[NEW SPONSOR] Built by a Lightning Owner: Eibach Kits In-Stock + RideTech/Hyperco Coilover Teaser!

[Lyle]

Shawn,

it said you replied but it’s blank.

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[Drayday55]

Count me in for some shocks/ springs

I just installed the eibach lift and it's way too jarring for me. Im pretty sure the shocks were shipped with the clips in the appropriate slots but I have a slight feeling the mechanic put the clips on the next level up as they ride way to hard and it has almost no down travel now up front.
.but if you guys have new kit coming im game...

 

[EV_Rods]

Hi Lyle,

I completely understand where you're coming from. The Lightning is a heavy truck, and that "boaty" feeling is a very common complaint with the factory setup. Since you don't tow heavy loads but want a more planted, controlled ride without a "low rider" look, we have a few great options that range in features and adjustability. Here is a breakdown:

• Rough Country Kit (~$160): This is intended strictly as a leveling kit and reuses your factory shocks and springs. Because it keeps the factory components, it will not fix that boaty feeling. It lifts the front about 3/4" and lowers the rear about 1.25" to make the truck sit level. Can be a good solution if you just need to lower the truck to fit in the garage. We don't sell this kit but I'm including it here for others to see.
• Eibach Lowering Kit (~$1k): This kit comes with sport-tuned springs and shocks designed specifically for a sport truck feel. It will drastically improve the boaty feeling and make the truck feel firm and planted to the road. That handling comes with a compromise—you will feel more bumps and freeway expansion joints, but the truck will stop swaying. At its maximum setting, it drops the front by 0.5" and the rear by 2.9". If that's too much of a drop for you, the rear shocks have adjustable clips so we can set the height higher to your liking.
• EV Rods Kit (~$3.5k - $4k): This kit gives you manual control over the ride quality. It includes premium shock absorbers with an adjustable dial right on the shock body. If you feel the ride is too stiff or too soft, you can literally turn a knob to dial in your personal comfort preference. Target launch date is currently in the Fall.
• ICON Vehicle Dynamics Kit (~$7k): This is the ultimate "smart" suspension. The added benefit of the ICON kit is that it features active electronic technology that adjusts to road conditions on the fly. Instead of you having to manually turn a knob, the system uses sensors to read the truck's movement and automatically changes the shock firmness in real-time, giving you the best possible balance of comfort and performance.

 

[Lyle]

Hi Lyle,

I completely understand where you're coming from. The Lightning is a heavy truck, and that "boaty" feeling is a very common complaint with the factory setup. Since you don't tow heavy loads but want a more planted, controlled ride without a "low rider" look, we have a few great options that range in features and adjustability. Here is a breakdown:

• Rough Country Kit (~$160): This is intended strictly as a leveling kit and reuses your factory shocks and springs. Because it keeps the factory components, it will not fix that boaty feeling. It lifts the front about 3/4" and lowers the rear about 1.25" to make the truck sit level. Can be a good solution if you just need to lower the truck to fit in the garage. We don't sell this kit but I'm including it here for others to see.
• Eibach Lowering Kit (~$1k): This kit comes with sport-tuned springs and shocks designed specifically for a sport truck feel. It will drastically improve the boaty feeling and make the truck feel firm and planted to the road. That handling comes with a compromise—you will feel more bumps and freeway expansion joints, but the truck will stop swaying. At its maximum setting, it drops the front by 0.5" and the rear by 2.9". If that's too much of a drop for you, the rear shocks have adjustable clips so we can set the height higher to your liking.
• EV Rods Kit (~$3.5k - $4k): This kit gives you manual control over the ride quality. It includes premium shock absorbers with an adjustable dial right on the shock body. If you feel the ride is too stiff or too soft, you can literally turn a knob to dial in your personal comfort preference. Target launch date is currently in the Fall.
• ICON Vehicle Dynamics Kit (~$7k): This is the ultimate "smart" suspension. The added benefit of the ICON kit is that it features active electronic technology that adjusts to road conditions on the fly. Instead of you having to manually turn a knob, the system uses sensors to read the truck's movement and automatically changes the shock firmness in real-time, giving you the best possible balance of comfort and performance.

