The '09 Dodge half-ton is one of the best riding trucks ever built. With an independent front and coil-spring rear suspension, this truck glides down the road, but with this carlike ride comes a carlike stance that needs some serious upward assistance.
Daystar comes to the rescue with its 2 1/2-inch polyurethane spacer lift kit that quickly allows clearance for bigger rubber. The kit can be used to level out the forward rake of the half-ton Dodge by installing front shock spacers. By adding the rear coil spacers, the entire truck gains a more aggressive stance. In fact Daystar's lift kit in new woodland camo pattern is actually invisible in more ways than one. First, it gives the truck a height we feel the Dodge should come with from the factory. Second, it leaves the truck with near-factory ride quality.
1. Dodge 1500s were redesigned...
1. Dodge 1500s were redesigned for 2009 with coil-spring rear suspensions that resulted in a smoother ride quality. Unfortunately they also come with a wimpy ride height, so we headed to Off Road Unlimited for a quick and simple Daystar remedy.
2. With the truck in the air...
2. With the truck in the air we attacked the rear suspension first. A quality coil-spring compressor makes rear spring removal easy. Without this tool you simply need to remove the lower shock, sway bar, and track bar bolts (arrows) and lower the axle until the coil and factory coil spacer can be removed.
3. The Daystar polyurethane...
3. The Daystar polyurethane coil spacer replaces the factory version and raises the rear of the Ram 2 inches. Plus, for the outdoorsman, this kit is now available in woodland camo.
4. The front suspension needs...
4. The front suspension needs some serious help to keep the bumper from dragging over rocks, logs, and curbs. With the truck suspended and tires removed, we pulled the front shock. First remove the upper shock mount hardware and lower shock bolt. We then disconnected the steering and pulled the two upper A-arm bolts, but you can also remove the upper knuckle ball joint to get the coilover shock out.
5. On top of the coilover...
5. On top of the coilover are three mounting studs. The Daystar kit supplies three stud extensions, new hardware, and a matching camouflage poly spacer. Simply reassemble the front end with the spacer in place and you have 2 inches of added clearance.
6. The Dodge half-ton now...
6. The Dodge half-ton now clears a Toyo M/T 295/70R17 Open Country (roughly 33x11.50R17) and has a stance more deserving of the Ram name. The Daystar spacers are all but invisible, being camo (and hidden within the upper coil mounts both front and rear).