Your Kit on Suspension Lift Kit
Suspension lift kits are a system of springs used to raise a vehicle by suspending the frame, body, engine and power train above the wheels. It is a modification, often done by Jeep, truck, suv and off-road enthusiasts to raise the ride height of their vehicle. Suspension lift kits have become tremendously popular among people who wish to give their automobiles
You can spend a few bucks on some performance shocks and simple brackets to completely change your rig’s height and look. You can also opt to ditch the stock springs and shocks altogether for a set of adjustable air bags. Or, if so inclined, you can go with something like a 15″ body and suspension lift kit that requires an air-traffic controller to pull into your driveway.
Though some people install a suspension lift for aesthetic purpose, others purchase it for its principal purpose– to lessen the jarring of the automobile that is caused by irregularities in the roads traveled. Since the wheels of an automobile accelerate, stop, and steer it, the suspension lift kit must also serve to keep the wheels in close contact with the road surface at all times. Suspension lifts (also referred to as lift kits or leveling kits) enable steeper ascent, descent and breakover angles, higher ground clearance, and helps accommodate larger rims and tires
Whether you wanna lift your rig for a cool look, better performance or towing big loads, the market has every option covered. It is just up to you to choose a trusted online lift kit shop for the perfect product for your beloved vehicle.
In order to get a smooth road ride and improved handling for off-road use, you’ll need to get a quality lift kit. All kits will give you more ground clearance, of course, with the increased wheel travel helping to smooth the trails. A quality kit will include performance shocks that not only rebuff bumps and ruts; they can do wonders for your on-road handling as well.
Whether you use your rig for work or play, a high-quality suspension lift kit lends a major change to your rig’s altitude and attitude. Looks and performance are both seriously altered, hopefully for the better. There are a lot of kits and styles available, so careful consideration must be taken to meet your lift needs and stay within your budget. Luckily, an eager suspension industry is waiting to serve you.
Looking to find the best deal on Air Suspension Parts, then visit www.strutmasters.com to find the best advice on Air Suspension Conversion Kits for you.
All Truck Air Suspensions are Not Created Equal!
If you’re a serious towing enthusiast, you probably already know the reasons why you should add a truck air ride suspension system to your heavy-duty truck: a quality truck air suspension system helps by cushioning a bumpy ride, leveling your vehicle, reducing wheel hopping, limiting trailer bucking and adding stability during braking. And, an air ride suspension system helps you protect your investment in your heavy-duty truck by preventing the harsh wear and tear caused by heavy towing. Adjustable “helper” springs. This type of system is generally comprised of an add-on helper spring that aids in leveling the truck and reducing vehicle bounce, dip, or bottoming out when hauling a heavy load or towing. The air springs can be adjusted, often with a service station air hose, to the truck’s load condition for more control and leveling support.
Complete towing suspension system. This type of system is designed to both level the truck and improve the overall ride. Installing these kits involves removing the steel leaf spring on the truck and replacing it with an entirely new air spring. Some manufacturers also replace front and rear shocks for optimum performance. As with any product, each truck air suspension system claims to have the “latest and greatest” features and benefits. It’s easy to get caught up in all the hype, but when you come right down to it, there are a few things that are more important than others. Here’s a list of major features and options to consider when comparison shopping.
Does the manufacturer use high quality premium parts that will hold up over years of heavy hauling? Avoid plastic fittings and lower grade materials that may wear out or need to be replaced. Quality materials translate to greater reliability and a longer life for your air ride suspensions system, even under the harshest towing conditions. Is the system easy to use? Can you easily adjust your suspension level? Are there in-cabin controls to help you determine air pressure and load information? An air suspension system that’s difficult to level and adjust will cause you added stress and unpredictability.
Look for the towing capacity of the air suspension system and be sure it can adequately handle the load you plan to tow. When it comes to towing capacity, the bigger the air spring, the more weight it can handle. Keep in mind that your truck and trailer load should never exceed the gross combined weight rating (GCWR), which is the total weight of the trailer under fully loaded conditions, including food, water, gear, etc.
How is the system installed? Does your truck’s frame need to be altered to install the system? Do holes need to be drilled? Can the system be removed if necessary? Before you buy, be sure that installation won’t be a problem for your or your truck. Find out if you can install the system yourself or if it will require manufacturer assistance. If assistance is required, does the manufacturer provide you with a manual or access to a dealer or installation specialist?
