Perhaps not useless, but it would be necessary to measure and then calibrate for a necessary formula to apply to the onboard value rendered.
Finally got down to storage today to see difference when hooked up to our 6500lb TT with 840lb Tongue weight. Both measurements were with a full tank of gas. These were taken on gravel, so could be 1/8" off here or there. Overall, it appears the RAS raised the truck about 1" empty and maintains about 1" higher with the same trailer load. With the current setup now with RAS, both the truck and the trailer have a slightly nose down lean. This is without 500lbs of humans and stuff in the truck.Did the install today. Started around 9am and finished around 2pm. I ended up having to make both a Walmart run and a Home Depot run for tools. And also to my neighbors house to borrow another tool since I didn't want to run back to Home Depot again.
For reference, I installed the HD kit which uses slightly bigger hardware than the regular kit. I used the second hole per the recommendation from others and the picture on the box. I used the white 25% disc and had it set so there was a little friction when setting it, but it went between the coils no issue. After lowering the truck back on the tires, the white disc goes between the coils with no friction at all and the black 40% disc doesn't fit at all. This raised the back wheel well 1 inch. These measurement were taken when the truck was backed into the garage with the front tires on the edge with a slight lean towards the driveway. I also sprayed some surface shield on the rusty leaf bolts I missed when doing the pumpkin in April. I set the torque at 120 ft/lb, although the spec is 150 ft./lb. I have an appointment Monday at Discount Tire for a rotation and balance. They'll retorque the lugs at that time. Took a quick 5 mile drive to the UPS Store to return some Amazon things and couldn't tell any difference with the RAS installed.
Another point of reference. This truck is a 302a 157" wheelbase Powerboost with Max Tow.
I checked the onboard scales and it said the truck was almost at zero empty. In the past it would say that the truck had 300lbs in it when actually empty. I need to spend more time looking at the scales, but it was raining.
Before
F: 37 7/8
R: 40 7/16
After
F: 38
R: 41 1/2
Tools needed for the HD kit:
Lug nuts: 13/16 deep socket 1/2 drive with 24" breaker bar
Bump stop: 9/16 deep socket (3/8 drive with extension okay)
New bump stop hardware (used short bolt from kit): 15mm deep socket (must be 1/2 drive, 3/8 bottoms out)
Leaf arm bolt: 10mm Allen
Leaf arm nut: 19mm socket or combination or ratcheting wrench
Cap screw: 14mm combination or ratcheting wrench
Big nuts: 15/16 combination wrench
150ft/lb. torque wrench
The one thing that RAS did not instruct was that the bolts will interfere with the scales hardware if you don't make sure to install the R vs L piece correctly. So make sure you install them with the threaded end of the bolts facing out, otherwise, they will hit the scales hardware as shown in the below thread. Pics also for reference. So now I need to uninstall it, swap sides, and buy new scales hardware.Did the install today. Started around 9am and finished around 2pm. I ended up having to make both a Walmart run and a Home Depot run for tools. And also to my neighbors house to borrow another tool since I didn't want to run back to Home Depot again.
For reference, I installed the HD kit which uses slightly bigger hardware than the regular kit. I used the second hole per the recommendation from others and the picture on the box. I used the white 25% disc and had it set so there was a little friction when setting it, but it went between the coils no issue. After lowering the truck back on the tires, the white disc goes between the coils with no friction at all and the black 40% disc doesn't fit at all. This raised the back wheel well 1 inch. These measurement were taken when the truck was backed into the garage with the front tires on the edge with a slight lean towards the driveway. I also sprayed some surface shield on the rusty leaf bolts I missed when doing the pumpkin in April. I set the torque at 120 ft/lb, although the spec is 150 ft./lb. I have an appointment Monday at Discount Tire for a rotation and balance. They'll retorque the lugs at that time. Took a quick 5 mile drive to the UPS Store to return some Amazon things and couldn't tell any difference with the RAS installed.
Another point of reference. This truck is a 302a 157" wheelbase Powerboost with Max Tow.
