ReadyLift's leveling kit comes with everything you need to lift and level your Ram two inc
With people looking to modify on a budget these days, leveling kits are one of the hottest segments of the truck aftermarket. Leveling kits are more capable than stock, improve the vehicle's look and stance, and because the lifts are mild, they have a smaller effect on aerodynamics and fuel economy. There are also fewer components, which make for a less costly installation as well as a more durable product. And for those who might need to return their vehicle to stock one day, it can easily be done with most leveling kits. Also consider that most manufacturers are building their vehicles with larger wheelwells these days, and you can now fit a 35-inch tire on a fullsize truck with only a 2-inch lift, giving you more ground clearance and better approach and departure angles.
Before
One of the most recognized names in the leveling kit segment is ReadyLift. The company was founded on providing customers with an affordable lift solution that would maintain factory ride and handling characteristics, while allowing for a larger wheel and tire package. The other major consideration was quality, with an emphasis on providing OEM-like components in every kit.
After
ReadyLift now offers a 2-inch lift with Smart Strut Technology for the 2009-and-later Dodge Ram 1500. There is no preloading, cutting or welding, and the Ram kit includes a pair of strut extensions for the front and coil spacers for the rear. As with all of its kits, ReadyLift guarantees the ride, craftsmanship, and finish with a lifetime warranty.
We took ReadyLift up on its invitation to walk us through an install to see for ourselves just how easy its products go together. ReadyLift had a donor 2009 Ram 1500 ready to go at OC Motorsports in Costa Mesa, California, where the OCM crew had the truck in and out in less than two hours.
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1. With the truck secured on the rack and the wheels and tires removed, we began the insta
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2. We then unbolted the lower factory strut mounting bolts.
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3. Before further disassembly, we marked the position of the alignment cams.
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4. Next, the lower control-arm bolts and lower-strut mounting bolts were removed and the c
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5. With the control arms out of the way, the factory struts were removed.
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6. Using the factory hardware, we installed the ReadyLift strut extensions to the top of t
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7. After the strut modification was complete, we slid the factory strut back into the coil
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8. The struts were then bolted to the coil buckets, and the lower mounting bolts were rein
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9. We then buttoned up the front end by reinstalling the control arms, cams, and tie rod.
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10. ReadyLift supplies new bumpstops for use with this kit. They were the last item we ins
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11. The installation of the rear coil spring spacers began by unbolting the rear shocks to
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12. The coils were then removed from the coil buckets.
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13. Next, the rear coil spring spacers were bolted to the spring hat.
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14. Reinstalling the coil springs and shocks completed the installation at the rear. Marki
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15. The owner of this truck went all out with a set of 305/70R17 Nitto Dune Grapplers moun
How It Works
After the installation, we parked the ReadyLift-modified Ram next to our stock 2009 Ram long-termer to gauge the change in height after the install. We then took the truck on a brief test drive and found that ReadyLift's guarantee of a factory-like ride is achieved. The 35-inch tires fit without rubbing, the truck looked great, and handling on our short test loop felt the same as stock, with the added benefit of a higher vantage point in traffic. There is no rear shock extension, so you will lose a small amount of travel in the rear, something that could easily be remedied with a longer rear shock. At a retail price of $229.95, there is a lot of value in the ReadyLift kit, especially for those looking to improve the stance of their truck without going to a full-fledged 4- or 6-inch replacement suspension kit.