Guys, which leveling kit is needed for a 2WD F250 that I want to go with the largest (with in reason) tires on stock rims and what leveling kit do I need and do I really need one?

Leveling kit looks to just be two mounts that go on top of the factor front shocks??

Thanks guys my apologies for a re-post search wouldn't work.

 

i will be doing the same thing here with in the month, ill be putting on 18" wheels with 285/60/18 and im putting on the 2 " level kit with extended shocks as i was told i would need

 

Sometimes the Daystar 2WD leveling kits works, sometimes they don't. It depends on your alignment shop. Once you install these polyurethane pucks between the bottom of the coil spring and the spring seat, you end up with too much positive camber. (Viewed head-on, the top of the tires stick out more than the lower part of the tire, which is fantastic for your tire's outside edges.) Your average alignment shops aren't too good at fixing that. If you go that route, you need to find a good alignment shop, one that handles semi's for example. (Versus your garden-variety Firestone or NTB dudes.) The problem is that with the leveling kit spacers alone, the I-beam's pivot point isn't lowered in a proportional amount from the crossmember to which they attach. The idea of having a truck that would be too difficult to align wasn't very appealing since the twin I-beams needs a good alignment more often than your average SLA setup. The correct solution is still a lift kit. Yes, it's a hell of a lot more expensive, but it works properly by maintaining stock suspension angles. 2WD lift kits include I-beam relocation brackets to eliminate excessive positive camber, longer coils rather than spacers that will eventually split and wear out, radius arm relocation brackets, a longer pitman arm so you don't bust a steering link ball-joint, metal spacers for the rear axle and longer shocks all around. What's all that crap cost? In 2003 dollars, for a FabTech 4" basic lift kit, installation included: $2000. That includes install labor, shocks, the kit itself, 2 alignments (one at install and one 6 months later since no matter what anyone says: coils do settle!) and carrier bearing shims. You'll need to take care of that too. The shorter your wheelbase, the more severe the driveshaft angle will be since a lift kit will also include rear axle spacer blocks. I elected to install the 6" kit's 3 inch spacers rather than the 1" blocks that came with my 4" lift kit. With that done, I had to lower the carrier bearing 1 3/4 " on my 133" wheelbase reg cab. I don't know if you have to do that if you go for the leveling kit and/or you have a longer wheelbase. With a 4" lift, my 2WD is now at the same height as a stock 4WD truck. And it still fits in the garage. With the 6" kit, it wouldn't. 3 years later, still no alignment problems. On a straight highway, I can eat 3/4 of a big mac without ever touching the wheel and it doesn't pull to either side. Not bad. No abnormal wear on the front tires either. (Toyo M55's in 255/85R16D.)

The stock wheels are 7" wide, so 285's still work well without wearing out the tire's center section. 295's are probably border line. 255/85R16's work great, they're .2" taller than 285/75R16's (real 33" tires) and they are a good fit for the 7" wide stock rims. Additionally, if you run something much larger than the 285's, you run the risk of having the tire sidewall contact the radius arm at full lock or during full suspension travel. Wider aftermarket wheels with the correct offset will take care of that, however.

Gentlemen, when you pay little, you get little.

(That's why for $19,700, I ended up with a stripped-down 2WD reg cab with a 5.4L and a 6-speed. Oh wait, actually, that's what I wanted and it's still says Super Duty on it, don't it?)

 

hey n578md, where did you get yours installed at? I am looking to do more or less the same thing and I see you are in McKinney. I am in Allen just south of you.

 

The boys at 4 Wheel Parts in Plano did the install. They did a pretty good job too, not a single issue. They're not too far from Allen, on Plano Pkwy and Shiloh Rd. They did my 3.73 to 4.30 / detroit swap too.

 

I had 285's on my 2000 2wd F250 with no lift at all..... they fit without any rubbing

 

Wow, GREAT info. Do you have MORE pictures of this thing? I'd LOVE to see them! I saw the one under an apartment car port.

Also, are those factory plastic fender flares? I really want those for mine it didn't come optioned with them. If they ARE not factory fender flares, where did you get them. And IF they are factory, do you know what I ask my Ford dealer for when I order them? Thanks

 

I had them do the bed liner and a add-a-leaf on my old truck back when they were off 75 in Plano. Not had anything really serious done there. Only been in the new shop twice but it looks nice. I have found they are kind of pricey though. You are not the first to say they did a good job. Your get what you pay for I guess.

 

The fender flares are Warn ThinLine flares, not factory, but I took them off because they were trapping sand between the edge of the flares and the body. It took some paint off and started rusting the area around the wheel well. So much for that. What pictures do you want to see more of? The carport pictures is from when I lived in Allen, my truck looks somewhat different now. It has different tires and towing mirrors.

 

These guys are OK. I read a lot of negative stuff about the stores in California though. It took them a long time to get the correct pinion bearings from Ford so they rented me a truck to get around. They also cut the labor charge in half, so I only paid $175 for installing the gears and the locker. The gears are setup correctly, no whining no over-heating, just right.

 

Too bad on the flares, I always thought those looked good. Oh my Truck is also a white F250 and when looking into a leveling kit and tires, I can look at your truck to get an idea of how it will/would look. I know when I need new tires I'm just going to go with the larger 255/85/16s with out a lift.

 

Those 255/85's are hard to find. Cooper, Dunlop makes them and Toyo. That's about all I could find. They look pretty good on a reg cab or an extended cab short bed, but I saw some on a crew cab, and they looked ridiculous. They look too thin. The 285's look good on a crew cab. Take a look at DS02F250's gallery. He has a 2WD crew cab and 285/75R16 tires:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=13807

 

Its a 02' with a 5" Procomp lift up front and stock in the rear. It sits a bit nose high but thats how I like it. Im running Toyo 315/60 16's which is equivelent to a 35 /12.5 16 on factory wheels. It does rub the radius arm a bit when at full lock but im ok with it. I love the ride and it tows a 29' Toy box great, actually it feels better while towing now.
Fry

 

your truck is really nice, i want to do that but i now have 18" wheels and dont want to spend that kind of money for a set of tires, bad enough already but still