I checked the onboard scales and it said the truck was almost at zero empty. In the past it would say that the truck had 300lbs in it when actually empty. I need to spend more time looking at the scales, but it was raining.
Before
F: 37 7/8
R: 40 7/16
After
F: 38
R: 41 1/2
Tools needed for the HD kit:
Lug nuts: 13/16 deep socket 1/2 drive with 24" breaker bar
Bump stop: 9/16 deep socket (3/8 drive with extension okay)
New bump stop hardware (used short bolt from kit): 15mm deep socket (must be 1/2 drive, 3/8 bottoms out)
Leaf arm bolt: 10mm Allen
Leaf arm nut: 19mm socket or combination or ratcheting wrench
Cap screw: 14mm combination or ratcheting wrench
Big nuts: 15/16 combination wrench
150ft/lb. torque wrench
I am about to install mine next week, this is vital information! Thanks for the heads up, sorry about the inconvenience you experienced.The one thing that RAS did not instruct was that the bolts will interfere with the scales hardware if you don't make sure to install the R vs L piece correctly. So make sure you install them with the threaded end of the bolts facing out, otherwise, they will hit the scales hardware as shown in the below thread. Pics also for reference. So now I need to uninstall it, swap sides, and buy new scales hardware.
How is your truck handling now after this installation?Arrived yesterday.
Unlike my typical old-man procrastination-self, I had received a text notification they would arrive in hours.
I went to the barn and prepped the truck.
My research revealed that they recommend installing them with the rear suspension at full-droop basically.
For this particular application they include bump-stop spacers, which I assume is because depending on which of the 2 recommended settings you choose, the truck height will increase from 1/2 to 1½"
The spacers are aluminum and cleverly designed to also move the stops inboard slightly to clear the added width that the trucks springpack will now take up.
At this point I deviated from what is instructed because my purpose for adding them is different than what I suspect the vast majority of buyers is. I'm not looking for Payload management or towing prowess. Rather I am using them as a second source of damping, similar to a second shock absorber. Afterall, they are definitely a coil spring that acts to dampen the leaf spring.
The installation instructions offer 2 degrees of initial damping. One choice is the amount of tension that leaves 1mm of space between each coil, and the other choice is twice that, 2mm of space between each coil. Included are nylon disks of each thickness to use as a feeler gauge.
I chose to only tension the spring enough to ensure that the entire mechanism was not loose and wouldn't rattle or move. My thinking is that if I ever went over some bump hard enough to completely unload the truck and momentarily be at full droop, the RAS would stay where it is. I don't intend to drive the truck in a manner that would have both wheels off the ground. Lol
After getting everything buttoned up and the truck back sitting on its own weight it was clear that the truck did NOT gain considerable rear height since I had not pretensioned to the degree that would have bowed the leafpak. I was rather pleased because it set no codes on the VDM module and I wouldn't have to recalibrate the module either.
So the mission now is to grab a couple of 22mm wrenches and keep them in the truck with me. Actually look for the rough roads and the railroad crossings. Note how it feels over the worst of the encounters with the truck bed empty. (other than my toolbox)
I intend to incrementally dial in additional damping until the CCD is managing the truck in Normal mode very similar to how it was managing the truck in Sport mode prior to adding RAS. If this works and I really can attain a well composed empty ride in Normal mode over crappy surface conditions, I will keep the CCD suspension and consider it a bargain!
Afterall, CCD is $650 and RAS is $499
Combined that wouldn't buy the rear shocks that I normally purchase for a truck. I'm optimistic.
Not sure I will contemplate a sway bar as again, body roll is allot less even with my C rated tires and FX4 suspension. Empty ride is much improved, I suspect towing will be improved also.
Give that young man Kudos for me!Hey @Snakebitten , finally got around to putting RAS (SD) on. Actually, my son did the work as I am feeling under the weather. But, I did do a bit of test driving. Wow, PB now has the feel, better steering (less understeer), less body roll, etc. you commented throughout. Your advice was part of the reason I pulled the proverbial trigger, that and $100 off a few weeks back
