check it out - new equipment

Lift kit was installed today. Took them right at 10 hours to get it done. There was a slight cost over-run due partly due to the fact my alignment was out so bad and partly due to taxes and shop supplies. Effectively 10 hours cost me $160 an hour. So much for $70 an hour shop rate right? But I'm happy with the result and they did a clean job. The kit & misc fittings $900 with labor, taxes, shop supplies costing another $1,600. I was expecting $1,500 best case or $2,000 worst case it ended up $2,500 out the door. They put a suspension gauge in the box so no more $ on cat scales ever again. There were a lot of different ways this could have been set up including all out electronic smart lift or even controlled from inside the cab but I opted for the simplest and cheapest way, a manual lift. So in 10 years time this ought to save a lot of tire wear and maybe even a little fuel. Based off my number the past 3 years the axle should be up in the air about 65% of the time I'm running either empty or loaded. Haven't measured yet but looks like around 3" of actual lift.

 

Alignment is spot on perfect now. Trailer tracks perfectly true. I only put 3,000 miles on the unit dragging it dog legged down the highway. To be perfectly honest I don't really know what the payback is going to be but this modification seemed like a no brainer with all the light stuff I haul plus my empty percentage being so high. And I know for sure I have pissed away $2,500 on much worse things before.

The kit adds 75 lbs double yellow. Weight savings is not really a concern although 8 aluminum wheels would shave off 264 lbs. Super singles are most definitely out of the question. Not only are my axles not set up for it but from what I am told they don't wear right if you're running 70-75mph which I do a lot. If you keep it around 65 mph or less they are ok. If I have a good year I might pick up some aluminum wheels but for now it's good to go and I'm really looking forward to getting busy out here.

Speedview app just sounds like more work. I'm set in my ways and have a ledger system that works for me although I will say I have been wondering about trying out profit gauges because I hear so many good things about it.