Lift/level kit

[KCasey]

looking for a leveling kit for my 2000 1500 sport with 318 motor. Any suggestions. Plan to do all work myself as I have been. Still learning mechanics so as much info as you guys want to provide I appreciate it all. I want to see how high the trucks gonna ride with just a leveling kit and potentially a bigger tire size. My Dodge girl doesn’t seem to think 33s will fit but idk it looks like I have the clearance. She also mentioned sometimes the leveling kit will come with new u-joints which I’ll need. It’s got a soft bang when she goes into drive or put into reverse. Don’t want my driveshaft banging out.

 

[dapepper9]

2wd or 4wd is going to be key here.

If 4wd, HellBentSteel will be your best bang for buck. Myself i would stick to the 2 inch instead of the 2.5 inch for front end reasons as well as the 2.5 will normally give you rear sag look on old factory springs. No leveling kit comes with u joints nor does any lift, not sure where whomever told you that got it from but it's not a thing.

A bang when going into drive or reverse is usually pinion wear. It's not necessarily a huge cause for concern but on higher mileage vehicles (think 200,000+) it can get to the point that a rebuild is on the way

 

[KCasey]

4WD I also don’t want anything bigger than the 2”. Not a fan of that sag look. Looking at the low end of 120k miles and the bang is so slight that I’m less concerned with that and more concerned with the very low idle when going into reverse. Yes it has shut off on me once or twice

 

[Okiespaniel]

Yes it will fit a "33 inch tire" but you could probably do that now with a 285/75 tire which is essentially 33 inches.

A 2 inch spacer would level the truck but even a light amount of bed load will cause it to "nose up". A long 2 inch AAL will return things to a normal stance.

Mine still clunks in reverse. Fresh pinion bearings, T case mount is ok, etc...but the pinion angle might be off slightly from the suspension jacking. That can sure cause a clunk. But it'd be one you'd feel and hear. This would be a good time to slip in a set of fresh u joints.

Sometimes I think that if nothing is clunking, squeaking, or leaking there's a problem...

Low idle or stalling in reverse though...that could be the torque converter. When it starts doing that in drive, you'll be spending money.

 

[KCasey]

I took my time coming back to the forum! All that reading....I could’ve saved myself some time. I started looking into torque converters and if I can self install. I ordered U joints a couple days ago. Just waiting. Thanks a bunch though I’m going to look at what a t case mount is now!!!

 

[PIPTHEREDRAM]

Mine used to bog out when i put it in reverse and an idler air control valve fixed it. It would easier to replace that and see if it stops rather than jump to conclusions of it being the torque converter. But it is a possibility.