Why You Should Use a Leveled or Lifted Strut on Your Truck Over a Spac

WHAT IS RAKE?

Referring to the stance of a vehicle, rake is distance between the bottom of the truck and ground measured at the front and rear. Most trucks roll off the assembly line with the front of the truck positioned slightly lower than the back. Manufacturers add rake to the design of their trucks to ensure that the vehicle’s steering and braking remains safe while towing a trailer or hauling a load in the bed. The higher back also helps the rear suspension handle a heavy load and can make the truck more aerodynamic which can maximize the gas mileage.

HOW TO REMOVE FACTORY RAKE

However, for many drivers that don’t tow, haul or travel on rough terrain, they may decide that they don’t like the look of factory rake and want a way to level the front of the vehicle. Besides giving a leveled appearance to the truck, removing rake is an easy way to accommodate a larger tire. When it comes to removing rake from a truck, there a few different options: using a spacer or installing a leveled or lifted strut.

USING A SPACER TO REMOVE RAKE

A popular option for removing rake is using a spacer with the existing strut. While on the surface this is an inexpensive option, there are concerns. Because it reuses a stock unit, there can be issues with the strut having a lot of miles on it or having a worn-out coil. Another disadvantage is that a spacer won’t provide the longer suspension travel that larger tires might require for proper operation.

If you have an existing spacer that you’d like to reuse, you can use a Rancho RS5000®X loaded strut assembly or you can pair the spacer with a Rancho RS5000®X strut, RS7MT® strut or RS9000®XL strut.

INSTALLING A LEVELED OR LIFTED STRUT TO REMOVE RAKE

Rancho strongly recommends using our leveled option or a quickLIFT leveled unit to remove the factory rake from a truck.

UNLOADED LEVELING FRONT STRUT

When choosing an unloaded leveling strut like the Rancho RS5000X or the RS7MT, you save money by reusing the original coil and “top hat.” This is a great option for a newer vehicle because your coil hasn’t seen the fatigue that comes with added miles.

quickLIFT® LOADED STRUT

Get more travel while reducing the factory rake by installing the quickLIFT loaded strut assembly. Easy to install, the complete assembly simplifies installation, levels the front suspension and provides additional lift to accommodate larger wheels and tires. Overall, the quickLIFT loaded strut will have more travel than a stock unit and the mounts are adjusted for that added travel.

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