Upgrade That Suspension!
Alright, let's talk about suspension. Just suspension.
Suspension is such a deep topic because so many things go into making a truck either ride like butter or bricks. It has so much more to do with just the shocks and springs you throw under your rig. Maintenance items like ball joints, tie rod ends, and bushings will also have an effect on how nice your rig will ride no matter how many thousands of dollars in suspension you throw at it. So make sure all your maintenance is up to date so you've got a solid foundation to start with!
Starting off simple there is 2 different types of lift kits for the front, there is the cheaper “spacer” or “puck” lift that is just a spacer to raise the front of the truck, and there is also “coilover” or “suspension” lift kits that change the whole assembly out with a longer shock to raise the vehicle. My recommendations will only be the more "expensive" suspension lift kits just because I truly can't advise that you add a spacer lift kit especially if you want your truck to perform off-road. Another thing to note here is that all of my recommendations will be for stock length lower control arms and won't cover any “long travel” suspension systems, which if you can afford it and it's the direction you want to go with your rig then absolutely do it. But that is out of the spectrum ill be covering in this write-up.
First up here I'm gonna cover the cheapest end of this spectrum which is the rough-country coilover lift kit, which is the kit recommended in my “Got 2k? Start here!” build. While this is the lowest end of this spectrum I do think it hits far above its price. For ~$700 it gives you all the same parts an $1800+ kit gives you, and that's your front coilovers, rear springs, and rear shocks. I will say I have heard mixed reviews about the ride quality of this kit, as to be expected. But you can expect it to ride a little smoother if you have a little added weight to your truck, such as bumpers/drawer systems. This is definitely not a kit I would look at if you plan on wheeling extremely hard, but its perfect for the guy who does light off-roading and wants his truck to look mean! Take a look at it here! (Rough Country Kit)
Coming up next is the Bilstein 5100 kit, I know I know, this is the 400th thing you've heard about Bilstein 5100s… But! There's a reason for that, this kit is definitely worth taking a look at, you get the performance and reliability of a name brand kit without breaking the bank. Coming up right around $1000 assembled + new top hats, it's definitely worth taking a look at. Getting these pre assembled will save you a few hours of struggling with renting a spring compressor and potentially saving a finger or 2! No, seriously, these things can be dangerous when not used properly. But that said if you take some time to look into how to use them they are not that bad and could be worth saving a few dollars on assembly/new top hats. Another benefit to getting a kit from Bilstein is the adjustability with ordering different weight springs for the rear, so make sure you select what extra weight your trucks got added to to account for ride height/quality. Interested in the 5100s? Sweet! Take a look here (Bilstein 5100 Kit)
This next kit is really the middle ground between cost vs performance because of how good it performs and the price it comes in at. Coming in at around 17-1800 dollars the Bilstein 6112/5160 kit is a very good kit for your daily driver and wheeler. Similar to the 5100 shock but better in almost every way, mainly due to its 2.5 inch shock body. This larger shock body holds more fluid which allows for more cooling inside the shock to keep it cooler for longer, improving performance. Combined with rear shocks that have a piggyback reservoir to hold more fluid in the rear as well this kit is wonderful for a wide spectrum of builds. It also carries more options then the 5100 as far as ride height because of the adjustable c-clip location to increase or decrease ride height. When ordering these shocks from SRQ fab they give the information on where you should have the clip installed for your specific build. Take a look at them here (Bilstein 6112 Kit)
Now we're getting into the high hitters and while there are a whole lot of options in the $2-3000 dollar price range my personal pick is just above this price range but we will get there in a second. Shooting right around 2800 when getting rear springs the King 2.5” Coilover kit is a really solid option, with some downsides. King is one of the top names in the off-road community in this day and age, and that's not for no reason, they make really good stuff (these included). But with that said it takes a certain person and a certain truck for a kit this expensive to be worth it, these shocks require a fair bit of maintenance in order to keep them in tip top shape, and not everyone is up for that. Especially with a truck that's on the freeway for 90% of its miles these shocks really aren't worth it. But if you're the person who is desiring a suspension kit with amazing performance and can keep up with the maintenance on the shocks then absolutely go for it, you will not regret it! Take a look here! (King Kit)
Alright here we go, this is the most expensive shock on this list but also the best performing in my opinion. Ask anyone who has these installed and they will tell you they are one of the most noticeable upgrades they've done if not their favorite upgrade. Its none other than the Dobinsons MMR adjustable coilovers, coming in at just over 3k these shocks have remote reservoirs front and rear to keep temperature low and performance high. While these shocks are also rebuildable they are known to go longer between rebuilds then the Kings without dropping performance. Something else good to point out with these is the 3-way adjustable valve to adjust compression/rebound allowing you to dial in the performance for different surface type or even driving style. Take a look at them on Dobinsons website here! (Dobinsons MMR Kit)
Overall suspension is such a deep rabbit hole and I'm absolutely not mentioning all of the kits I want to mention but this is a very good range from entry to top of the line non long-travel suspension kits! Let me know what you think of this list and what recommendations you want to see in the future!