I installed a 3" level kit on my 04 f150 xlt super crew back in april since then i have had to replace a cv shaft and u joint on my drive shaft. does it not work to run a 3"? any suggestions?

 

From everything that I've read, 3" puts too much stress on your front end parts because of the angles that result from that amount of lift. A 2.5" is the most you want to go on a leveling kit.

 

I recently purchase a 3"/5" drop kit that relocates the carrier bearing, while I'm certainly not a expert since this is my first truck, I'm guessing what you're experiencing might be the reason. FWIW.

 

3" puts everything at bad angles your best bet would be to put a 2.5" on ive run mine for over 2 years now with no problems and I beat the truck pretty good.

 

so is going down to a 2.5in enough? and if i do that is that enough differnce that ill have to have it reallinged? thanks for the help so far!

 

I put a 3" on my truck over a year ago with a 1" rear lift block and everything is awesome no problems what so ever. The 3" by itself on the front actually raised my front end above the rear and the 1" rear balanced everything back out. Also since installing the leveling kit I put roughly 15k on the truck maybe more.

One thing you have to consider is that you put this on an 04' how many miles do you have? The problems that you got could of been from age or another issue. Just my thoughts.

 

I would definitely have the truck aligned if you go down to the 2.5". I would actually have it done twice if money isn't a problem. Once the day you do it and then two weeks later. My dad owns a tire store/repair shop so I put my kit on there and had our alignment guy check it out when I got done. He told me he wanted to check it out again in two weeks just to make sure everything was still ok. I'm glad I had him check it again because my caster was off and I would have worn out a new set of tires.

 

With any leveling kit you are going to wear parts out faster. I put a 2.5" AS on the front and 1.5 AS add a leaf on the back about 2 1/2 years ago. I just replaced one cv shaft assembly and the other is leaking. I have the parts on order to fix it. I had the IWE problem to so that contributed to the shafts going out. I replaced one myself and it was easy so the other one will take half the time.

You know what they say you have to pay if you are going to play!

 

Ya theres a price to it but id say replacing 1 cv joint 2 months ago and the same 1 needs 2 be replaced again means somthing needs to be done! guess ill be putn a 2.5 in.

 

I have talked to people who have issues with any leveling kit. Sometimes they work out great and some have all sorts of issues. One guy i talked to put on a 2" kit and after he was done had the upper control arm sitting part of the spring and destroyed the front end of his truck with 12k miles.

I have used my on some heavy trails, mud, job sites, and where ever else I felt like going during this last year and have found no issues with the truck or kit.

 

Generally 3" is considered to be too much of a lift without a full kit. I have had a 2.5" leveling kit on my 2005 for 60K miles with no issues.