Keep going back and forth on to lift or not to lift - Thoughts?

Issue: I rub in reverse and on any incline on the driver's side. I have -10mm offset wheels (SCS Stealth 6) and have tried trimming and heat gunning the liner. From my searching around these forums this is due to all the weight being on the driver's side, and if I do get any sort of 'Taco Lean' it will only get worse (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

Because of this, I've been looking at small lifts, 2/1 types. I reached out to a local 4x4 shop and can get a spacer/block lift installed with alignment for under $500. Sounded great until I started reading around here to avoid those lifts like the plague...or COVID. I then started looking at lift kits and coils and struts and reading the sticky threads here and it has become information overload and I'm now more confused then when I started.

I do zero off-roading, this is my daily driver, put on about 85 miles per day Monday-Friday of straight highway. In the spring and summer I do put a few hundred pounds in the bed (mulch, soil, lumber, whatever other household projects, etc.) and have hauled/trailered maybe once or twice in the past decade.

Budget wise, I'll spend what is needed to get the job done right. If a $1700+ and labor setup is what I need, I'll get it. However I don't want to spend that much money if something that is $500 + labor will do me just as good. I don't mind spending money (buy once cry once) but I hate wasting money.

Links are great - Buy this (link), this (link) and this (link) type of thing. If you want to put an explanation behind it, even better. As I mentioned above, I am reading through threads but it's been difficult (it's almost too much information at this point). And I'm not even sure I need a lift? I mean, if I keep doing what I am currently doing, I'll rub the liner thin on the parts when I reverse turn and incline turn and thus eventually I won't rub any more?

I don't know, it's a Saturday night. I think I'll read more threads with a beer while I wait for insight here.

Thanks folks

 

Pics of where you’re rubbing? No homo

 

I'll get pics in the morning, it's the driver side back side. I barely clear on the front side, but a clear is a clear.

 

Just roll with it

 

Have you tried a wheel alignment yet?

 

I think I know exactly where you are rubbing. I've got a -12 offset wheel and I trimmed and heat gunned and it's almost gone. I have a light bumper and winch (+129 lbs total) and sliders so I ride about a half inch under stock. I rub on the driver regularly and on the passenger when braking and turning at the same time.

Lifting the truck without changing the alignment will 'solve' the rub a bit but when you compress the suspension the wheel/tire returns to the same problematic position. Not a big deal if you never stuff a tire. If you want to fix the clearance problem at all points on the suspension travel you need the wheel to.move forward in the wheel well.

The first question you should answer is 'am I ok rubbing when I stuff a tire?'. If the answer is yes, you can go inexpensive and easy. A small lift with 5100s or *gasp* spacers, may solve the problem for daily driving.

If you want to avoid rubbing at all points you either need to remove material (more serious triming and hammering), possibly be able to avoid a CMC because it sounds like you aren't rubbing there. Or, you can get a lift and alignment to move the wheel forward. If you head this way there is a bit to learn about alignment, caster, UCAs, and lifts.

I've opted down the expensive path. I mean if I'm going to try and increase caster using the LCA I should get a lift that encourages a +3 caster. If I'm getting a lift and going to +3 caster I should get an UCA that supports that. If I'm buying an UCA then I guess extended (but still mid travel) suspension makes sense. So now here I sit drinking beer and waiting for my Kings and UCAs... (If I'm doing the rear shocks I guess I should fix the leafpack up, which would be a good time to do a u bolt flip, and if all that is going on hammer hangers would probably make the situation perfect)

Probably best to learn to ignore the rub... Shit gets expensive. Edit: or you might just be able to fix it with an alignment from a good tech. Don't tell my wife

 

What size tires are you on?

 

Tire size is 265/70/17, I haven't gotten an alignment yet but that seems to be a good first step before getting into lifts.

When it comes to things like this I'm like you @PinStripes - keep going down that expensive rabbit hole.

 

You can see already where I rub, but I circled it in red to make it super obvious. I've tried to heat gun that area before but there is something hard behind it so it's pretty much as far back as it can go.

 

Thats the pinch weld. You'll need to fold that back

 

With a wheel alignment you should be good before you start doing the pinch weld with the tire size you have.

 

Yeah I'll call tomorrow about getting setup to get an alignment done. I would prefer not to pinch weld, would a small lift help at all with this sort of thing? I have no desire to get 285s, wouldn't mind 275s if I'm being honest. But I just got these 265s so will be on them for a long while.

 

Let’s make everyone freak out. Drop a 1/2”spacer(that will give about an 1” of lift) on the front and have the alignment guy put your caster at the high end of specs and call it a day. Since your only drive highway should be good. At worst you go 2/1 on the kit.