected to the spindle and the spindle to the upper control arm. So the upper control arm is getting pulled down the same amount as well....putting the upper ball joint in a bad angle. I’m not doing any leveling kit without upper arms....not worth the ball joint failing and folding a wheel up under my truck. I’m not super fond of the angle and stress placed on the CV axels but at least if one of those fail I’m not looking at catastrophic damage to my truck. I can still stop and steer my way to safety.  I like your bilstein spring and shock package I just think you should put some upper arms on your rig also.... just my .02 cents 

Edited January 21, 2021 by 21trailboss

[EZ Money]

JUST LIFTED...Hot out of the shop!

 

2020 Trail Boss LT

2" Zone level w/ UCAs

22x10 (-19) Vision Rocker

285/55/22 Nitto Ridge Grapplers

[lapoolboy]

1 hour ago, 21trailboss said:

One more question/observation here. Please feel feee to correct me if I’m wrong. To my way of thinking all of these leveling kits are all going to do the same thing to the control arms. Let’s just use 1.5” leveling kit. If it’s a spacer at the bottom at the lower control arm, preload spacers in the spring seat area, spacer in the upper shock mount/frame cup, taller shock, new adjustable coil overs or a combination of any of these.... It’s still shoving the lower control arm down to get the lift. The lower control arm is connected to the spindle and the spindle to the upper control arm. So the upper control arm is getting pulled down the same amount as well....putting the upper ball joint in a bad angle. I’m not doing any leveling kit without upper arms....not worth the ball joint failing and folding a wheel up under my truck. I’m not super fond of the angle and stress placed on the CV axels but at least if one of those fail I’m not looking at catastrophic damage to my truck. I can still stop and steer my way to safety.  I like your bilstein spring and shock package I just think you should put some upper arms on your rig also.... just my .02 cents 

Bilstein is one of the most respected companies in shocks/struts - I trust them.  I spoke to one of their engineers who was part of the R&D on the new 6112 kit for the TB/AT4.  They are very proud of their kit and he said they did meticulous testing to determine the maximum lift offered (1.2") is still within the stock suspension "envelope".  He specifically said they designed the kit and limited the lift to 1.2" max for the sole purpose of not having to add any other parts to the truck.  He said it is a 100% complete bolt-on kit and the ball joints/CVs will be "happy".  I'm good with his answers.

 

I'm putting the 5160s on the rear tonight and I'll let the shop install the 6112s on the front next week when they arrive.

[21trailboss]

3 hours ago, EZ Money said:

JUST LIFTED...Hot out of the shop!

 

2020 Trail Boss LT

2" Zone level w/ UCAs

22x10 (-19) Vision Rocker

285/55/22 Nitto Ridge Grapplers

Damn that looks good! 

Could you post up some measurements to the fender lips please? My truck stock is 39.5" front and 41" rear curious where you ended up?  Thanks!  

[lapoolboy]

Zone makes a 2" leveling kit for Trailboss? 

[EZ Money]

48 minutes ago, lapoolboy said:

Zone makes a 2" leveling kit for Trailboss? 

1.75"

[EZ Money]

On 1/21/2021 at 2:58 PM, 21trailboss said:

Damn that looks good! 

Could you post up some measurements to the fender lips please? My truck stock is 39.5" front and 41" rear curious where you ended up?  Thanks!  

 

I am sitting at 42-1/4" in the front and rear.  Additionally the pinch molding under the cab is sitting dead level at 18-1/2".

[Rukus]

On 1/26/2021 at 4:25 PM, EZ Money said:

 

I am sitting at 42-1/4" in the front and rear.  Additionally the pinch molding under the cab is sitting dead level at 18-1/2".

Any rubbing?

[PureZ71]

I'll add my knowledge to this thread.

 

My ready lift 2” sst lift kit installed . Had it done at the dealer. Took a few hours. Also got the alignment done as well. Drove it home and it feels good. Can definitely feel a bit bigger ride height and angle. I decided not to install the 3" rear blocks which perfectly leveled my truck at 41" on all four sides from floor to fender.

Before/after









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EZ Money]

On 3/12/2021 at 6:39 AM, Rukus said:

Any rubbing?

Yes, quite a bit actually.  I had to remove the bracket behind the fender liner, trim the splash guards a lot, and zip-tie the felt liner back as far as I could.  There is still some very minor rubbing at full lock, but it isn't grabbing the plastic anymore so I'm good with it.  I don't really want to trim any more because I want to avoid holes in the fender liner.