Does a Level reduce payload or towing?
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From: Ontario Canada
Does a Level reduce payload or towing?
Curious on opinions on this. While payload, gearing, tires, gvwr and tow capacity is very much analyzed here, no discussion of how a level could alter all those things.
Logically it might. You have changed the originally designed geometry of the truck that it was engineered and rated at. I understand the need for tire clearance.
Personally not a fan of a level, seems counterintuitive for a truck. Not a slave to ‘looks’ and find most dont adjust their headlights to compensate.
I would think the level would make the WDH harder to dial in.
Thoughts?
Logically it might. You have changed the originally designed geometry of the truck that it was engineered and rated at. I understand the need for tire clearance.
Personally not a fan of a level, seems counterintuitive for a truck. Not a slave to ‘looks’ and find most dont adjust their headlights to compensate.
I would think the level would make the WDH harder to dial in.
Thoughts?
Last edited by mechanicaladvantage; Dec 23, 2018 at 09:46 AM.
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Agree on all points. Only benefit to it is fitting a larger tire if you are in to that sort of thing (I’m not).
I like my trucks stock. The truck for me is purely fit and function. Any money spent on it will increase its function, not its look.
I like my trucks stock. The truck for me is purely fit and function. Any money spent on it will increase its function, not its look.
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I’d like to point out that bigger tires DO increase function, it really depends on how you look at it.
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Not sure why anyone would level or lift there truck for any reason other than to increase the tire size for improved off-road capability. That pretty much always sacrifices both payload and towing. Once they go far enough they move to towing the off-road rig to the trail with their stock super duty. My dream rig would be a F350 Dually hauling a trophy truck and a rock buggy. Perfect. You get off-road performance and great towing!
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https://tiresize.com/gear-ratio-calculator/
https://tiresize.com/comparison/
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But they also decrease gearing which in turn decreases function...
https://tiresize.com/gear-ratio-calculator/
https://tiresize.com/comparison/
https://tiresize.com/gear-ratio-calculator/
https://tiresize.com/comparison/
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There is a reason for the rake, and that is to level the truck out with payload. If the truck was level from the factory, the moment a load was put in the bed, the lights will be showing the comets the way down the road. It also makes it difficult to return the weight forward when using a WDH with a heavy trailer. Since the truck was already level, can't return it to level without moving a very large weight forward, which would exceed the FGAWR and make it too light in the rear.
Not saying that you can't properly set up the WDH on a leveled truck, it can be done easy enough, but it will now be pointing the nose to the sky, and would need air bags or helpers to take up the difference in fender height to make it level under load.
Not saying that you can't properly set up the WDH on a leveled truck, it can be done easy enough, but it will now be pointing the nose to the sky, and would need air bags or helpers to take up the difference in fender height to make it level under load.
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If the headlamps are adjusted properly, a leveled vehicle won't be 'showing the comets the way down the road' any more than a non-leveled vehicle. Any changes made to the rake of a vehicle require a headlamp aim procedure be performed.