# Western Midweight frame hitting ground on 2016-1500 Silverado.. Help please



## I Plow in PA. (Aug 27, 2008)

Hi everyone, 
I recently purchased a brand new Western Mid-weight plow for my 2016-1500 series Silverado. While the plow works excellent, and it is made especially for 1/2 ton trucks, the one problem I'm having is whenever I go over an uneven surface, like backing in and out of my driveway, or coming across a dip in the road, the frame bottoms out on the roadway and it scrapes like hell.

I contacted the plow dealer who I purchased this from, and asked him to recommend a leveling kit to install, and if he installs them, to which I guess the answer is he didn't recommend, or say they install them, only to bring it back once I get a leveling kit installed so he can adjust the installation height of putting the plow on, and taking it off, because the leveling kit will change it.

I have 5 inches from the road to the bottom of the frame, and the bottom of the frame feels like a sharpened lawn mower blade already from the few times I bottomed out. I am the easiest guy there is on a plow, been plowing for 30 years, always with a 3/4 ton, so this is something I've never come across.

Question to all you guys who have dealt with this situation on your 2016 GM 1500 series, what leveling kit do I purchase? I saw on an older thread a guy installed this, his quote, "*Bilestin 5100 leveling shocks".* I have no idea what to purchase. I don't want the front end of my truck sitting higher when I don't have the plow on, and I'm not sure this would happen, but any help would be awesome.

I put 2 pics below. One of my truck with the plow, and one showing the 5 inch space between the road and the bottom of the frame.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Question #1 is are you using any counterweight/ ballast behind the rear axle to counter the weight of the plow in front of the front axle?

If you are using counterweight, I would put a set of Timbrens on for the winter and take them off in the summer if you don't want to level your truck. This will support the weight of the plow when you carry it but not change your ride height. You may just leave them on, but since you have a nice 1/2 ton, it might effect the ride. 

Bilestien 5100 will do nothing for the height of your truck. Many people put the Bilesteins on when the truck is leveled as once you level it, you stock shocks will be to short and when your front suspension maxes out to the bottom the shock with "thud" at max out and now your GM rides like a Ford...


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## Kevin_NJ (Jul 24, 2003)

While I admit, I'm mostly here because the comment below had me literally LOL.... I don't want to be that guy with nothing of value to add.

So for the OP....
I had to guess at the full specs of your truck, but Western does call for 570 pounds of ballast in the configuration below. That will help reduce the front end sag, providing you have the ballast well behind your rear axle.












Philbilly2 said:


> .... and now your GM rides like a Ford...


 :laugh:


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## sixty4 (Jul 21, 2008)

I would shoot western some pics and find out if they sold you the correct mount. Not an expert but that's very low. I am sure the ballast will help but man...


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

They only make one mount.

That's one of the side effects of a Low Rider.

I would add weight behind the rear axle as suggested. 

Home Depot sells 70lbs bags of sand for 5 bucks. Spend 50 and save as well it will help you plow.


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## I Plow in PA. (Aug 27, 2008)

I forgot to post originally that I also purchased a brand new Western 500 Spreader, which I have mounted to my tow hitch. I have had the salt box full each time that I plowed and still had the problem. So, yes I do have ballast behind the rear axle.


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## I Plow in PA. (Aug 27, 2008)

Philbilly2 said:


> Question #1 is are you using any counterweight/ ballast behind the rear axle to counter the weight of the plow in front of the front axle?
> 
> If you are using counterweight, I would put a set of Timbrens on for the winter and take them off in the summer if you don't want to level your truck. This will support the weight of the plow when you carry it but not change your ride height. You may just leave them on, but since you have a nice 1/2 ton, it might effect the ride.
> 
> Bilestien 5100 will do nothing for the height of your truck. Many people put the Bilesteins on when the truck is leveled as once you level it, you stock shocks will be to short and when your front suspension maxes out to the bottom the shock with "thud" at max out and now your GM rides like a Ford...


I forgot to post originally that I also purchased a brand new Western 500 Spreader, which I have mounted to my tow hitch. I have had the salt box full each time that I plowed and still had the problem. So, yes I do have ballast behind the rear axle.


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## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

It would also help to run max tire pressure in the fronts. I just did a 2” leveling kit on a 2011 1/2 ton silverado and it made a big difference. That truck has 7’6” pro plow on it.


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## johnhenry1933 (Feb 11, 2013)

As already posted: that's one of the downsides of a lowrider. Place ballast near the tailgate, and if that is not enough you're looking at some suspension/lift work.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Western1 said:


> It would also help to run max tire pressure in the fronts. I just did a 2" leveling kit on a 2011 1/2 ton silverado and it made a big difference. That truck has 7'6" pro plow on it.


This.


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## I Plow in PA. (Aug 27, 2008)

Western1 said:


> It would also help to run max tire pressure in the fronts. I just did a 2" leveling kit on a 2011 1/2 ton silverado and it made a big difference. That truck has 7'6" pro plow on it.


What leveling kit "brand" did you go with. Thanks


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

I use cognito brand on my 3/4 and 1 ton GM trucks


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## NYH1 (Jan 10, 2009)

I would still put some counter/ballast weight up against your tailgate. Either tube sand or bags of rock salt. 

Your Western 500 spreader weighs about 75 lbs. and holds 5 cubic feet of rock salt. If rock salt weighs 75 lbs. a cubic foot. You'll start out with your spreader full, which is 550 lbs. combined weight of the spreader and salt. As you spread your salt, you're going to be losing the effect of counter/ballast weight it provides. All the way down to the 75 lbs. that the spreader weighs empty.

