hi everyone I'm new to this forum. I'm just starting to get into some bigger mods now on my 3mth old 4x4 STX reg cab short box. I just uped the tire size from the pizza cutters that came on it to 265/70r17 goodyear wrangler duratrac. Now I'm looking at getting a leveling kit. But there seems to be a lot out there and in all different sizes. The kits I've been looking at are just the strut extensions. I find my truck sits really low in the front compared to the back when compared to the bigger 4 door 6.5ft box trucks. Maybe it just an optical illusion cause my truck is so much shorter. Anyway I'm kind of torn about brands and actual size. I've been rocking back and forth between the very cheap Rough Country 2.5" and the much more expensive Ready Lift 2". Not sure why the big price difference? I can only assume it's quality. When I measure from the top of my wheels in the back and in the front there is over a 3" difference so I'm not sure either that I am looking at will get me perfectly level but I've read some people are having issues when the go with the 3", any truth to that? It is important to me to keep my truck reliable as it is my everyday driver so please keep that in mind when you guys respond
Thanks in advance
Scott

 

I'm running a 2.5 in ProComp level on mine. It's a strut spacer like you mentioned. I haven't had any problems with mine besides denting the coils a little when I hit a bump in the desert going too fast. It was a little bigger then I thought. If you are not concerned about getting more flex out of it then a spacer is fine. Everything I've read say not to go over 2.5in and looking at my angles I could see how 3in would be too much. 2.5 is pushing it as is. If I had to do it again I would stay at 2in myself.

 

That makes sense. Thanks for your reply.

 

^^^ If you really mean that, you'd best leave it be. ANY modifications like this will affect front-end geometry, is adding stress to front-end components, and can alter alignment settings, hence affect tire wear.

Additionally - how are you planning to correct for speedo / odo / shiftpoint errors due to the larger diameter rolling stock, eh?

 

Well if you are referring to my tire size that particular size was actually an option when I bought the truck. According to my local ford service department the tire size wouldn't throw out my speedo any more then 1km/h at most. I've also checked it with my GpS which proved ford to be correct. I have also been looking at 5star tuner which I'm pretty sure will correct any possible errors or at least that is what they told me at 5star. I understand that any mod can compromise reliability that is why I turned to you guys for some helpful advise on a way to achieve my goals while while not overly compromising my reliability. My leveling kit will be bought through and installed by ford which they assure me will not effect my vehicle warranty. Not sure what "new hoser" means but thanks anyway for you input.

 

Hey.

Bein' an 'Old Hoser' meeseff, reckon I kin call ye a New'un Lighten up, fellow Canuckistanian.

Wonder why yer Ford fellers dint tell ye that, if'n ye bought one of the 'other stock tire sizes', they could correct yer speedo/odo/shiftpoints right thar in the Dealership mayhap fer free usin' they 'puter called IDS (which would have the flash data for said 'alternate stock sizes) - if'n ye asked 'em nice-like.

Aboot the spacer - ensure ye gits that "covered unner Warn'tree" assurance in Writing - as fer sure NO Ford truck ever came with those stock from the factory. Woon't hurt to ask if, yer CV's go south, a boot or two gits torn or a balljoint fails prematurely or a tire exhibits premature, odd wear patterns, that all of that is also included. In other words ensure they explicitly state what IS covered - no ambiguity or assumptions. ( BTW - ask if they are going to check the alignment settings after the install. )

Lastly - realize that the use of said spacer raises the effective spring rate - so yer not surprised if ride quality changes are felt. And be aware that there are indeed more elegant methods that result in the same thing (struts).

Oh yeah - recommend MPT, not 5Star. Does the Dealer know aboot that mod too? It's almost certainly going to void yer powertrain warranty if they detect it (or you tell 'em.)

*EDIT* - OT, but, KC lights are overpriced junk. Save up yer money fer something with quality - some sealed LED PIAA's or Rigid's, etc. And - you may have mileage to spare but a bullbar is good fer a 1-2mpg drop ( and is f'ugly, imho - forego it and the KC crap, and just put a nice small LED lightbar in the lower opening ).

==> https://www.f150online.com/forums/il...ad-lights.html

BSB out.

 

All is what was told to me By the local Ford dealer is that they do leveling kits all the time with no ill effects and that it would not void my warranty as long as it was installed by them and yes the price they gave me to install the kit included an alignment. I never got into any more details then that but maybe I should? This particular dealership is the SVT dealer and they build brand new STXs with 3" lifts all the way around, 35" tires with aftermarket rims and fender flares and sells them on their lot. They have built at least 5 different ones that I have seen. I have not mentioned anything to them about the tuner. I have lots more bolt on things in mind before I have to worry about a tuner anyway. That is something I will be researching extensively before I pull the trigger on. I guess everyone has their opinion but I think the black powder coat bull bars look amazing on black trucks. And a $150 bucks for a set of KC Lites with a 25 year warranty doesn't seem expensive to me but also that is something that I never really researched to much. They are just lights. I like the looks of the rally series with the black KC rock guards and that's why I ordered them.

 

Oh and why would a small fairly light bull bar cause such a decrease in fuel milage. That just doesn't seem accurate to me. I went from a 35lb 235/75r17 p metric tire to a near 60lbs 265/70r17 LT 10ply tire and only lost 2-3L/100kms in start and stop driving and 1L/100kms hyw.