I am seeing alot of posts on leveling kits and a lot of different opinions.

If I were to put a 2.5" rough country level on my 2010 xlt, would it make it level or would I need to add a rear block as well?

Some people say no, some say 1.5" rear block? Just a lot of opinions, and want to know what will be most cost effective for the best look!

Trying to get all my ducks in a row and pricing so that it doesn't look like crap!

Thanks!

 

4x4 or 2wd?

 

Sorry, 2wd

 

Well, I have a 2wd that I put a 2.5 RC leveling kit on and it was 1/2" nose high. I would haul stuff and tow trailers and it would look pathetic. Put a Readylift 1.5" rear block and now I have 1" rake which is great. If you find some oem 4x4 blocks they measure 1.25" so you would only have .75" of rake. Lol hope I'm not confusing you.

 

^ This. I have a 4x4, and will have 3" blocks added to keep the rake. This will help retain some of the hauling and towing capabilities.

 

Sorry, I am new to the truck lingo... Is rake a good thing or bad? To be honest I don't tow/haul much of anything very often.

Can you really notice if the front end sits only 1/2" higher?

 

Rake is how the back sits higher than the front. Rake helps when towing so you aren't nose high.. I put a 2.5" on my 4x4 with no rear blocks and the back is .25" higher than the front

 

Rake is a good thing in moderation. Basically with the cushy springs these trucks have for ride comfort- if a bird ****s in the bed of your truck you'll sag and be nose high. So, if you plan on hauling anything, make sure you take that into account. Oncoming night traffic will thank you

To answer your second question- yes. I personally think that it's because of the lines of the body, but you can pick out a nose high truck in a heart beat.

 

^^yes! The body lines on these trucks make it extremely noticeable when nose high.

 

OP, I answered a similar question in another forum a couple of days ago which I copied and pasted below, and it might help answer your questions on which one to go with. For your first question, yes you will need raise the rear if you put a 2.5" level on the front or you will be nose high.



If you are going to level the front up 2.5" then you will need to raise the rear so it does not sag so much when hauling or towing. There are a lot of options like add-a-leafs, extra blocks, helper springs, or air bags. Each have their pros and cons depending on what works best for you.

The cheapest would be to add a 3" block. Blocks do not aide your springs to carry the load in any way, and all they basically do is raise the rear of your truck higher so the sag is not as noticeable when you are loaded. They do not require maintenance and are a put it in and forget it system. Your suspension will feel the same as it did before unloaded and loaded, but you will have the same amount of sag just higher.

The second cheapest is add-a-leafs(AAL). They will raise the back end of your truck and assist your springs in carrying it's rated load better. They will also keep your truck from sagging as much when loaded. The problem with AAL is that they give you a noticeably stiffer ride when unloaded. They do not require maintenance and are a put it in and forget it system. The suspension with feel stiffer unloaded and stiffer loaded(which is a good thing loaded) while having a lot less sag then stock.

Next on the expensive list would be helper springs like Roadmaster and Superspsings. They will raise the back of your truck up and assist your springs loaded just like the AALs. The main difference is that you keep your unloaded ride feel and it is not as stiff as AALs when you are not hauling anything. Helper springs only apply resistance to assist your springs when loaded. The more load you put on them, the stiffer your suspension becomes. They do not require maintenance and are a put it in and forget it system as well. The suspension will feel the same as it did before the helper springs, but will be stiffer under load.

The most expensive are air bags. They are high adjustable depending on the height or stiffness you want, and assist your springs accordingly. You can raise or lower the back at will. The problem with air bags is the maintenance of the system, off road flexing tends to put holes in them, and you have to have an air compressor to air them up. They are height/stiffness adjustable so it depends on what you want them set at on how your suspension feels.