Pros and cons of lowerin

[Streetgliderx]

i know i know

but i want to know before i buy and search is so vauge .... but i want to just level my rear down to sort of favor the front is there any performance gains in traction? is there any change in ride? is there any danger? and what is the best way to drop it to level it out..... not lookin for a full on slam just a couple inches for the rear????

thanks guys

 

[FATJACK]

Oh Stinker, you phone is ringing....

Stinker can fix you up with 2" rear lowering blocks and longer u-bolts, take you about an hour to do it yourself. Will level the truck and will look great and ride does not suffer.

 

[ohiosrt10]

Oh Stinker, you phone is ringing....

Stinker can fix you up with 2" rear lowering blocks and longer u-bolts, take you about an hour to do it yourself. Will level the truck and will look great and ride does not suffer.

That sounds easy enough.. what is included in the kit (rear only) and how much $$? ('06 RC).

 

[FATJACK]

Not sure of the cost for just lowering blocks and u bolts, would think under 200.00. Stinker will find us shortly and can fix you right up.

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

sorry guys , on the phone, but here is alink

http://shop.jtsvp.com/product.sc?categoryId=4&productId=276


and you get a vtcoa discount, I have a set of 2.5's, but it dont take but a couple days for me to get them

Thanks Jack

 

[FATJACK]

99.00 OMG, I think I gave about 2000.00 for mine two years ago from some gypsy guy in Indiana...

 

[Streetgliderx]

ok this will be the VERY FIRST truck i ever lowered... actually its my first 2wd truck.... when lifting a 4x4 i always steered clear of blocks... are they safe for a truck with this kinda power????

 

[FATJACK]

ok this will be the VERY FIRST truck i ever lowered... actually its my first 2wd truck.... when lifting a 4x4 i always steered clear of blocks... are they safe for a truck with this kinda power????

Stinks new blocks are SOLID BILLET, I have not heard of anyone having problems with these. I have hollow 2" blocks on mine that have been there for two years with numerous passes down the drag strip with drag radial tires and no problems.

 

[Django]

My truck handled OK when I got it....... Just OK.

Once I lowered it in back everything turned to shit..... Then I lowered the front an inch...... It got worse (bumpsteer)... Then Patrick shortened the upper arms.... (I think thats what they were) and things improved alot...

I should have left it alone and just put different tires on it....

D

 

[Ram From Hell]

Do Stinker's drop and add a Hellwig rear sway bar and you'll have handling that won't quit. Say goodbye to that rear end wagging during high speed lane changes too.



.

 

[Django]

Do Stinker's drop and add a Hellwig rear sway bar and you'll have handling that won't quit. Say goodbye to that rear end wagging during high speed lane changes too.



.

Yup, that problem was so fkn unnerving... It got a bit hairy on mountain roads...

D

 

[505'sFastestViper.]

i dont think a lowering block is the best way to go . What you would want to do is lower the truck with a stiffer spring with less arch ie a shorter leaf less seperation from the chassis and less travel in the rear suspension ......it will let you actually use your shocks for what they were designed to td......and better 60 ft times im sure

 

[505'sFastestViper.]

let me put this in there so no one takes it the wrong way ...........for my personal application i dont think a block is the way to go a block for the price is hard to beat rather than spendin close to 600 on custom made springs

 

[Venom Power]

I got the X-Met deal for convenience and price. But if there were any problems with the handling and ride, I wouldn't know. I'm too far in bliss when behind the wheel of #1900 to notice if anything about the ride isn't top shelf.

 

[HOT RAM]

i dont think a lowering block is the best way to go . What you would want to do is lower the truck with a stiffer spring with less arch ie a shorter leaf less seperation from the chassis and less travel in the rear suspension ......it will let you actually use your shocks for what they were designed to td......and better 60 ft times im sure

I would have thought SOFTER rear springs would yield better traction ? :dontknow:

By letting the rear squat easier :dontknow:


As far as the original question,for what YOU are wanting I think a set of blocks would be your best bet.

Pros : looks WAAAY better
Cons : haven't found any yet (with just the blocks in rear)

By lowering the FRONT ,then you start getting problems in ride and handling,hitting curbs,hitting the air dam on the road,and bump-steer
BUT,the truck looks better

As with everything in life,there are compromises either way

JUST MY .02 !

 

[Carlwalski]

Lower the whole truck. I was looking for a level kit but decided after really spending time around the truck and looking at the tire to wheel lip gaps that I wanted it sitting lower, like a performance truck should and I will never regret that decision. I was also told lowering just the rear can off set things and make the trucks handling diabolical. I have a slight lean up front around 1" lower on the RH side but the rear is dead level. I also have a bit of a bump stop hitting issue at 65mph+ with big dips but I'm working on it. I have Stinkers kit; 2" rear (or just over) and 1.25" in the front (or just over). I was worried about driveways and stuff but I haven't hit anything yet and not even close, these things aren't exactly slammed when lowered and unless you drive up your driveway curb at 10mph, you'll be fine. Cons: factory lean is exaggerated and I have a slight bottoming out issue. Pros..............

 

[505'sFastestViper.]

I would have thought SOFTER rear springs would yield better traction ? :dontknow:

By letting the rear squat easier :dontknow:


As far as the original question,for what YOU are wanting I think a set of blocks would be your best bet.

Pros : looks WAAAY better
Cons : haven't found any yet (with just the blocks in rear)

By lowering the FRONT ,then you start getting problems in ride and handling,hitting curbs,hitting the air dam on the road,and bump-steer
BUT,the truck looks better

As with everything in life,there are compromises either way

JUST MY .02 !

thats what i thought to until my conversation with the guys over at calvert racing and a lot of other leafspring guys

 

[Ram From Hell]

I would have thought SOFTER rear springs would yield better traction ? :dontknow:

By letting the rear squat easier :dontknow:

Correct me if I'm wrong here, Fastjack.

In actuality, you want to limit squat. You do still want the weight transfer of course, but excess squat is wasted energy. Most racers set up for slightly stiffer rear settings for the launch, then (if equipped with active/programmable suspension) allow the suspension to become more compliant down track to prevent bounce. That's from a pure drag racing standpoint though. Everyone has to consider what's most important for them.

All I can tell you is that my setup of QA1 shocks, (2/3, I think) drop, Hellwig rear bar, and Caltracs resulted in tremendous performance improvements in a straight line and on twisties, with little noticeable detriment to over all ride quality. It didn't exactly handle like an Escalade to start with, but it feels pretty close to a Vette now.

 

[HOT RAM]

Thank you gentlemen for clarifying that for me.

I still haven't gotten the sway bar ordered for mine.

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

:dontknow: ok this rear helwig sway bar, if someone wil give me the correct part # I will try to get a price, all the ones i have seen thru helwig only fit the reg rams, and not the srt's:dontknow: