Let's be clear, NONE of these options will "improve ride quality". ANYTHING that preloads (in this specific discussion), detracts. It's a personal choice of rake or ride, for now. I'm also not saying that it will be a "large" detriment, but don't go saying that increasing preload from stock is a "better ride experience." You're pitching-out of the softest, most supple part of the spring travel and altering bypass points. I hate rake! It makes a pushy vehicle even more pushy. But it apparently suites the average dumb-ass, unsafe (performance-wise) driver -- we all have to be kept SAFE; thanks Gov! I hate the rake in the Raptor and all vehicles mostly, but I don't like handicapping the best "stock" truck suspension on the planet either. Plus, these collars, et al, on this site, seem like a "stated" s-show of variability of actual lift amounts. I'm probably going to wait this out a bit for more factual information, as I haven't been able to ascertain true facts of lift "height" over stock on this board for various lift options. (NOTE: Forget your "side pics" of your truck, put a g-damn tape measure in you pics, or just described the value, from the ground to fender lip! Front AND back! Before and after! Then you've given us some usable information. Side pics from 15ft away.... hahahaha... near worthless for what we want to know!! Humorous rhetoric from those, out of the know.)
What I don't know, is how much better the truck may balance in active corner-weight/loading with less rake in turns -- it's a push-pig -- throttling-up starting in early mid-corner just to get the weight back for a decent corner exit. But that's another topic all together. The above sections discusses compression/rebound characteristics, but better "control of corner-loading and a better CG, may help the drive a bit, but more-so on the street experience where traction coefficients on all corners is relatively consistent and the truck can be hard set and loaded on turns, and slightly manipulated with balance (less understeer perhaps?). Maybe a little as well on fast smoother dirt too, that "doesn't" tax total travel. But that's a ay different topic than "maxing-out travel out at speed, down a crazy double-track road, filming suspension performance from the side", and THAT being the metric.
So my position is as follows: Collars: Bad for compression/rebound per design, but potentially good for look and active corner-weighting in turns and a slightly improved CG resulting is less understeer in street and in fast dirt (but I'm speculating on this part, but it's sound logic to a large extent.) It takes an experienced driver to know this significant difference -- definitely N O T the member who said he "cant tell a diff between Normal and Sport on the street" -- Jesus!... really?! lol It's like night and day!
Plus, when one is driving a suspension within it's limits, the negative-travel is VERY important, if not more-so on a long clock (see trophy truck resting stance). So saying, "oh yeah, more compression travel!" well, for the Dukes of Hazzard river jump, maybe.
Anyone disagree?
I just got my 22, so looking at the leveling thing closely. I "suspect" that I'll end up deciding on lesser lift from true level, just to mitigate the issue with minimal pre-load impact. But want to get it right, as it's a PITA to change.
Side note: Thank Christ for Sport Mode without Trac, that's all I have to say. Haven't had off-road fun yet. But honestly, I care more about my 98% street experience, as I know it's fine for my off-road needs. As such, the rake is pesky indeed. Too bad we can't easily lower the rear to level, that would be sweet, unless 37'd probably.