It does look like you have a small leveling kit up in there. but that still shouldnt be causing angles that bad. those are TERRIBLE! you have to have some sort of leveling shock in there too. and it doesnt look like changing your leveling kit will help it out at all.

 

Can you take a pic of the coilover shock?

 

Whatever strut that is there is no travel since there is no shaft showing. It's all loaded inside the strut.

 

So you guys think I might need a new strut setup too?

 

I have to say, that is worst looking upper control arm I have ever seen. And Stealth is right, it looks like you have no travel in your shock as none of the shaft is exposed at all. No wonder it rides crappy.

There is something way fishy here; I wonder if the previous owner installed a strut from a 4wd in there, then added the 3" spacer. Not sure how similiar the 2wd knuckle is compared to the 4wd knuckle but the struts are different lengths.

If it were me, I think I would start all over with the front struts and springs so you know what you're getting. There are tons of guys on here and on Craigslist just giving those parts away so I'd check there. But if you have a different rate spring/strut and you don't address it, you'll never fix the issue with bad angles, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. Failure of something up there is BAD news, especially if you cruising down the highway. In any event, the pics you've shown actually look pretty scary and I know I wouldnt be comfortable driving OR riding in your truck until it's fixed.

Good luck with it and please post back whatever you find. Hopefully Mud Digger can help as well.

 

Has anyone experienced this just when the wheel is dropped out (strut decompressed)? I installed a 2.5" HBS leveling kit last weekend and noticed that when my truck was on the jack the upper control arm was resting on the coil. Thanks

 

Ha I dont blame you...it really does suck driving this thing...Im gonna put the new control arm and 2" leveling kit on today and see what happens...if its still the same, Ill buy new struts and see what that does i guess...this is just getting ridiculous but Ill keep everyone posted...wish me luck!

 

If you're doing this yourself, why dont you remove the 3" spacer then reinstall your strut? When back on the ground all your angles should be neutral. If not, then you KNOW you have a strut/spring issue.

 

I am going to guess that he has a leveling kit on top of preloaded struts (like the Bilstein 5100s). It could also be a strut up front that can be used for multiple vehicles (like an F150 and an Expy) and the wrong groove was used to hold the spring/retainer plate. Of course, it could be a strut not designed for the vehicle at all (but that seems unlikely, though). Maybe he is using an incorrect/larger spring in a correct strut.

There is absolutely no way that a 2" or even a 3" leveling kit, alone, would cause such a severe angle.

 

Well the story behind the leveling kit is I messed up my stock hood so I found a guy selling his aftermarket ram air hood...i bought it from him and he said hes parting out his truck so he gave me his leveling kit too...at the time, i knew nothing about trucks because it was my first one and i only had the truck for 2 weeks. Anyways, he had his own shop so he did it all himself and that was it...2 years later, im just realizing that this isnt right (judge if you will) but he never told me about swapping the struts with preloaded ones...i went to a shop like 6 months ago to get my tires rotated and i asked the guys there if that control arm looked ok and they said yea, it happens sometimes when leveling kits are installed on some trucks...now that ive been recently getting more into my truck, ive realized that this isnt right and as far as i know theyre still my stock struts...my buddy is a mechanic at a Ford dealership so im bringin it by there in an hour so ill ask him to check out the strut and see if its factory or aftermarket...and stove top, good idea with taking the leveling kit off and bringin it back down to stock height..ill have him do that

 

That situation may be elieviated with a front end alignment.. The upper control are can be brought out to change the camber.. UNLESS it's already against the stops.

 

That may be cleared with a front end alignment.. Camber should be brought out enough to push the upper arm away from the spring..

 

Yea, when I get this 2" kit on, im putting my new tires on and getting an alignment immediately

 

We've got the truck on the lift with the control arms disconnected...we're thinkin it might be an aftermarket strut assembly which might be too big...this is what might be causing everything to be stretching down...anything i should take pics of while its apart?

 

Are you sure? I am pretty sure the only adjustment to correct camber is at the lower control arm. There is no adjustment up top, and even if there was, there is no way to get a wrench in there without removing the coil over... Please, correct me if I am wrong. I have taken the front end apart on 04-08 F150s countless times, and I am pretty sure that the upper control arm is solid, and camber adjustments are made to the lower control arm.