Thoughts and opinions Please on RAM 1500 lift

[desertracer79]

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, we're an overlanding family in So Cal that cover a lot of desert and mountain trails in our stock RAM 1500 tradesman 4x4. I've been looking at lift kits for awhile to run larger tires and increase our capability on rocky and rutted trails. For instance, we've run Butte Valley East to West to Geologist Cabin but I've passed on running it West to East over Mengel Pass because there's some minor crawling involved. I'm looking to have that ability in the future.

I thought I had everything figured out with the 4" AEV suspension lift, AEV mesa wheels, and 35" Duratracs or TA KO2's but I'm having second thoughts over the price. I'm estimating that'll cost around $6K. For those of you out there with this setup, or perhaps others, is it worth the investment for overlanding purposes? We've covered multi day trips through Death Valley, NMBDR, Bradshaw, and all over the Mojave on passenger rated Goodyears. Is the fun factor worth it?

Thanks for your opinions.

 

[Explorerinil]

You won’t find much on here for the half tons... not many people using them for this type of stuff. For tires don’t get passenger rated tires, also look at carli I think they make some 1500 stuff now. Good luck!

 

[Big Ern]

Take a look at Thuren or Carli suspensions. They are the gold standard for Ram trucks. Limited offerings with regard to thre 1500.

Since you are in SoCal, check out CJC Offroad in Bellflower, CA. They carry both (and AEV). They will set you straight.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Thuren makes a custom lift with King coilovers for the Ram 1500. That's all you need to know.

 

[desertracer79]

Thanks very much for your opinions, I appreciate it greatly.

 

[Thinman]

What year ram? I have a 2019 1500 Rebel and there are not a lot of options right now. If a gen4, the Carli or BSD systems are what I an interested in once available.

 

[desertracer79]

What year ram? I have a 2019 1500 Rebel and there are not a lot of options right now. If a gen4, the Carli or BSD systems are what I an interested in once available.

It's a 2017. Have you heard anything about those companies offering something in the future?

 

[Thinman]

Yes and BDS (previous typo) currently offers suspension systems for it as well. 4", 6" or a 6" coil over

 

[malibubts]

I have the Carli Commuter Kit on my 1500 and I'm pretty happy with it. I do not have their UCAs though as they were not selling them when I bought the kit about a year ago. I did end up purchasing a set of Mevotechs though for $100, which are not too different from the stock ones but do have a greasable joint and are not a stamped steel construction. Not too sure I'd drop the $800 on the Carli ones, but I'd at least buy a new set. I destroyed mine getting everything undone up front.

A few parts shots:


20180324_112424(1) by ebeiersdorfer, on Flickr


IMG_3184 by ebeiersdorfer, on Flickr


20180325_165725_HDR by ebeiersdorfer, on Flickr


20180325_190704 by ebeiersdorfer, on Flickr

Before / After / After Tires:

2015-04-30 19.44.07 by ebeiersdorfer, on Flickr


20180326_153113 by ebeiersdorfer, on Flickr


20180608_163802_HDR by ebeiersdorfer, on Flickr

They say the kit is good for a 35" tire, but I'm running about a 34" one. I have the stock 17" wheels and did not want to replace them or mess with backspacing so I ended up with the biggest tire that would fit, 285/75 R17. I can't see any reason a 35" wouldn't fit given the proper wheels and backspacing.

I did also weigh going with Bilstein 5100s on all 4 corners and heavy duty rear springs, but since I did the work myself I decided it wasn't worth messing around with a spring compressor.

IMO I'd go with the Carli if you want to run 35"s, 4" is a lot of lift and an unnecessary expense for what your goal seems to be.

 

[Bayou Boy]

The AEV kit with Bilstein 5100s and the Carli kit with Fox IFPs make no sense when for the same money you can get Kings and coils from Thuren unless you just want the look of a taller truck. Don't these trucks fit 35s with only 2" of lift?

 

[malibubts]

The AEV kit with Bilstein 5100s and the Carli kit with Fox IFPs make no sense when for the same money you can get Kings and coils from Thuren unless you just want the look of a taller truck. Don't these trucks fit 35s with only 2" of lift?

The Carli kit is 2" and yes it will fit 35s.

I'm missing how it is the same price though. I just checked the Thuren site and they want $2,550 for just the shocks. Carli is $1,937 and has new rear springs, track bar drop, and sway bar end links. You really don't need the last two but new rear springs is pretty important in this truck if you keep any weight in the back. Without springs it's a $600 difference and with springs it's about $900, I'd hardly call that the same money.

