Got the DR 4" spring lift on my truck a few months back. Kit came with 4" blocks for the rear. As was pointed out to me by others and seen by myself, the rear has the look of being lower than the front. The truck is pretty close to level as it sits now. Looking for the pros and cons of a 5" block or adding a leaf to the rear.

 

I guess the pros of 5" block would be low price and cons are slightly more axle wrap than a 4"

Pro of add a leaf, increased capacity and handling. Con would be price.

I am sure there are others, but that should get you started.

 

Yeah, it was the axle wrap that concerned me the most. Never have experienced it and didn't want to set the truck in that direction unless the block was the best choice. My concern with the additional leaf was how much it would stiffen the ride. I had read a post some time back about someone having done an all spring lift and the ride was really terrible. Don't recall brand or size but just recall it wasn't a big lift. 4 or 6" I think. I recalled him saying he was going to go back to stock springs and put blocks in rear. Thats why I wanted some opinions. Thnx for the input.

 

Axle wrap will be directly related to the weight of your right foot in most situations. I tend to be kind of a conservative slow-poke driver most of the time, but I have had to get on it once or twice. In those times I haven't had any problems with axle wrap and a 5" block. The best way is actually new springs. Get the wrong springs and you end up like the person you mentioned in your post. But get progressive, good quality springs from Deaver, National, and I've even heard compliments about Superlift and it can be a smooth ride. An add-a-leaf will almost certaintly stiffen up the rear.

 

I have a 4 1/2" block in mine and get on it ocassionally. I have never had any axle wrap issues. 35" tires

 

It's all abou who you get your springs from. Pro Comp and Superlift springs tend to be somewhat stiffer, but also somewhat cheaper. Deaver's, National's, Skyjacker Softride's, etc are more expensive but they're also softer. One way to tell the softness is to look at the number of leaves. a 10-leaf Deaver spring pack is going to to much better with the load spread over all those leaves rather then a 4 or 5 leaf pack stock which uses much thicker and stiffer springs.

Softer springs can make the axle wrap problem worse. Axlewrap is the tying up of the springs in an "S" shape of sorts as the pinion tries to rotate, causing the spring to bend unnaturally. With this you get a skipping as the tire contacts, lifts up, and is then compressed back down to the pavement. I blew a U-joint and yoke a few months back due to this, but this was my 94 not a newer truck such as yours.

Spring lift is the best lift. Then its a tie between Add-a-leaf (stiffens ride, but increases load capacity as well) and Shackle Flip ( slightly better ride, but load capacity goes down due to safety of an inverted stock-style shackle), then you have blocks.

It's hard to get lift, a good ride, and maintain the load capacity of your Superduty trucks. Something has to give.