What’s the adversity to having a rake?

I see a number of posts of people wanting to level out their trucks, maybe I’m just too old to appreciate the need but only seems natural to have it for when you haul or tow. What’s the point of owning a truck otherwise?

 

I would say most do it to fit bigger tires as it looks ridiculous otherwise. I prefer factory rake (3/2 lift) because it will squat when loaded. JMHO

 

No adversity here I prefer to have a slight rake. Level is fine if you if you are not doing truck things a lot and never carry much in the bed or tow.

 

Different strokes for different folks. I leveled mine then decided it looked better with an additional inch in the rear. And I don’t like the raked look.

 

I think you answered your question, most people don't tow or haul

 

A little rake looks good to me. Especially with bigger tires.

Entirely subjective though

 

Nothing worse than squating when loaded. My opinion, trucks should sit level when well loaded, high in the rear when empty.

 

That's the thing I can never understand. Buy a large gas guzzling vehicle and have no purpose for it.

 

I didn't quite level mine, but did raise the front a little over an inch. I just like riding a little higher, after a few years driving an 18 wheeler.
And the lift is noticable to me and to passengers in the front seat.

 

I’m leveled because I think the factory rake looks stupid personally. I tow a boat and camper all the time and have zero squat whatsoever. It’s called air bags. My truck is level even when towing. But, like mentioned, to each their own. When I buy the new gen it will be a PRO that sits level from the factory.

 

My Leveling kit is a load of gear in the bed.

 

Pro Rake here. I dont like the look or handling of a nose high vehicle and since I tow and haul at times rake is a must.

 

Nothing left to say …

 

I transport my bike in the bed or a hitch mounted bike rack. Is that considered hauling?

 

I haul things in the bed that are bigger than I can carry in the trunk of a car; probably only once, or twice per month - but still more often than I would like to have to borrow someone else's truck, or rent one. I also want enough cab space from my family to travel comfortably. We previously had a Tacoma and we just weren't comfortable in there anymore as the family grew, so we opted to get rid of the Tacoma, and get a Tundra. It's not fuel efficient, that's why we also have a Lexus RX350 - to drive on longer trips and save money on gas. So I don't exactly fall into the category of buying a "large gas guzzling vehicle and hav[ing] no purpose for it.", but I definitely have very little purpose for it, but it's nice to have when I do. We did just buy an quad that we will be hauling on top of my Diamondback HD though, but even then - we'll only take it out a half dozen times per year.

 

It's an aesthetic.

 

Alright I'll join.

I leveled my truck. When I do throw a heavy load in the bed, if it sags thats fine with me. I don't care at all what it looks like when I'm delivering a bed full of sand to my brothers house or whatever, it's only during the trip. I would rather like how my truck stands the large majority of days than care what it looks like when it is hauling or towing.

It takes a good amount of weight to lower my rear. I've thrown appliances back there lots of times and helped people move, couldn't see it squat. I've done dozens if trips to the dump, never saw it squat. I don't tow often so no problems there. Last few cars I towed were done flat style so the weight had no effect. I don't own a boat or camp trailer.

I think a truck with more than an inch of rake looks like it got kicked in the ass.

 

100% agree! Mine is leveled. I tow my boat every weekend, and the occasional bed of pavers or other random shit. So it squats just a bit during those times only. Doesn’t bother me a bit. It sits level and looks badass 99% of the time. That 1% isn’t enough to make me want to raise the bed. I put Bilstein 5100s all around and used the top settings on the front. So it isn’t like I raised it with a cheap kit. The truck rides better, is more capable, and I fit bigger tires so it looks 10x better.

 

The only adversity is having to deal with too many compliments.

 

When I see factory rake I think it just looks stupid. Someone mentioned the handling changing when removing the rake. I have seen zero change in handling.
One of the worst rakes I’ve seen lately is on the new Rangers. It looks absolutely abysmal.

 

Rake = trucks doing truck things
No rake = mall crawlers and do these pants make my butt look big

 

This was always my thoughts too. If the rake is for hauling, why make every truck have rake when a majority never haul anything and most of the ones that do haul don’t do it very often. It’s all for the 1%ers.

 

Slight rake for hauling is fine, it does suck looking like you’re slamming on the brakes all the time

 

I'm willing to bet that if you took an honest survey of all truck owners, the numbers would say differently.

All trucks come with rake. Not all trucks do truck shit. The vast majority of trucks are bone stock, and don't do truck shit. I'm not saying all leveled trucks do truck shit, but I am saying by numbers there are more trucks with factory rake that don't do truck shit. Sheer statistics.

I think a more realistic phrase would be

Truck with rake= how trucks come from the factory
Truck leveled= owner didn't like rake.

Water heater full of minerals, probably over 200lbs. Pile of plywood maybe 150lbs. 2 sheets of drywall maybe 50lbs. Also had some 2x4s, several cinder blocks, and some other shit. Truck looked awful for the 30 minute drive to the dump, a whole inch lower in the back by my estimate. I wish I took pics of it every time I did truck shit, but I don't. This pic was a "where you at?" To my brother in law who was supposed to help. This was a work truck for about a year, I hauled toilets, old sinks, and water heaters more than I can count. All while leveled.

 

I don’t see any rake here…



Level when loaded or unloaded is the best option.

 

You don't always have to load the bed with pallets of pavers or pull large trailer to justify needing a truck. I haul light objects but sometimes bulky.
And I get myself into trouble like this: If I wasn't lifted I would have lost my front bumper a long time ago.


Just a small lift to get rid of the rake and to make it useful for what I need it for:

 

This statement is false but great generalization.

 

Most vehicles come with a rake. Look at cars rolling down the road and most have a rake. Is that in case that Accord hooks up their 5th wheel and takes a ride over of the Rockies?? The doing truck shit is a lame argument. My best guess is aero dynamics and possibly other reasons. Leveled unloaded and leveled towing looks best IMO.

 

In my honest opinion. This is too much truck rake....