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"Poverty" level kits

ErikTheRed

ErikTheRed

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My new 285/75r18 tires get installed tomorrow and I fear the new tires, being taller, will look silly unless I level the front end. I have a LB CC so the standard forward rake appears more exaggerated than it does on a regular bed truck, and while I don't need any added clearance or modified suspension for any sort of serious off-roading, I just don't want the truck to look goofy. Shopping for leveling kits, I see many of them include new shocks and new springs and stuff. Then I see other kits that use a simple spacer above the springs and some little extendo doohickies for the lower shock mount. Comparing prices of these various kits, obviously I'm attracted to the lower priced simple spacer-only setups, especially since I'd really only being doing it for the look and not to actually improve the suspension. Are these simple kits a bad idea? Do they effect handling or steering or the suspension in any negative way? I guess what I'm asking is, is there any reason I absolutely DON'T want to use the spacers? Also, for you long bed guys, what size level kit works best to make the truck sit as level as possible? I see spacer kits from 1" to 2.5".

As always, thanks for advice!
 
I found another thread that addressed some of this. Sounds like the spacer-only kits are ok if only lifting the front an inch or so. Also, something I didn't really consider initially, we do eventually plan to tow a 5th wheel. My truck is a 3500 so obviously that'll help with load squat, but I don't wanna go down the road poppin' a wheelie with a trailer hooked up..... so maybe I otta be considering just a 1 or 1.5" inch front kit to free up a little more wheel well area for the larger tire, but still keep just a bit of forward rake and NOT go 100% level?
 
OK even more reading done. Looking at Traxda 1 or 1.5" front spacer kit. Tomorrow after the tires are installed I'll do all the measuring and find out which of those I need to achieve just a slight front rake but I'm guessing it'll be the 1.5".

I'm answering all my own questions. I give great advice. :D
 
ErikTheRed said:
OK even more reading done. Looking at Traxda 1 or 1.5" front spacer kit. Tomorrow after the tires are installed I'll do all the measuring and find out which of those I need to achieve just a slight front rake but I'm guessing it'll be the 1.5".

I'm answering all my own questions. I give great advice. :D
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I was looking at this very thing yesterday. The Thuren site says 2” will give you a slight fwd rake, which I equate to close to level for more “wiggle” room for larger tires. All the while not giving you the ridiculous nose up, popping a wheelie look hooked up to any kind of load.
 
I am running 295/70/18 and I am not wheeling everywhere or am I missing something ? I do have Dobinsons shocks fitted since day 6 of owning the truck.
 

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T143 said:
I am running 295/70/18 and I am not wheeling everywhere or am I missing something ? I do have Dobinsons shocks fitted since day 6 of owning the truck.
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Do you have a front level installed? The op was talking about a front level with larger tires and maintaining a slight front rake.
 
Short bed trucks actually seem to amplify the rake appearance more.

Your truck will look great stock or with a level.

Since you’re planning to row a 5th wheel I’d go with a 1” spacer and call it good.

Did you ever get your right pull figured out? I wouldn’t do anything with tires or suspension until you do.
 
Units said:
The op was talking about a front level with larger tires and maintaining a slight front rake.
Click to expand...
Exactly.

This morning I had an appt at the WallyWorld to have the new Kenda Klever R/T 285/75r18 tires installed. As soon as they rolled em out of the stock room, I was like "HOLY CRAP those are big.:oops:" I rolled one out to the truck and set it up against the stock 275/70r18 Trashforce AT2's, and the new ones are a solid 2" taller (maybe slightly more, but I realize mounted vs unmounted makes a diff). Snot-nosed pimply-faced WallyWorld kid says, "Thats gonna rub, and if it rubs anywhere, we can't let it leave the shop like that. Sorry, WallyPolicy." Also he tells me that once the tire is mounted, its a huge hassle to get em returned if for some reason they won't work. So I'll told them nevermind, let me get the front lift installed first and I'll come back. But seriously, these tires look absolutely huge. I agreed with the pimply-faced kid when he said they'd rub, cuz hard to believe standing there lookin at em that they ain't gonna. BIG tires. So now I'm focused on trying to figure out just how much front lift its gonna take to: A, achieve the right look (very slight forward rake, or even dead-level) and B, make sure those mammoth tires are gonna fit without clearance issues. If we do end up with a 5th wheel soon, which we fully intend to do, and I get a little sag in the ass end, I'll just deal with it or I'll install airbags to help. Cross that bridge when we get there.

