Looking for some advice on leveling. Currently the front end is about 3/4-1" lower than the back. the X has airbags on the back from the previous owner, so I can probably inflate another inch or so (i don't tow).

I have been lurking for a while, so have read Toreador and others talk about lifts, coil mods, and airlift systems. I love the look of Toreador's X and there's another member with my same paint color (tan) whose lifted X looks excellent.

I just upgraded headlights, tow mirrors, grille, and added a head unit. I have installed rancho 9000s in the front and will take care of the back this weekend. the old shocks were ridiculously bad, my back is thanking me already.

Seems like I can install an airlift 1000 myself for minimal $$ and won't have to deal with a re-alignment. coil spacers seem like they make alignment a PITA; same story with replacement coils. I want the full lift but can't justify spending the $$ now.

Suggestions are welcome. Here's a before and after of what I just finished doing.

before


after

 

Great post, looking forward to hear from others as I'm in the same situation. Front end sags a bit and the leveling kits I've been finding online are for 4wd only.

 

I have heard of someone using newer super duty front springs to level out their 2wd X. I believe they said the newer superduty springs were quite a bit taller than the stock X springs but they cut them down something like 2-3" to get the right ride height.

 

Thanks for the info, going to put that on my to do list. I'm sure it would handle a lot better as well.

 

From what I have read on FTE, it sounds like it's hard to find the right coil springs for the 2wd X. I guess to do it right, I would need to go with the V/B code swap in the back and upgrade the front springs.

After taking the running boards off this weekend, the X looks like it sits higher which gives it a great 'truck' look instead of soccer mom. The appeal to me of the airlift 1000 is ease and cost.. I only spend $80 and don't have to dismantle the suspension.

 

IIRC the same year SuperDuty's had an identical 2wd suspension setup. Sometimes parts don't cross in catalogs but they do in reality. I'd see about looking for a leveling kit for a 2wd 99-03 SuperDuty and see what comes up. Those truck people are probably more prone to level their rig than an Excursion owner.

You can swap rear springs (B, C) all day long. The V's and X's are the fronts so those are out, as you already know.

 

I spent a fair amount of time researching this....I studied the 2wd springs from 99-2004 super duty and my conclusion that Ford changed the free length when the spring rate changed, meaning they wanted all the combinations to sit at a similar ride height. I did the math with the higher rate springs (but shorter free length) and the different is about 0.3".

All of that said, perhaps Snowseeker said, later model (05-up) springs my be a better choice. If someone has a part number, I'll try to research it.

 

I think you missed my point bud. I was saying to get one of the 2wd leveling spacer kits that are available from a variety of manufacturers (Daystar, etc). Lots of SuperDuty guys have been running them.

 

I guess I did, thanks for the clarification!

 

No worries man, I didn't word it very well the first time - I can see where the confusion came from.

 

I have been down this road and it is not fun...

I was in the same boat as you..... paddling along right there with ya!

I bought a leveling kit. I took apart my front end and installed it. Let it down off the jack stands and from the side was very pleased with the look. Nice and level.

Then I walked around to the front and saw this \ / from the tires. The camber was SO jacked up! So I went and purchased expensive camber adjusters and took them with me to the best alignment guy I know. He messed with it for literally almost 2 hours. Found out that the upper knuckle was hitting and not allowing for enough adjustment to get the camber correct.

So I went home, took the front end apart again. Took a grinder to the knuckle to grind away some of the metal to make clearance for the adjustment. (you can find posts about this on the web) Put it all back together again and took it back to the shop. He messed with it again for a long time then called me in to show me that even the +/- 4 degree camber adjusters I had he STILL couldn't get it into spec!

He said I could just drive around like that \ / and it wouldn't hurt anything, just chew up the outside edges of my tires. Uh... no....

Soooooo.... I went home and took the front apart AGAIN (I'm a master at it now) and put it all back the way it was and said to heck with it.


Then I bought air bags for the front coils and took the front end apart again.... sigh.... and installed them. They took the front up to within less than 1/2 inch of the back when inflated to 44 psi. You can hardly tell there is a difference now, but what a long route to get there!

Point of the story? You will roll the dice with this Ford set up on a 2WD Ex. Don't know HOW the F250 2WD guys are doing it.. there HAS to be something slightly different with their trucks. I would not waste your money and especially time with a leveling kit. I know, I know... you want it level. But the air bags seem to be the only way because they are not so harsh of a lift on the front.

Good luck and let us (especially me) know if you get a leveling kit that works.

James

 

I forgot all about the camber, that is going to be an issue.

If you can't get it right with the ball joint correction kit a guy would have to get a "lift kit" to lower the centers of the I-beams to correct the camber.

 

Wow. that sounds like a PITA. I just finished swapping out the drag links (or upper tie rods.. seem to be called a couple different things) this last weekend. It was a breeze after I got the one attached to the pitman arm unfrozen after several hours. I can't imagine trying to take apart the entire front... 3 times! I am surprised there isn't an aftermarket option other than the airlift 1000 that doesn't destroy the camber. I had an '04 duramax and a tahoe before, all i had to do was crank the torsion bars for a free leveling kit. All i seemed to find back then was how easy the ford was to lift/level. Now i have the ONLY ford truck that isn't easy to lift/level... typical.

After measuring again, i bet it's 1.25'' lower in the front. 0.5-0.75'' would be almost unnoticeable. was there any change in ride quality at 44 psi? I just installed rancho 9000s which is an unbelievable upgrade from the shot monroe reflex that were in there from PO.

 

I too have had a Tahoe, and 2 Suburbans that I have easily lifted... well, the 2'nd Tahoe actually HAD a Fabtech lift kit on it so it doesn't count.... but anyway, Ford uses the I-Beam setup with the Radius Arms that go back and attach to the frame. If someone JUST sold the brackets to drop the radius arms, OR a Drop-Spindle kit we would be golden! :-) Unfortunately, they don't....

As for the air bags? I happen to have a WARN Brush Guard with winch mount and inside it sits a 12K winch. I have no negative effects from the air bags. I doubt you would either because the brush guard and winch together weigh no more than a man standing on your front bumper. Go stand on your front bumper and see if it really even moves. The weight of my setup may help smooth the air bags out a "little", but I would run them even without the extra weight.

One thing, order a couple of new spring insulators before doing the air bag job. You are going to be unseating the springs anyway to get the bags in. Mine were toast and one was cracked in half.... not doing their jobs anymore. So I got new ones and could see a huge difference between the old and new. The insulator is the piece of plastic that the spring sits on in its seat.

Good luck! Any questions let me know.

 

DSN46, There was another user on here 02WhiteX, that seems to get a 2" spacer and 2" block to work with a dual axis camber bushing. I have no idea what that is but may look into that setup.

The youtube video for the airlift 1000 shows the installer wedging the bags in between the spaces in the coils. Is that not possible? I don't have airtools and i'm already dreading having to remove the 16 lugs by hand. How complicated is removing the coil seat?

Also, I am assuming I don't have to get the truck aligned with the airlift, is that right? Thanks for your help.