Thoughts on my lifted front-end geometry?

OK guys, go easy on me, I'm more of an engine-guy learning suspension and I didn't do this, I bought it from a kid a few years back. It's a Gen2 with a 4.5" Pro-Comp lift and 33's. Struts were stock with a 4.5" spacer above them. A year ago I replaced the struts with Bilstein 5100's set to stock level and left the spacers in place. (In hindsight I wish I had put in coil-overs instead and removed the spacers). Also new tie-rods.



Now, it has 230k miles and the CV boots were blown out so I'm replacing the CV joints, LCA's and upper & lower ball joints.

What I'm concerned with it the UCA's that are at a ridiculous angle. I guess the guy who lifted it did not change them but should have.





I know I should replace the UCA's with something aftermarket to account for the lift. But I thought I'd throw this out there and see what y'all think.

Another thing that's troubling me is that when it's on jack stands like you see here and the knuckle is drooping, I put a floor jack under the ball joint and lift it there is barely any spring compression. Maybe an inch then the truck comes up off the jack stand. Is this expected? Or are my springs too tight/overcompressed? Is this why is rides like a tank and every little bump feels like a pothole, or is that more a function of the lift in general?

Note: I am not going to remove the lift so don't tell me to. It looks fantastic.

 

UCA angle looks fine since it's at full droop.

And the lift cuts out one of the frame crossmembers, so there's no going back unless you kept the piece they cut out.

 

Drop bracket lifts usually have decent angles. Check again with the wheels on the ground.

 

Definitely not a function of the lift in general. Its probably just because it's on jackstands. If the UCA isn't touching the coil (or less than half-inch or so from it), it's fine.
×2 on the above, we need at least one full frontal pic of the suspension with tires in place and it on the ground with the suspension fully settled. Nothing really stands out in these pics (I'll assume you're already aware your D-side front cam bolt is still loose in that pic).

 

I want to replace the UCA's anyway, so I might as well get some that are made for a lift, right? What's a decent (affordable) after-market choice for UCA's?

 

Dirt King/Bilstein/OME

 

Dirt King/Bilstein/OME run in the $700-900 range. Rockauto has a Rancho "performance upgrade" for lifted applications for $350. Any reason not to go with them? I don't offroad much.

 

Here are the pics with wheels on the ground as requested:

Camera height = upper control arm


Camera height = tie rod


Camera height = axle


There is only 1/2" clearance from UCA to coil


Another thing that is bothering me is there is only 3/4" difference between full wheel droop (floor jack on the frame) and wheels down, measured from top of tire to fender. LCA's are only finger-tight at the moment, so they're not a factor. 3/4" just doesn't feel like much, but tell me if I'm wrong. Recall that all these changes were made by previous owner. Could he have installed extra-firm springs? I put Bilstein 5100's on it last year but didn't change the springs.

The goal here is a nicer highway ride, it's rarely off-road. I know I said I wouldn't remove the lift (nor can I bc of the cut cross-member) but I would be open to reducing the 4.5" spacer above the springs somewhat -- maybe down to 3", or is that a bad idea given the 4.5" drop-lift? Also open to coil-overs. Thx in advance, y'all rock.

 

Not familiar with drop bracket setups. Sir forgive me.
it’s that normal for the spindle to be that close to the soil spring?

 

We're looking for a frontal pic sortof like your very first pic up above, but back farther to where we can see the tires on the ground, the angle of the axles, steering rods, and control arms all in the same frame.

You should (ideally) have about a 3.5 - 4" difference at the hub at ride height (weight on the suspension), and full droop (wheels off ground). 2.5" - 3" difference generally is acceptable as well, but no not ¾".

How long do your front shocks measure with weight on the suspension? (measure from the top where it's bolted to the spacer (do not include the spacer) to the center of the lower eye bushing)

Did you roll the truck back & forth several feet after you let it off the jack? It's possible the suspension is bound up slightly and needs to settle.

 

I'm not a drop bracket guru but they generally get their lift by moving everything from the UCA and coilover towers down. This would include knuckles that are longer than stock from the upper BJ to the lower BJ so the angle of the UCA remains close to stock even with the lift.

If you took those photos after your rolled the truck forward and back to unbind the suspension it looks to from those angles (both the UCA and CV) that you have too much preload. I'd bet you're 5"+ lift over stock. A measurement from hub center to fender opening at ride height might be helpful for folks to help troubleshoot.

 

After looking more closely, is there a lift spacer in the coilover assembly?

 

Shock length with weight is 22" from upper base (w/o spacer) to center of lower eye bushing.
I can't roll the truck because I've already removed one of the UCA's but I know from experience there is little sag from no-weight to full-weight. I don't think they are bound up.

The drop lift bracket for the LCAs and the shock spacers are 4.5" each, so yeah total lift is in the 5" range.
Hub center to fender is 29"
Knuckles measure 23" from UBJ to LBJ. That's from the BJ mounting surfaces, not incl the BJs themselves. I have no idea if they are stock or were replaced with taller knuckles.

I think that's just part of the strut base but I'm not sure. Either way it's only 3/8" so probably not an issue.

Here is a pic from the front showing everything. I had to zoom out just slightly to get everything in.

 

That appears to not be a factory top hat on the coilover. Looks like that stacked lifts. With a drop bracket kit only the upper and lower uca should almost be at the same factory angles. Pic of the rear leaf set up.

 

That's your problem, the shocks should be closer to 20", maybe 20½" with the truck's weight on them. Those springs either are not stock springs and/or your 5100s are not set up properly for 0" lift (that spacer or whatever it is that 2012Taco pointed out doesn't help either. ⅜" at the shock = ¾" at the wheel.

 

Sorry if this has alreay been asked, but are those factory knuckles?

 

Pro Comp knuckles (part of the suspension lift).

 

I understand what the kit entails. I only ask because they look oem which could be part of the issue .

 

The ones here appear the same as in this thread (note the inverted end-link mounting config on the sway bar, that wouldn't be OEM).

 

Ah, I see..good eye