Leveling out an '04 Ram 4WD with Revtek's lift kit.
Image
Before the installation of the Revtek front-end lift, the '04 Dodge Ram 4WD crew cab dually powered by a Cummins turbo diesel sported a 4-inch rake.

Image
After the installation, the rake is noticeably reduced and the stance of the big Dodge is considerably improved.

Image

It depends on your attitude. When I first saw an '04 Dodge Ram 4X4 crew cab dually roll into the Rapid Transit Auto Center in San Pedro, Calif.,  I wondered why the owner was ready to pay good money to install kit to raise the front ride height by a less-than-whopping 2 inches.  To me, it was like worrying about a zit on a rhinoceros or a chip in the paint on the hull of the Queen Mary. Like I said, it depends on your attitude. I figured the Ram was so huge that lifting its nose 2 inches to bring it closer to level wouldn't count for a hill of beans. I was wrong.

When service advisor Rick Brown measured the Ram's stock ride height from the center of the wheel hub to the lip of the fender well, he recorded 24 inches in front and 28 inches in the rear. Frankly, I should have noticed the 4-inch rake, and I probably did; but it didn't provoke any reaction. For some unknown reason, most of today's stock light truck suspensions are considerably higher in the rear than they are in the front. Those who don't mind the rake, live with it. Others, like our Dodge Ram owner, opt for some suspension modification, lifting, lowering or leveling to reduce or eliminate the rake.

Rapid Transit chose to install a lift kit for raising the front end of the big Dodge Ram 2 inches with two coil spacers and six studs from Revtek Industries of Portland, Ore. Rapid Transit technician Jorge Gariday installed the kit in just a couple of hours. The Revtek kit simply requires the removal of a stock circular steel ring with three built-on studs holding the top of each coil spring and the addition of a 2-inch Revtek spacer - each fitted with three studs - anchored at the top of each of the front coil springs.

Although the installation of the Revtek spacers is relatively straightforward, tearing the corners of the front suspension apart and rebuilding them with the new spacers takes some doing. When all was said and done, the front ride height measured 26 inches; a lift of exactly 2 inches. The rear ride height stayed the same at 28 inches.

What did the installation accomplish? I admitted that I was wrong in thinking that lifting the Ram's nose 2 inches wouldn't really matter. It did. The big Dodge looked a world better with a reduced rake. Its stance was much more aggressive and considerably improved. I would love to tell you that the ride and handling were vastly improved, but I wouldn't swear that was the case. However, I will testify that the big Dodge rode and handled as well as it did before the lift kit installation.

Image
Rapid Transit service writer Rick Brown measured the stock rear ride height of the Ram from the center of the hub to the lip of the fender well at 28 inches. The stock front ride height measured 24 inches.
Image
The front end of the big Dodge is jacked up and supported securely on jack stands then Rapid Transit technician Jorge Gariday begins by removing the front wheels. He then removes the upper track bar bolt and the lower front shock bolts on each side as directed by the installation instructions before removing the hardware from the anti-sway bar.
Image
Gariday then removes the three nuts from the top of the shock tower on the passenger's side followed by loosening the shock from the coil spring. Jorge then begins his struggle to remove the passenger side coil spring. Once the right side coil spring is removed, he removes the shock by lifting it out of the shock tower from above. Here's a look at the stock coil spring with the rubber isolator still in place.
Image
Jorge positioned the Revtek spacer onto the top of the coil spring over the stock rubber isolator to check the fit. The factory circular steel ring which secures the top of the coil spring in place is removed and discarded. Each of the six M10 studs included in the Revtek kit is coated with Loctite and three are screwed into each of the coil spacers.
Image
After a stock rubber isolator is installed into each of the Revtek coil spacers, a spacer is bolted into place at the top of each coil tower. Jorge then attaches a spring compressor to the coil spring so he can reinstall it. Re-installing the coil spring into the coil tower with the Revtek 2-inch spacer in place proved to be a wrestling match that took Jorge a little while to win.
Image
When he had the coil spring in place, he removed the spring compressor. He then re-checked the coil spacer and the fastening studs.
Image
After the shocks are re-installed, the sway bar end links are also re-installed. Jorge tightens all the mounting hardware and the upper track bar bolt is re-installed. When Jorge was satisfied that both front corner were properly reassembled, he made certain all the bolts were thoroughly tightened.
Image
Here's a look at the complete and correctly re-assembled right front corner with the Revtek 2-inch coil spacer in place. When the lift kit installation was complete, Jorge re-installed the wheels.
Image
The rear suspension remained at 28 inches, but the front suspension now measured 26 inches, a lift of exactly 2 inches, and much closer to level.


Sources

Revtek Industries, LLC
4288 SE International Way
Portland, OR 97222
Phone: (593) 659-1650
Fax:     (503) 659-2931
Website: www.revtek.com                              

Rapid Transit
114 N. Pacific Avenue
San Pedro, CA 90731
Phone: (310) 832-6448
Fax.     (310) 514-2918
Website: www.rapid-transit-online.com