Roush kit, with roush(bilstein shocks)

17" Front (after)

17 3/8" Rear (after)


Stock was 20.5 Front 18.5 Rear Differance from front to rear was exactly 2 inches.


Stock height from GROUND to wheel well was 32.5 front, 34.5 rear, after teh kit 30.5 front, 31.25 rear.


Rear shocks ( for spike)

16" from end to first rubber boot fully compressed
25.5" from end to first rubber boot, full un compressed

I forgot to measure the fronts till they were on DOH...

Ride is outstanding, and handles awesome too! Now if only my brakes didnt' start stinking after 5 mins of curvy roads =)..

Now i gotta get it aligned monday, soo any suggetsions on alignment specs would be aweosme =)

Thanks
Brandon

This thing ROCKS!!!

 

I had a local shop align mine to the "prefered" lightning specs. You can find the specs with a search. I also have the roush suspension and love it.

 

please post some pictures and how much did it cost you/where did you get it?

I am on the market for a kit for my '03.

I wasn't satisfied with the ride of my Hotchkis '01.

thanks,
chris

 

Can you comment on the Hotchkis suspension. Which components did you have?
Dion

 

I had the hotchkis springs all the way around, new coils in front and leaves in rear.

here is a link to the post I made about them immediately after I installed them over a year ago: https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...wering+springs

they appeared to be well made/high quality parts, but at speed the ride was bouncy or harsh. at times on the highway if you hit an expansion joint or "speedbump" style patch in the road it would litterally bounce you up out of your seat airborne! passengers often commented with a "WOAH!" after such an event. it may have all be related to the shocks not being properly valved to match the new springs, but they should let you know that you'll be needing new shocks with their kit if that is the case.

later,
chris

 

The shocks that come with the Roush kit are very nice ....
A friend of ours went through his stock shocks in a few months
because he didn't replace them when he lowered the truck.

My advise? Set the truck up all the way with the same
geometry. Bound to be a better ride.

 

Since most care more about looks and less about handling, the manufactures won't say anything because if they do, they may lose the sale. They have learned that the public wants to spend as little as possible on dropping a vehicle. Looks is the primary concern and handling is secondary. Scan the boards and you'll find most every comment regarding suspension changes is about drop heights and how it looks while parked.

If improving handling is the goal, then purchasing a suspension system would be the goal, not a purchasing a bunch of parts.

 

Meh....

 

I agree with you about keeping the cost down, if a manufacturer marketed "this new wonder part is $700 bucks" they'll likely sell a few, but if they market that after buying said wonder part you'll have to spend another $900 in additional parts to make it work. They'd sell alot less. this appears to be the case here.

Anyway, where exactly do I find a "suspension system"???

and what constitutes a system? shocks? I would have bought them from hotchkis as a "system" if I'd known I was going to need them, but they weren't even offered. all the same, like you said I was mostly looking for enhancing the appearance, not specifically "upgrading" my suspension. except for the height, stock was fine with me for my uses.

as for the rest of that improving handling stuff, thats true except the truck "handled" fine in my opinion as far as turning and body roll and such. I felt that these aspects were as good or better than stock after lowering, but I wasn't expecting to be trown out of my seat LITERALLY, every time I hit a uneven joint on a highway or at any speed over 45mph or so. thats all.

later,
chris

p.s. seriously though, if I remember correctly you road race your truck? have you found a quality kit that rides and handles well and also looks good? on my last truck I wanted moderate lowering so I could still tow my stang. that is not a requirement with my upcoming '03. thanks, chris.

P.P.S. another note of interest, I don't know if it had anything to do with the Hotchkis springs or not, but my truck cut consistant 1.80 60-fts with a best of 1.78 on stock F1s! maybe these springs or the new pinion angle helped this? just a thought

 

Brandon or anyone with the roush front springs can you measure the ride height for me. Either fron the center of the wheel or from the ground to the bottom of the wheel well. I have a set of Roush front springs I am planning to replace my Hotchkis springs with.

Chris I had the same thing happen with my Hotchkis, but with Ruslows shocks it is much better. I hope with the roush ruslow combo it will be even better.

 

Most have been 16.5->17.0 from center to fender Don.

Daniel

 

17 1/4 on the front Don ...

 

Thanks

I just went down to the garage and did a quick measure. with the Hotchkis I am at 17 1/2. So a 1/4-1/4 inch lower shouldn't even be noticable.

 

My concern was for handling and less of looks, I was impressed with both. Turned out very well, and now thats its settled in a bit its even a tad lower than yesturday. Handling is supurb compared to the stock suspension. You should see my wheels and the brake dust from 'playing around' last night for an hour =).. Very very very fun setup. I'll take some pics tomarrow, but many have already posted pics of the roush setup. Ride quality was BETTER than with stock. I have a 2k though, soo stock shocks were NOT bilsteins soo you 01-02 guys may have a bit better quality ride than I did. the ONLY bounce i had was at 95+ over a little 'hump' which kinda defy gravity for a half sec. =)

Brandon

 

Don read my post, its in there...

Roush kit, with roush(bilstein shocks)

17" Front (after)

17 3/8" Rear (after)