2010 FX4 - 1.5" AutoSpring Level
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Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: San Antonio, TX
2010 FX4 - 1.5" AutoSpring Level
Hey Everyone,
Just wanted to post this up real quick. Recently Arklight and I thoroughly exhausted our quest to find the perfect leveling kit for our trucks (both 2010 FX4 SuperCrews). There seemed to be so much varying information that it made my head hurt. Ultimately, I settled on the 1.5" AutoSpring Level (as did Ark). I couldn't be happier.
I wanted to clarify a few things to maybe help others that are researching. Here's the deal, the 1.5" level really is a 2" level. Its not that you "get more out of it", thats exactly what it is. It measures at exactly 1.25" spacer which is the same specs as all the other manufacturers 2" levels for our model year. So the problem is really in the description from AutoSpring. What seems to have happened is this was the same spacer that was the 1.5" level on the 2004-2008 models. But with the changes in front end components and geometries of the new body style, its a 2" for the 2009-2011. They just need to update their product descriptions and recognize that its a different result on this model year. Hope that helps some.
Another thing. I noticed in most of my research that the majority of people claimed using a leveling kit had "zero" impact on the ride characteristics or qualities of the stock suspension. I have to raise the BS flag a bit on this one. My truck only has 27,000 miles on it, but I feel a noticeable difference in the ride up front. I'm not saying its bad at all, I actually prefer the way it feels now, but it is different than stock. Now to be fair I could probably air down the tires a bit to get some softness back if I wanted, but just stating the point.
Anyway, love the look and wanted to share the experience. Here are the pics:
Before:
Before: (better angle but crappy pic. On a downslope so its a bit exaggerated)
After:
Some other mods have taken place since those before pictures such as the line-x on the step bars, harley heads and tails, and a new black billet front grille.
Another note on the level. I consider myself pretty savvy and attempted the DIY install. What a pain. Followed the instructions and the write-ups on here. The 2 primary hurdles I ran into were, the spindle arm nut. I left it on and broke loose the ball joint. No one mentioned that if the nut wasn't finger spinnable you would no longer be able get traction as the whole bolt spins haha. That sucked. The bigger problem though was reinstalling the strut. I tried with all my might and could not get the bottom of it up over the hump and back into its cradle. And I got stuck at 2 am, so couldn't exactly solicit help from others. Ended up having to abort and restore it to stock and put it all together again (truck was half in the garage, half out so I could get level surface). Was so spent the next day, I had to surrender and take it to a shop. Killed me to do it, but 2 hours later it was installed and aligned. Let me know what you think!
Just wanted to post this up real quick. Recently Arklight and I thoroughly exhausted our quest to find the perfect leveling kit for our trucks (both 2010 FX4 SuperCrews). There seemed to be so much varying information that it made my head hurt. Ultimately, I settled on the 1.5" AutoSpring Level (as did Ark). I couldn't be happier.
I wanted to clarify a few things to maybe help others that are researching. Here's the deal, the 1.5" level really is a 2" level. Its not that you "get more out of it", thats exactly what it is. It measures at exactly 1.25" spacer which is the same specs as all the other manufacturers 2" levels for our model year. So the problem is really in the description from AutoSpring. What seems to have happened is this was the same spacer that was the 1.5" level on the 2004-2008 models. But with the changes in front end components and geometries of the new body style, its a 2" for the 2009-2011. They just need to update their product descriptions and recognize that its a different result on this model year. Hope that helps some.
Another thing. I noticed in most of my research that the majority of people claimed using a leveling kit had "zero" impact on the ride characteristics or qualities of the stock suspension. I have to raise the BS flag a bit on this one. My truck only has 27,000 miles on it, but I feel a noticeable difference in the ride up front. I'm not saying its bad at all, I actually prefer the way it feels now, but it is different than stock. Now to be fair I could probably air down the tires a bit to get some softness back if I wanted, but just stating the point.
Anyway, love the look and wanted to share the experience. Here are the pics:
Before:
Before: (better angle but crappy pic. On a downslope so its a bit exaggerated)
After:
Some other mods have taken place since those before pictures such as the line-x on the step bars, harley heads and tails, and a new black billet front grille.
Another note on the level. I consider myself pretty savvy and attempted the DIY install. What a pain. Followed the instructions and the write-ups on here. The 2 primary hurdles I ran into were, the spindle arm nut. I left it on and broke loose the ball joint. No one mentioned that if the nut wasn't finger spinnable you would no longer be able get traction as the whole bolt spins haha. That sucked. The bigger problem though was reinstalling the strut. I tried with all my might and could not get the bottom of it up over the hump and back into its cradle. And I got stuck at 2 am, so couldn't exactly solicit help from others. Ended up having to abort and restore it to stock and put it all together again (truck was half in the garage, half out so I could get level surface). Was so spent the next day, I had to surrender and take it to a shop. Killed me to do it, but 2 hours later it was installed and aligned. Let me know what you think!
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,115
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, TX
Haven't taken post level measurements yet. When it is on slightly more level ground (that pic is sloped a bit as it goes into the driveway) it actually has a slight slight rake. But that's perfect to me.
Haha! You would say that. Feel free to add anything you feel I left out unless you start your own.
Haha! You would say that. Feel free to add anything you feel I left out unless you start your own.