Does your system provide a warranty that won’t expire before you’ve had time to really test your system with a long haul? Does the manufacturer stand behind the product? Does the manufacturer offer a no-risk guarantee if you are not satisfied with the system? Do a little research up front and you’ll avoid unnecessary wear and tear on your truck – and costly repairs down the road. Your main consideration should be overall ride performance, safety and stability during heavy towing. If you’re serious about towing, you need to be sure you are buying an air ride suspension system that can do more than level the ride; it needs to be suited for heavy towing. Like many things in the automotive industry, using an inexpensive aftermarket part often yields less than optimal results.
Looking to find the best deal on Air Suspension Parts, then visit www.strutmasters.com to find the best advice on Air Suspension Conversion Kits for you.
How Does the Rancho Quick Lift Work?
What’s the easiest way to add a lift to your vehicle? I’m sure this is what Rancho asked themselves which eventually lead to the design of the quickLIFT. The quick lift is both a suspension lift and a high-performance shock absorber built into one unit and is the fast way to raise your vehicle.
The quick lift shock was engineered for the specific vehicle it will be installed on. This means they’re not a one-size-fits-all product. quickLIFT shocks provide as much as 2.5-inches of lift in addition to superb driving quality and comfort.
The Rancho quickLIFT works on a simple engineering concept. It preloads the existing coil spring. Preloading the spring pushes the suspension downward (away from the chassis). This results in lift — true suspension lift.
The quickLIFT is the newest member of the myRIDE family of Rancho shocks which means they feature the same 9-position adjustable shock absorbency as the RS9000XL line of shocks and the two work well in tandem. They can be set soft for freeway driving, firm for off-road, or anywhere in between to your liking.
It also means they’re compatible with the Rancho RS999705 myRIDE wireless remote control so you can adjust them without exiting the vehicle, parked or on-the-go.
The Rancho quick LIFT shock offers several advantages.
* The vehicle’s factory coil spring is re-used. This eliminates the need to buy additional (potentially expensive) parts and retains much of the factory drive quality because the ride is still dependent on the factory spring.
* Provides up to 2.5-inches of true suspension lift. This levels the vehicle and allows the fitment of larger tires without the need of a full, differential-drop or axle-drop suspension lift.
* Adjustable shock absorbency with nine levels of firmness.
* Welding or cutting is necessary for installation like other suspension lifts.
* Installation can be done by the “home mechanic” in just a few hours.
If you’re looking to add some height to your vehicle without the expense of a fully engineered suspension lift, then be sure to give Rancho a look.
In case you’re wondering where to buy Rancho quicklift and other off road parts, we recommend a visit MY4BY.com for great deals on all your off road needs.
When You Are Tired Of Looking For Your Tools, Get One Of These!
Where would we be without our tools? From the age of stone, to bronze, to our modern day today, tools have helped man out in a number of ways. How would we fix our car? How would we repair the house? We definitely need tools in order to survive these days. When we are done using these cherished implements, what do we do with them? Alas, for many of us, we just throw them into a box, or chuck them into the garage. Not really the appropriate action for one of our cherished implements now is it? Is a tool chest the best solution for everyone? We have outlined eight different types of storage systems…one will surely fit your needs. Without further delay, these storage systems are:
Storage System #1) Soft Tool Carriers
These little storage devices will store your tools in an efficient manner. Usually made out of “rip-stop” materials to reduce the chance of tearing, they are great for those “quick jobs” around the house.
Storage Device #2) Wall-mounted Organizer for Tools
Many of us live in townhouses or condos where space is at the premium. We need to store our tools, but we don’t have much space. Wall-mounted tool organizing units are great for these particular situations. They keep your tools organized, and out of the way as well.
Tool Storage #3) Toolbox for a Carpenter
Carpenters have specific tools to perform their job with. They need a system to not only store these implements, but to transport them back and forth from the job site. The Carpenters’ Tool Box not only fits these needs, it meets one more. It is usually made out of wood (to protect metal blades and bit edges from damage).
Storage Device #4) A Mechanics’ Toolbox
When the car, truck or motorcycle finds its way into the shop, the mechanic is there to help out. Mechanics’ have special tools…and the mechanics’ toolbox (made out of metal or high-impact resin for durability) is ready for the storage challenge. The best versions of this type of system have drawer trays and drawer liners.
