I just installed 1/2 the kit, the larger flat spacer on top. The truck looks good as there is a "slight" incline towards the front but it looks better. I watched the tech at the Ford who put it in for me align the truck as ge said the toe in was off as a result of the kit. I have noticed however after only about 250 miles that the tread appears to be ragged across the entire face. I have the Ameritrac Generals, I don't know if they are softer or if this kit is going to cause premature wear regarless. Anybody can help?

 

Sounds like the alignment is off, I'd get it checked again. You could have hit something on the way home from the shop and threw it out of whack, you never know.

 

Get a front end alignment. I spoke to the tech service dept at my dealship about my 2.5" daystar lift and he said the fron end will be way off and will chew tires up fast. He told me to get an off road alignment.

 

I installed a 2.5" kit and my tires looked exactly as you describe when testing it. Went straight to the alignment shop and they twisted and pulled on it for a couple hours. After the alignment the ride was dramaticly softer and the tires no longer had any unusual wear marks on them. Even though you only put 1.5" of lift, you should still get it aligned. Mine cost $40 to get straightened out.

 

Good advice. Way cheaper than new tires.

 

I only installed the top Daystar spacer also. I got 1 3/4" of lift. I took it to the dealer this morning and ask them to check the alignment. The camber and caster was still in specs, even close to the middle of the tolerances, but the toe was out "bad", it said on the paper work. Nominal toe is .1, mine was .53 on one side and .36 on the other. Afterwards it was .07 on both sides. They even rotated and balanced the tires, all for free. If you raise the front end your tie rod will angle downward, thus making it shorter which will pull your toe inward. If you've raised your truck you will need to adjust the toe, if they told you it was fine, they probably didn't check it.

 

I agree sounds like you need an alignment. Maybe when they checked it they only checked one thing and seen it was good but didnt check the toe. I would definatly get it checked.

 

I noticed my edges wearing also. After the install, they ailigned the front but the toe must still be off.

 

blg615

How many miles do you have? You're always going to have outside tread wear on the front, that's why they need rotating every 5000 miles. Maybe its just normal wear. The toe usually doesn't cause just outside wear. Bad camber would.

 

dgdee,
I have 2000 miles. I have the BFG AT 275 17 on the fx4 wheels. The reason I thought I might have an issue is because I have the same tires (except 315 18) on my H2 with 4000 miles and no wear on those.
What is your advice?

 

blg615

Did a Ford dealer do your alignment?

I only did 1/2 of the Daystar lift, 1 3/4" of lift. The whole 2.5" would mean that the toe would even be off more. You might still be able to see if they put a wrench on your tie rod end. Look at the lock nut and the shaft where its 6 sided. But I remember your pics from last year it seems like, so it might be hard to tell now. Before I did mine I saw one that had the Daystar lift done at a 4x4 shop. I stopped in and talked to them about it, asked some ?'s, whether it needed any alignment. They said they checked it and it needed nothing. I bet that guy is having some tire wear. Your toe-in will change when the truck is lifted. Go out and look how your tie rod is angled down now. Before the lift it was almost horizontal. So you can see the more it angles down the shorter it gets. I would take it to your Ford dealer and have them check it, if you haven't already. There's a good chance the toe is off. Do you have any cross-hatching looking wear on them?

 

I put my full daystar lift on at 4000 miles. I have 15k on it now and no abnormal tire wear. I do rotate the tires every 5 to 6k miles.

 

pepatrick

Did you have an alignment done?

 

dgdee, I'm not sure I know what cross hatching looks like. I'm sure someones going to say it is self explainatory, but I don't know what to look for.
My align was done at a well known suspension shop in town that put my daystar on for me. But, that prob means little if they needed special specs for the 04s and maybe the dealer's service dept has better info for the aligns?

 

I did have the alignment done at Ford when the 1/2 Daystar kit was put in. Supposedly, the toe was set correctly. The wear I am experiencing in one the outer edge of both fronts. It is a feathering effect and a ragged look on the first second line of treads. This looks as if it may be coming from when I turn sharply in either direction. This could be normal wear but I'm suspicious because I only have 1700 miles. Is the camber thrown off with Daystar and how does it change when turning. I know the tech aligned toe I saw him.