Will a 2" Leveling Kit affect towing?

[tlowery33]

3 hours ago, silveradosid said:

1.5 lift and lower your headlights, i pull a 20 foot lund pro bass boat  just about every weekend in the summer and have no problems

Thanks, What size tires do you have? Any pics by chance? 

[Jon A]

While a front level, especially if extreme, is not helpful for towing heavy bumper pull trailers, for a 3000 lb boat it's nothing you need to even worry about.

[silveradosid]

this  is my truck 275/70/17 k02's

[Big Whiskey]

The issue you're worried about is one of the many reasons I stepped up to a 2500HD. On my previous 1500 trucks, I was always fighting a battle between a good stance when empty, and not looking ridiculous when towing/hauling. When GM designed the suspension on the 1500's, ride quality took precedence over payload. As a result, if your truck sits level when it's empty, it'll be noticeably nose-high when towing. It doesn't take much weight to squat a 1500 in the back. I leveled my 2007, and cussed it every time I had to tow or haul anything over 400 lbs, haha. On my 2009, I was more worried about the low ride height than the rake. So, I just raised the whole truck 2" front & rear. That way, I could run a larger tire, and still had some rake for towing. Then, on my 2012, I raised the front 2" and the back 1"....and then added Timbrens (SumoSprings would have probably been better) so it wouldn't squat more than 2" when hauling my 4-wheeler or towing my camper. If I ever go back to a 1500 (not likely) I'd probably raise the front 2", back 1", and then add air bags for the best of both worlds when towing and when unloaded.  

[Jon A]

On 3/28/2018 at 9:19 AM, Big Whiskey said:

 If I ever go back to a 1500 (not likely) I'd probably raise the front 2", back 1", and then add air bags for the best of both worlds when towing and when unloaded.  

That's good advice.  Many don't realize if the fender openings are level, the frame and body of the truck are actually sloped upward to the front.  The rear fenders need to be around 1" higher for the truck to be "level" (mine had 3" difference at the fender openings stock).

 

I've run a bunch of different ride heights on my '14 and have finally settled on 2" of "rake" as measured at the fender openings.  And that's with self-leveling air in the rear so it doesn't sag at all no matter how much I load it.  The thing is when pulling a bumper pull trailer, your front end will rise so if the truck is level empty, it'll be nose-high when towing something heavy even if you eliminate the rear sag with air.

[crankman]

On 3/28/2018 at 11:19 AM, Big Whiskey said:

The issue you're worried about is one of the many reasons I stepped up to a 2500HD. On my previous 1500 trucks, I was always fighting a battle between a good stance when empty, and not looking ridiculous when towing/hauling. When GM designed the suspension on the 1500's, ride quality took precedence over payload. As a result, if your truck sits level when it's empty, it'll be noticeably nose-high when towing. It doesn't take much weight to squat a 1500 in the back. I leveled my 2007, and cussed it every time I had to tow or haul anything over 400 lbs, haha. On my 2009, I was more worried about the low ride height than the rake. So, I just raised the whole truck 2" front & rear. That way, I could run a larger tire, and still had some rake for towing. Then, on my 2012, I raised the front 2" and the back 1"....and then added Timbrens (SumoSprings would have probably been better) so it wouldn't squat more than 2" when hauling my 4-wheeler or towing my camper. If I ever go back to a 1500 (not likely) I'd probably raise the front 2", back 1", and then add air bags for the best of both worlds when towing and when unloaded.  

Couldnt have said it better myself

[Bhurt]

I also went to the 2500HD cause I haul a sled deck in the winter and haul a boat and other stuff during the summer months.  I wanted more height too so I went with a leveling kit on my truck, 2.25" front torsion keys turned up a bit more than that, and I also added a 2" block in the back which allows me to still have some rake empty and sit nice and level all loaded up.  I really don't like the nose up look when I'm towing.  

 

 

[Cowpie]

I took the alternative approach with my 2500.  I lowered the back 2" with a set of McGaughy's shackles.  $70.  Just a slight amount of rake in the back instead of the "cat in heat" rake from the factory.  Put on a set of 1500# SumoSprings cellular foam supports in the back that replace the factory bump stops.   Act like airbags without the hassles.  I can throw over a ton of material in the bed and the pickup just sits level.  Went up one size in tires with some BFG KO2's also and no issues.  

[Jon A]

On 7/14/2018 at 9:20 PM, Cowpie said:

Act like airbags without the hassles.

Or a bit more correctly, "Act sort of similar to airbags that are stuck on one setting."        On a 3/4 ton, one setting is probably more acceptable as the stock springs are so much stiffer to begin with--varied loads will cause smaller changes in ride height than they will on a 1/2 ton.

[Cowpie]

To some degree, but one can get Sumo's with various pounds of support depending on what they need.  But being of a cellular structure as opposed to timbrens, they act very much like air bags.  And, they do not need the air balancing that air bags require for cornering and such.  When loads shift or cornering goes on, air bags without air balancing will actually magnify the lean and subsequently reduce the margin of safety and control.  Sumo's do not have that problem.

 

But your assertion assumes stock height of a 3/4 also.  Mine is lowered 2" in the back via McGaughy's shackles.  With a gross load on the pickup, it sits right at level with the Sumo's.  When empty, they provide very little in the way of resistance support to the suspension.  Try that with a set of air bags with the right load of air for a gross load and leave that air pressure in there when empty and see the results.

[Jon A]

5 hours ago, Cowpie said:

When loads shift or cornering goes on, air bags without air balancing will actually magnify the lean and subsequently reduce the margin of safety and control.  Sumo's do not have that problem.

That's just completely false.  Yes, if you have the airbags on separate circuits they will provide even more resistance in roll, but the idea that if you don't they would provide negative roll resistance is a laughable physical impossibility. 

 

First, with the line sizes commonly used, it takes a looong time for pressures to "equalize" between bags--a long, long corner, like a skidpad.  Even if you assume they do, I've posted load vs. pressure charts of the airbags in the common kits used for these trucks before and could dig them up if you like.  They clearly show that even if the pressures are equalized, the bag getting squashed provides greatly increased force and spring rate over baseline, the bag that gets extended provides less force and a lower spring rate.  That's roll resistance--resisting "the lean," not "magnifying" it.  Of course they'll do even more if separate, and that's not a bad idea for those who haul high cg loads (slide in campers, full stacks of square bales, etc), but your original statement is an exaggeration to the point of being the opposite of true.

 

5 hours ago, Cowpie said:

But your assertion assumes stock height of a 3/4 also.  Mine is lowered 2" in the back via McGaughy's shackles. 

No, it's universal, you've only changed the degree a little bit.

 

5 hours ago, Cowpie said:

Try that with a set of air bags with the right load of air for a gross load and leave that air pressure in there when empty and see the results.

Why on earth would you want to?  With airbags you can let the air out in about 10 seconds even doing it manually.  Of course, I just press a button....

[Cowpie]

On 7/23/2018 at 5:16 AM, Jon A said:

Why on earth would you want to?  With airbags you can let the air out in about 10 seconds even doing it manually.  Of course, I just press a button....

With the Sumo's, I don't have to mess with anything. Sumo's are a install and forget deal that provide similar results as air bags and do so cheaper and easier to install.    No risk of a puncture or airline leak causing a problem either.  

 

I am very familiar with how air bags should work.  My last 5 semi trucks have been air bag only suspension.  Not a spring in sight except for steer axles.  And for what i use my 2500 for, the sumo's provide exactly what I want and need and do so far more cost efficiently and only 15 minutes to install.    Even have them on as a replacement for the bump stops on the front  as well. 

Edited January 1, 2019 by Cowpie