 

[Bayou Boy]

The Carli kit is 2" and yes it will fit 35s.

I'm missing how it is the same price though. I just checked the Thuren site and they want $2,550 for just the shocks. Carli is $1,937 and has new rear springs, track bar drop, and sway bar end links. You really don't need the last two but new rear springs is pretty important in this truck if you keep any weight in the back. Without springs it's a $600 difference and with springs it's about $900, I'd hardly call that the same money.

Someone above said you needed the control arms with the Carli kit too. That's where I got same price from.

Not sure why you'd need a track bar drop and new sway bar links with only 2".

Carli springs are normally softer than stock. I assumed the same with the 1500 kit. Is that not the case? Regardless, if you are carrying decent weight in a 1500 anything today, you need bags.


As an aside, have you ridden in a truck with Kings? It's a whole different level of control and comfort than Fox IFPs which are considerably better than the Bilsteins AEV sells. Totally different ballgame.

 

[Big Ern]

There is really no comparison between the AEV kit and a Thuren Coil/King set-up (or a Carli set-up). The AEV kit is a well thought out and designed spacer kit that gets you lift and maintains stock ride quality and, important to some, stock payload/towing. The bilstein 5100 is a mediocre $100 shock they keep with the factory springs.

The Thuren set-up may cost more (I haven't crunched the numbers), but ride quality and performance is top shelf, IF that is what you are after. Be realistic of what you are going to be doing with your truck and buy accordingly.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Without talking about brands (everyone has their favorite and it can wind up like sports and politics..) - to address the issue of upper control arms, be aware that the stock upper control arm is only suited to the exact amount of travel available on stock suspension without an upper spacer.

So for example all "stock replacement" front shocks have an extended length of 21.06" to 21.625" . That means Monroes, Sensens, Gabriels, Ranchos, Bilsteins, all of them. If you have a stock 4th gen Ram 1500 and raise the chassis until the wheels come off the ground, and then unbolt the top or bottom of your strut entirely it still won't fall out because the upper control arm is binding at the ball joint. 21.6" really is the absolute limit on stock 2011-2018 UCA's.

Again not talking about brand quality or anything else - just objective linear measurements with no opinion expressed - a Fox 983-02-050 has an extended length of 22.36" regardless of what ride height you pick within its 5.43" total travel. That's almost an inch past the working angle the stock UCA can handle. A King 25001-207 has an extended length of 22.5". This is why aftermarket upper control arms built specifically with lifting in mind are necessary if you're installing a shock with a longer extended length.

Shocks should not be your limiting factor in wheel travel. They SHOULD have more travel than your vehicle is capable of. Replacement UCAs are not necessary but they WILL allow a little more travel.

Your comments exactly show why spacers alone are a terrible idea however. They take away travel from one direction and correspondingly decrease travel overall.

 

[malibubts]

Someone above said you needed the control arms with the Carli kit too. That's where I got same price from.

Not sure why you'd need a track bar drop and new sway bar links with only 2".

Carli springs are normally softer than stock. I assumed the same with the 1500 kit. Is that not the case? Regardless, if you are carrying decent weight in a 1500 anything today, you need bags.

As an aside, have you ridden in a truck with Kings? It's a whole different level of control and comfort than Fox IFPs which are considerably better than the Bilsteins AEV sells. Totally different ballgame.

Shocks should not be your limiting factor in wheel travel. They SHOULD have more travel than your vehicle is capable of. Replacement UCAs are not necessary but they WILL allow a little more travel.

Your comments exactly show why spacers alone are a terrible idea however. They take away travel from one direction and correspondingly decrease travel overall.

Yeah new UCAs are no more necessary on either the Carli or Thuren kits or even the Bilsteins for that matter. Going with new UCAs is by no means a requirement, but it will improve the setup. Ultimately it is up to the OP if it's worth the cash. I'm on another forum for Ram 1500s and can't see I see very many folks going with height adjusted UCAs.

I'd agree the links and drop bracket really aren't necessary, given what I know now I likely would have sourced the Carli shocks and rear springs on their own.

The springs for the 1500 are progressive, so they are a bit softer at the start but firm up with load. The rear of the truck rides so much nicer with the new springs and shocks out back, the rear end used to be a bit squirrely but really firmed up.

I've not been in a truck with Kings, I have no doubt they ride better. Just for what I was looking to spend it was over my budget.