Time: 30 min

Difficulty: easy

Cost: $540-590

What I Love

The unloaded everyday handling of the pickup with the RoadActive Suspension kit is awesome. If I hadn't installed the kit myself, I'd have thought someone modded it with a Cadillac rear axle and springs. It's so smooth. It eats bumps and drinks washboard roads.

Ride Height and Squat

I bought this kit primarily as an alternative to air bags to counter squat when towing. Unfortunately, relieving the loaded squat 2-3 inches means you're unloaded ride height increases by 2-3". With air bags, you can load the vehicle and add air to achieve the desired ride height. Adjustments with the RAS (RaodActive Suspension) aren't as convenient, adjustments require the vehicle to be raised in order to suspend the rear axle. This inconvenience leaves you setting preload at where you drive 90% of the time.

If most of your driving is unloaded (like me), setting preload to the lower end will improve everyday handling and provide some squat relief at cost of an additional 1.5 inches in rear ride height with the HD kit.

If 90% of your driving is hauling heavier loads, setting tension to the higher end will help more with squat, but will perk up the rear 3" when unloaded.

Overall Thoughts

The adjustability is nice for accommodating oversized tires, setting ride height, and countering some degree of squat (though I feel airbags win-over in this category). To me the greatest improvement is noticed in handling with or without a trailer. I wouldn't have bought this kit for the improved ride alone, but now that it's on, I'm happy to keep it for what I paid.

Watch the video below to see the installation of the RAS 4611-HD on a 2020 Sierra 1500.