AH64ID said:
Short bed trucks actually seem to amplify the rake appearance more.

Your truck will look great stock or with a level.

Since you’re planning to row a 5th wheel I’d go with a 1” spacer and call it good.

Did you ever get your right pull figured out? I wouldn’t do anything with tires or suspension until you do.
Click to expand...
Suppose its a completely LEVEL look I'm after, what then? Traxda offers a 1", 1.5", and a 2" spacer kit. I only wanna do this once. I'm looking at alot of pictures on this forum posted by lots of people who have installed varying lift heights, usually 1 to 3 inches and everything in between (2 and 2.5" seem the most popular) and with most of them, its hard to even notice a diff. For example, one dude will post a pic with his 1.5" lift on 35's, and the next guy posts a pic of his 2.5" on 35's and I'll be damned if I can tell by the pics which is which.

Yes, for the most part the right pull has been dealt with, and interestingly, the more I drive the truck, the less its been a problem. Maybe the tires wearing in a little? I dunno but its barely noticeable now and the steering wheel is only off by a smidge. But dude, seriously, thanks for remembering that. Thats impressive. ;)
 
ErikTheRed said:
Exactly.

This morning I had an appt at the WallyWorld to have the new Kenda Klever R/T 285/75r18 tires installed. As soon as they rolled em out of the stock room, I was like "HOLY CRAP those are big.:oops:" I rolled one out to the truck and set it up against the stock 275/70r18 Trashforce AT2's, and the new ones are a solid 2" taller (maybe slightly more, but I realize mounted vs unmounted makes a diff). Snot-nosed pimply-faced WallyWorld kid says, "Thats gonna rub, and if it rubs anywhere, we can't let it leave the shop like that. Sorry, WallyPolicy." Also he tells me that once the tire is mounted, its a huge hassle to get em returned if for some reason they won't work. So I'll told them nevermind, let me get the front lift installed first and I'll come back. But seriously, these tires look absolutely huge. I agreed with the pimply-faced kid when he said they'd rub, cuz hard to believe standing there lookin at em that they ain't gonna. BIG tires. So now I'm focused on trying to figure out just how much front lift its gonna take to: A, achieve the right look (very slight forward rake, or even dead-level) and B, make sure those mammoth tires are gonna fit without clearance issues. If we do end up with a 5th wheel soon, which we fully intend to do, and I get a little sag in the ass end, I'll just deal with it or I'll install airbags to help. Cross that bridge when we get there.
Click to expand...

The level kit won’t actually do anything to reduce rubbing since any rubbing you might get will be on the anti-sway bar and/or control arms. A 2” taller tire is only 1” less clearance at any given point. I can run chains on my stock tires and not rub. The level kit will actually move the axle slightly closer to the firewall too.

On another note, you don’t want to use airbags to return the truck to empty height if you tow often. That’s too much air in the airbags and the ride/handling will suffer. You want the springs to absorb ~1.5” of the weight and use airbags to maintain that level.

ErikTheRed said:
Suppose its a completely LEVEL look I'm after, what then? Traxda offers a 1", 1.5", and a 2" spacer kit. I only wanna do this once. I'm looking at alot of pictures on this forum posted by lots of people who have installed varying lift heights, usually 1 to 3 inches and everything in between (2 and 2.5" seem the most popular) and with most of them, its hard to even notice a diff. For example, one dude will post a pic with his 1.5" lift on 35's, and the next guy posts a pic of his 2.5" on 35's and I'll be damned if I can tell by the pics which is which.
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Measure the fenders on a flat hard surface. That’s your rake. Get a spacer that’s equal to the difference (or my 0.02 the difference minus 1.5” for towing).