Storage System #5) Compartment Parts Box
If you have a lot of small parts and accessories that need to be organized, we have found something ideal for you. These tool storage systems are especially made for storing:
a) Small tools
b) Bits for a Drill
c) Saw and Knife Blades
d) Those commonly used parts
e) Tiny Nails
f) Screws
These units are usually made out of metal (or high-impact resin). Some models have adjustable compartments.
Tool Storage #6) Tool Chest for a Mechanic
Made especially for storing the specific tools that a mechanic needs on the job, they are usually made out of high-impact resin or metal (for extra durability). Some of these chests have wheels so that they can be moved easily around the garage.
Storage System #7) Gang Box
These tool storage systems are especially made for storing and transporting large quantities of tools around the job site. Usually made out of metal or high-impact resin, most have locking tops to ensure tool security.
Storage System #8) Truck Box
If you have a truck, these storage systems are great for not only storing your tools, but transporting them to and fro. They are usually made out of steel, high-impact resin, or aluminum. Since these systems are fitted onto the back of a truck, they are usually equipped with locking tops to ensure tool safety.
Was this “round up” of tool storage systems helpful? We hope so. If you are really interested in finding that great tool chest, we have a number of TOP PICKS available for your consideration on our blog.
Want to find out more about Tool Storage Systems, then visit Gerald Connor’s site on how to choose the best tool chest for your needs.
Body Lift or Suspension Lift: What’s the Difference?
There are essentially two ways to lift your 4WD vehicle and they are suspension lift and body lift. Each method has its pros and cons which most often involve price, performance, and ease of installation. Before going further, let’s first distinguish between the two.
A suspension lift raises the vehicle’s frame (chassis) away from the ground. This is accomplished with taller springs, lift blocks, spring spacers, lowering the differential, turning up the torsion bars, or any combination thereof.
A body lift raises the vehicle by lifting the body away from the frame with spacers. This keeps the frame at its existing distance from the ground.
A suspension lift is recommended for anyone planning to spend a lot of time off-road. A body lift is recommended for anyone that wants to make their vehicle look lifted with no true intentions of going off-road. This doesn’t mean that a body lifted vehicle can’t go off-road. It just won’t perform as well as a suspension lifted vehicle because it hasn’t gained any ground clearance.
Suspension lifts typically range between 2-inches to 6-inches (though there are some companies that produce “extreme” kits in excess of this), while body lifts range between 1-inch to 3-inches.
Suspension lifts are more complicated than body lifts because they alter the suspension components that give the vehicle its factory ride characteristics. Taller springs are typically stiffer than factory springs so the vehicle will have a harsher ride quality than with original equipment factory engineered springs. Longer shock absorbers will be needed. The vehicle will also have a higher center of gravity because the entire weight of the vehicle (everything except the axles) will now be raised further from the ground. Depending on the vehicle, the transfer case may need to be lowered and the rear differential repositioned to minimize driveline vibrations. This is especially true for short wheelbase vehicles such as Jeeps because of their short rear driveline that isn’t readily accepting to increased u-joint angles.
Pros: Higher ground clearance, raised approach and departure angles, allows installation of larger wheels and tires.
Cons: Expensive, installation usually takes longer, driveline angles are increased (more susceptible to vibrations), re-route or lengthen the brake lines, new shocks needed, raised center of gravity.
A body lift is relatively simple in that it primarily consists of a set of spacers that are inserted at the mounting points between the frame and body of the vehicle. This leaves all the heavy parts of the vehicle (frame, engine, transmission, transfer case, etc) at their factory locations so the vehicle’s center of gravity (though increased) will not be increased as much as a suspension lift.
Pros: Inexpensive, can be installed quickly with basic hand tools, allows fitment of taller tires, simpler (all parts necessary come in a small box).
Cons: Appearance (a gap between the body tub and the frame will now be visible), extra leverage is placed on the mounting points (this is especially true for higher lifts), no increase in ground clearance.
Bringing all this information together, a body lift’s sole benefit is to allow the installation of larger tires whereas a suspension lift is designed for improved performance off-road (while also allowing the installation of larger tires). If you’re on a budget and want to make your vehicle look like a big off-road rig with no real intentions of ever going off-road, then a body lift would be adequate for you. Contrary, if budget is not a concern and your true intention is to make your vehicle more off-road capable, then a suspension lift is the only way to go.
Body lift kits are a popular choice for people new to the sport of off-roading. Their ease of installation make them great beginner projects for anyone just starting to get into off-roading and can be used in conjunction with a suspension lift should you decide to move up to something bigger in the future.