Hi all! I finnally decided to get a new f150, and I'm looking at the Rough Country 3" kit. I currently have a 2004 lariat screw with 2.5in front and 1" rear running 275/70/18. It gives me the perfect height IMO, good compromise between being tall enough to cross the creek at camp, but not so tall to be detrimental to gas mileage too much. Here's my dilema - I believe the 2.5 level kit on the front has been hell on my ball joints. Granted, the truck has over 300,000 miles, but I have had to redo the front suspension 3 times, and it needs it again. The Rough Country kit comes with an upper control arm that fixes this problem...but what about the lower control arm? wouldn't it continue to have issues?
Also, I'm sure the 275/70/18 tires would be fine, but their site says that you need a .24" wheel spacer in order to retain stock rims for 295/70/18. If I do decide to go just a tad bigger, could I see any potential problems in the future with a spacer?

 

Any suggestions? The Shop doing the work tells me that the 2.5" lift with 1" in the back will keep the ball joints within spec and should not put additional strain on them. I'm thinking about going back to exactly what I had before. Anybody?

 

I just purchased the new 3 in kit. It comes with new upper control arms to bring the ball joint into spec. According to rough country everything else will stay in specs. As far as 3 front ends in 300000 I think you did ok.

 

The way I figure, the front end should last 150K, maybe I'm wrong. If the original had lasted to 150, and then I had to do another at 300, I would have been happy. As it was, the original lasted to only about 75K, and it seemed that I was doing them over and over. That's what finally broke me into buying a new truck. Bushings on the lower control arms were shot, and I couldn't just replace the ball joints, I had to replace the whole control arms.
Anyhow, I've got the new truck now and am happy as could be!...but it is still stock...not for long.

Ckt04 did you do 3 inches in front and one in back, or did you just do 3 in front? How does your ride sit now? I want to keep just a little of the factory rake to that when I hook up a trailer, my butt isn't dragging the ground.

 

Has anyone tried this system yet ? If so please post your likes or dislikes and some pics, looking to trade vehicles soon and this lift has got my attention.

Thanks

 

At the advice of the shop doing the work, I went with the 2.5 in up front and the 1 in in back. This left my truck with about 1/2" for rake, so it is not perfectly level, but pretty damn close. I do prefer hvfing a little bit of rake still so that when I hook up a trailer or put a load in the bed, it does not sag.

 

Which lift did you go with for your truck?

Looking to do the same and I want a little rake.

I was looking at the Bilstine leveling kit, goes up to 2.1 in front.

Thanks

RR