ErikTheRed said:
Yes, for the most part the right pull has been dealt with, and interestingly, the more I drive the truck, the less its been a problem. Maybe the tires wearing in a little? I dunno but its barely noticeable now and the steering wheel is only off by a smidge. But dude, seriously, thanks for remembering that. Thats impressive. ;)
Click to expand...

Good, glad to hear it’s better.
 
AH64ID said:
The level kit won’t actually do anything to reduce rubbing since any rubbing you might get will be on the anti-sway bar and/or control arms. A 2” taller tire is only 1” less clearance at any given point. I can run chains on my stock tires and not rub. The level kit will actually move the axle slightly closer to the firewall too.
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Yes thats true, I guess its more the added width of the tire that increases the chance of rubbing on those areas. The tires I just bought are, on paper, 10mm wider. I've read many on this forum who state they used the same size tire (285/75r18) and had no rubbing, but MAN, just looking at it unmounted it sure looks like its gonna rub. I don't want any rubbing. I'll get it over the flat parking lot (my driveway is gravel) and do some measuring with the stock tires and see if everything measures out ok. I'll also measure the tire-to-fender front and rear as you advised.
 
ErikTheRed said:
Yes thats true, I guess its more the added width of the tire that increases the chance of rubbing on those areas. The tires I just bought are, on paper, 10mm wider. I've read many on this forum who state they used the same size tire (285/75r18) and had no rubbing, but MAN, just looking at it unmounted it sure looks like its gonna rub. I don't want any rubbing. I'll get it over the flat parking lot (my driveway is gravel) and do some measuring with the stock tires and see if everything measures out ok. I'll also measure the tire-to-fender front and rear as you advised.
Click to expand...

20’s come with 285’s.
 
They aren’t a small tire, that’s why. Even the OEM tires aren’t small.

It’s a size I’d really like to run for hunting but I need chains too often.
 
ErikTheRed said:
Aaaaand, many here have reported using a 295 wide tire with no rubbing. I  should be fine, its just intimidating to look at these new tires cuz they sure as heck look gigantic (unmounted).
Click to expand...

Many people say ‘no rubbing’ but completely ignore full lock for some reason.
 
Ok so spent some time this evening doing some measuring. Here's what I got:

Stock Trashforce AT2 275/70r18-
-full height (measured from tread surface to tread surface center diameter), 33 3/4"
-tread width (measured from block edge to block edge), 10"

New Kenda Klever R/T 285/75r18-
-full height, 34 7/8"
-tread width, 10 5/8"

Looking at those measurements, the new tires really aren't that much larger than the Trashforce-- just over an inch taller and only 5/8" wider tread surface. However, heres where I might run into an issue....

With the Trashforce tires, at full lock left or right, I measure right at 1" clearance from tread block corner to the sway bar, and very close to 2" at the control arm. Based on this, the control arm clearance looks to be sufficient for the new tires but likely not enough to clear the sway bar. On paper, it looks like I'm gonna get a bit of rub at full lock. I hate that.

As for the tire-to-fender measurements, on a flat blacktop surface and bone-empty other than about 2/3 tank of fuel (50 gal tank), truck measures as follows:

-Rear (measured from tread surface to fender edge at axle center), 10 1/4"
-Front, 8 1/2"

According to these measurements, a 1" spacer should raise the front to 9 1/2", leaving a 3/4" forward rake (acceptable!) but only 3/4" for rear spring compression to level under load (not ideal if 1.5" is desired). The advice to use a 1" spring spacer looks to be the best advice.

I plan to order the Traxda 1" spacer kit, which does not include shock brackets. I assume this is because a 1" spacer is still within the factory shock's specs? Or should I consider (and pony up for) a kit that includes longer shocks?
 
Im trying to wrap my pea-brain around this mystery..... why, when I measure the total tire heights, the tape measure says the new Kenda is only 1 1/8" taller. But when I set the new tire on the concrete next to the mounted Trashforce, its a solid 2" taller. Is this because of the unequal comparison of a mounted tire (with truck weight) to an unmounted tire? Its hurting my noggin.
 
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