Just my $0.02, good luck, NYH1.


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## dmcenery (Nov 1, 2004)

I Plow in PA. said:


> What leveling kit "brand" did you go with. Thanks


Google coil sumo springs. Those might work with your set up. Otherwise you could go with timbrens or buyers makes a version of timbrens as well.


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## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

I Plow in PA. said:


> What leveling kit "brand" did you go with. Thanks


It was a knock off brand. Customer didn't want to spend much. It was only like 40.00.


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## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

You can search silverado leveling kit 2”.


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## NYH1 (Jan 10, 2009)

Marks Misfit World a youtuber, has a 2016 GMC 1500 with a Western Plow and I believe a 2 inch leveling kit. Check him out and ask him what brand he's using. He's a good dude.

www.youtube.com/channel/UCkNbzGIAnnOpdn7zbD7G1kg/videos?disable_polymer=1

NYH1.


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## PLOWMAN45 (Jul 2, 2003)

I Plow in PA. said:


> What leveling kit "brand" did you go with. Thanks


go with rough country that's what i have


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

PLOWMAN45 said:


> go with rough country that's what i have


You have a 1/2 ton now?


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## PLOWMAN45 (Jul 2, 2003)

nope a 3/4


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## Brettny (Jul 12, 2017)

Does the brand really matter...prob not. These leveling kits for front coils are just a plastic/rubber donuts with studs sticking out.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Brettny said:


> Does the brand really matter...prob not. These leveling kits for front coils are just a plastic/rubber donuts with studs sticking out.


The half tons went to coils?? Wow... no wonder they can't carry a plow.


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## Brettny (Jul 12, 2017)

They could have torsion springs too not really sure as i never plan on owning one. Either way the torsion keys are just a big chunk of steel.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Brettny said:


> They could have torsion springs too not really sure as i never plan on owning one. Either way the torsion keys are just a big chunk of steel.


I don't know. I was asking. I too have never owned one (unless you count a the wife's Yukon)

Last I was around one (pre-07 body change) they were still torsion bars then. Would not surprise me that much if they made them coil overs on the 1/2's


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## NYH1 (Jan 10, 2009)

Aren't the new Chevy/GMC 2500/3500's using a front coil over strut setup instead of torsion bars now as well?

NYH1.


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## PLOWMAN45 (Jul 2, 2003)

I have no clue I'm going ram next truck


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## johnhenry1933 (Feb 11, 2013)

PLOWMAN45 said:


> I have no clue I'm going ram next truck


Good choice. I have 7 trucks, and many before, and my '19 is the one I like best...just not using it for plowing.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

NYH1 said:


> Aren't the new Chevy/GMC 2500/3500's using a front coil over strut setup instead of torsion bars now as well?
> 
> NYH1.


How new? I have a 3/4 and a 1 ton that are still torsion bars. Both K2XX platforms


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## Brettny (Jul 12, 2017)

johnhenry1933 said:


> Good choice. I have 7 trucks, and many before, and my '19 is the one I like best...just not using it for plowing.


There all nice when there new. Good luck.


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## NYH1 (Jan 10, 2009)

Philbilly2 said:


> How new? I have a 3/4 and a 1 ton that are still torsion bars. Both K2XX platforms


I thought 2017/2018ish. I could be wrong though.

NYH1.


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## johnhenry1933 (Feb 11, 2013)

Brettny said:


> There all nice when there new. Good luck.


Good luck? One doesn't need it if one does one's research.

...and no, they are not all "nice when they are new." Lots of horror storied about certain models, engines, electronics, etc.


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## Squires (Jan 9, 2009)

Still torsion bar in the 2500 and 3500
coils in the half tons since the 2007


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## Head1 (Nov 26, 2011)

Back in the day you could just crank up the t-bars in 1/2 tons to get more clearance. Leveling kits are NOT needed in a plow rig IMO. Ballast over the back tires are you best solution !


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## NYH1 (Jan 10, 2009)

Head1 said:


> Back in the day you could just crank up the t-bars in 1/2 tons to get more clearance. Leveling kits are NOT needed in a plow rig IMO. *Ballast over the back tires are you best solution !*


Behind the rear tires, not over them.

NYH1.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Head1 said:


> Back in the day you could just crank up the t-bars in 1/2 tons to get more clearance. Leveling kits are NOT needed in a plow rig IMO. Ballast over the back tires are you best solution !


Your plow was not heavy enough then... :laugh:


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## Head1 (Nov 26, 2011)

Yea most guys say on the back. But usually have a few 50s of Magic or Mag on the space near the gate so shes not nose heavy at all. Westerns bumpin' the ground nothing new here! But OP sez its a new1/2 ton and no t-bars!


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

To much ballast in front of the rear axel
Puts more weight on the front axel .
Needs more counterweigh behind the rear axel to remove some weight off of the front,

Air shocks, airbags,timbrens, stiffer springs,
Get a bigger truck


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## plow4beer (Nov 16, 2016)

Hydromaster said:


> To much ballast in front of the rear axel
> Puts more weight on the front axel .
> Needs more counterweigh behind the rear axel to remove some weight off of the front,
> 
> ...


i can't imagine needing ballast, so that my plow truck doesn't capsize


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

plow4beer said:


> i can't imagine needing ballast, so that my plow truck doesn't capsize


It can be scary out there in the high seas of heavy snow.


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