I am having my 5100's installed today at 1 notch up from stock and 4wheel parts has called to tell me that i will need a camber kit to get it aligned. Has anyone else ever heard of this? Its only a 3/4" front end lift because im only putting 275/65/18 on and do not want a big lift. Truck is a 2012 Lariat EB Screw. They want an additional $170 to do this on top of the alignment.

 

You don't need it. All you need is a slight adjustment of the toe.

 

They are saying that there is NO way to adjust camber on these trucks without this kit. Is that correct? Would Ford do that?

 

Find someone else to do it as it is obvious they do not have a clue. Yes camber can be adjusted. A camber kit is only needed if the changes through the camber out so far the normal setup can not be adjusted enough.

 

Doesn't sound right. I had a 2" level installed and it was realigned just fine... Tons of people on this forum have had the same or more lift installed without a camber kit being needed... Seems odd that such a minimal level like yours would require a camber kit.

 

Camber is adjusted by loosening both lower control arm bolts. The bolts go through slotted holes in the front end. You absolutely DO NOT need a camber kit. Thats a money grabbing lie. You can see in the pic from when I had my lower control arms dropped, the mounting locations are slotted.

 

What should OEM toe be set to? Suppose i can measure it before and just put it back after i install my 2" leveling kit. Basically thats all that needs to be adjusted correct? Toe?

 

No, it is the camber which will more likely be out, not toe. However, once you take apart and put back together the front end, anything could be out. Also you question assumes that the front end was in alignment when the changes started. Which may or may not be true.

 

Well my hope is that a truck with 5500 miles on it. It would meet fords alignment spec. Finding a shop that does a decent alignment is hard. with my 99 F150, i have had it aligned 3-4 times and never really drove perfect. Either it still pulled to the right, or the steering wheel wasnt centered when driving straight down the road. Something.

 

Then it has not been properly aligned, or the tires on it are causing the problem.

 

Lol nope not the tires at all. Like i said, its hard to find a good shop to do alignments. They always seem to screw it up.

My thought is my 2012 should be aligned from the factory. So its just a matter of returning it to factory specs. Earlier someone stated that castor/camber should not be affected because its not changeable.

Is it possible to install a leveling kit without messing with the upper/lower a-arms? If so then toe should be the only thing that changes.

 

What everyone else is saying. Had a 2" leveling kit installed and realigned right after. No problems and they didn't tell me I needed a camber kit.

 

As stated previously, all aspects of an alignment are changeable on the F150. And never assume it is correct from the factory. Also, hit a pot hole and it could be out in the first few miles. And with a leveling kit toe and castor are the ones to least likely be changed, not the most likely. What will be changed is camber.

 

It may depend on what size leveling kit you go with?? But I've added 2" leveling kits to my last 2 trucks and the only adjustment needed was a slight toe adjustment. My friend has been doing alignments for over 30 years so I know that is all he had to do to my truck.

 

If I recall correctly, accessory camber kits were often required to align the older ("97-"03) F-150s with torsion bar front suspensions. The '09 and newer use a coil spring/strut setup with camber adjustment cams on the LCAs.