Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/150744
Front-end leveling kits, like this one from Daystar, usually just add a special spacer to the top of the strut assembly to provide 1.5 to 3 inches of lift. rubbing tires and rear sway. Another benefit of an air helper or air suspension is many of the air springs are individually controlled, so it's easy to make side-to-side and front-to-rear height adjustments, where an absolutely level ride can be achieved, eliminating the feeling of instability. The basic helper air-spring kits are typically easy to install and relatively inexpensive. The more sophisticated the air suspension systems, which may or may not replace the factory springs front and rear, the more installation time and cost. But they all make a big difference in how your pickup "handles" those heavy loads in the bed. LEVELING KITS SUSPENSION: LIFT & LEVELING KITS Leveling kits are another way to change the stance of a pickup – especially those laden with heavy-duty winches and The Hellwig helper leaf attaches to the top of the leaf spring and is held in place with a center bolt and shackles at either end. As the spring deflects the helper leaf, with its reverse spring effect, provides additional load support. Cognito GM HD Leveling Kit Lifted work pickups require optimal ball-joint angles to maximize durability and handling performance. Cognito's GM HD leveling kit does this with new control arms and HD ball joints. When used with Cognito Motorsports shocks, the kit provides 28-percent more suspension travel. Extra caster provides a more stable ride, too. www.cognitomotorsports.com; (866) 426-4648 bumpers. Leveling kits are also a very economical way to gain needed fender clearance to run tires 2 to 3 inches larger in diameter than stock. Typically leveling kits consist of spacers that go on top of the front coils, or they replace the OE coils with ones that have a higher spring rate (or are longer), so when installed they jack up the front end a couple inches. Some of the higher-end kits also include longer shocks, which prevents topping out when the front wheels are at full droop. The aftermarket shocks are also valved to provide better suspension control. The result of installing a leveling kit is a lifting of the front suspension by 1-1/2 to 3 inches, depending on the kit. That is just enough to provide adequate clearance at the rear of the fenderwell to run the larger diameter tires. Leveling kits can also help keep the front of the truck at "stock" height when adding a heavy-duty bumper and winch combo. Otherwise, the additional 200-400 pounds of hardware can cause the front suspension to drop one to two inches, decreasing the frontal approach angle ReadyLIFT Ford Lift Kit ReadyLIFT Off Road Suspension Series 5-inch lift kits give 2005 or newer Ford Super Duty owners three options to maximize tire clearance and off-road performance. The Series 1 kit includes customwound coil springs, radius arm drop brackets, and a mini leaf pack and OEM-style cast iron rear blocks lifts. The Series 2 comes with heavy-duty radius arms, while the Series 3 kit adds a heavy-duty, anti-wobble trac bar and four ReadyLIFT SST9000 Shocks. www.readylift.com; (877) 759-9991 Cognito Super Duty Lift This Cognito 4-inch Lift Kit for 2005-2012 Super Duty F-250/350s lets you run 35-inch tires with 10-inch-wide wheels. Includes new radius arms, progressive-rate front coils, pitman arm and track bar bracket, for proper steering and front end tracking. Lift kit options includes Fox or Bilstein shocks. www.cognitomotorsports.com; (866) 426-4648 92 PROPICKUP Big Book 2013 ProPickup_2013BB_Suspension Lift Level.indd 92 8/6/13 10:26 AM