Shawn,

Thank you so much for your reply. This is exactly what I was looking for. From what you’ve explained, I think I’m looking at the $1,000 option, although .5” doesn’t sound like lowering the front much at all. 2.9” for the back sounds fine. I wonder what the difference is between the front and the back as it is now. I know people usually raise the front to match the back. I dint mind the front being lower than the back, I just feel like the truck is a bit too tall. Is there a more customized option in about the same price range that would lower the front and maybe back a bit more and still offer the more sporty feel? I’m totally fine feeling the bumps and stuff more, my daily driver is a 2018 Tesla Model 3 AWD and it feels perfect to me, but some might think it’s a little bit more stiff. The wheels and tires are much smaller and I can’t imagine a suspension in my truck that would feel as good as that.

 

[EV_Rods]

Shawn,

Thank you so much for your reply. This is exactly what I was looking for. From what you’ve explained, I think I’m looking at the $1,000 option, although .5” doesn’t sound like lowering the front much at all. 2.9” for the back sounds fine. I wonder what the difference is between the front and the back as it is now. I know people usually raise the front to match the back. I dint mind the front being lower than the back, I just feel like the truck is a bit too tall. Is there a more customized option in about the same price range that would lower the front and maybe back a bit more and still offer the more sporty feel? I’m totally fine feeling the bumps and stuff more, my daily driver is a 2018 Tesla Model 3 AWD and it feels perfect to me, but some might think it’s a little bit more stiff. The wheels and tires are much smaller and I can’t imagine a suspension in my truck that would feel as good as that.

Quick note that i missed in the last reply... if you lower the rear more than~2" you will need a camber correction kit. To my knowledge, the only camber kit available is ICON PN 92003 (~$500).

 

[Lyle]

Quick note that i missed in the last reply... if you lower the rear more than~2" you will need a camber correction kit. To my knowledge, the only camber kit available is ICON PN 92003 (~$500).

Shawn,

Ok, so if I set it so that I lower the rear only 2” then maybe I can get away without the camber correction kit?
Let me take a step back, can I order something for the front only that helps with the boat like feel? Maybe not so much for lowering (but I’ll take a bit of lowering if I can get it) but more for a stiffer and more planted feel? Then later on I can work on lowering the back. Maybe I want to go lower than 2” in the back so I will need the camber kit at that time.

im just looking for something that would give me a better feel now and then I can worry about lowering it later. Thanks.

 

[EV_Rods]

Shawn,

Ok, so if I set it so that I lower the rear only 2” then maybe I can get away without the camber correction kit?
Let me take a step back, can I order something for the front only that helps with the boat like feel? Maybe not so much for lowering (but I’ll take a bit of lowering if I can get it) but more for a stiffer and more planted feel? Then later on I can work on lowering the back. Maybe I want to go lower than 2” in the back so I will need the camber kit at that time.

im just looking for something that would give me a better feel now and then I can worry about lowering it later. Thanks.

Spec for Rear Camber is: -0.7 +/- 0.75
The effective acceptable range is +0.05 to -1.45


Here's what i found when measuring camber on rear of my truck:

• stock height: -0.8
• 1" drop height: -1.4
• 2" drop height: -2.0
• 3" drop height: -2.7
  

 

[lightningwill]

i thought people also just replaced all 4 suspension (not with the fully tunable stuff) and then also just put the front a tad higher to mostly get rid of the boat feeling without compromising much on either light offroad, bed loading weight or battery usage - is that something you do not recommend?

 

[EV_Rods]

i thought people also just replaced all 4 suspension (not with the fully tunable stuff) and then also just put the front a tad higher to mostly get rid of the boat feeling without compromising much on either light offroad, bed loading weight or battery usage - is that something you do not recommend?

Hi Will, I think it all comes down to personal preference/budget. Lyle, was asking for lowering option so i recommended a few options with use cases for each.

For a lift or front level kit replacing all four corners could definitely mitigate that "boaty" feeling. Other users have reported even replacing just the front shocks/springs could be a good option too.

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