When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hello, I'm thinking of installing 2.5" leveling spacers for extra clearance on my 05 f250 4x4, after market wheels 17"dia, 5" backspace and couple inches wider than stock running 34" 12.50 tires, the add claims no extra parts needed, would you not think the pitman arm needs replaced? or at 2.5 everything stock would be OK? also questioning shocks/brake lines in particular. thanks
2.5" is a bit of a reach for the stock stuff. It will also pull your axle more to the driver side because you didnt use an adjustable track bar or drop bracket for that. Not to mention your caster will be way off and will be tough to get back in to spec without using drop brackets for the radius arms.
Look in to the ProComp readylift kits. I put a 4" kit from them on my truck and couldnt be happier with the outcome.
On the leaf spring front ends, nothing has to change. On a coil spring front end, its a different story. Pushing the axle down away from the truck will make the track bar too short without a drop bracket and that will move the axle more toward the driver side of the truck. It will also throw the caster out of wack without radius arm drop brackets.
Hello, I'm thinking of installing 2.5" leveling spacers for extra clearance on my 05 f250 4x4, after market wheels 17"dia, 5" backspace and couple inches wider than stock running 34" 12.50 tires, the add claims no extra parts needed, would you not think the pitman arm needs replaced? or at 2.5 everything stock would be OK? also questioning shocks/brake lines in particular. thanks
please say more. I looked at this very closely and have no problem throwing money at this .....but....on a 4x4 I saw nothing that is effected by spacers. Agree on a 4x2.
everything on a 4x4 moves together ....no end of s y bars are connected to anything that does not also move with the spacer.
exception is the antisway drag links ...but on my truck...the antisway bars pivots so there’s no need to change the link length.
please say more. I looked at this very closely and have no problem throwing money at this .....but....on a 4x4 I saw nothing that is effected by spacers. Agree on a 4x2.
everything on a 4x4 moves together ....no end of s y bars are connected to anything that does not also move with the spacer.
exception is the antisway drag links ...but on my truck...the antisway bars pivots so there’s no need to change the link length.
can you itemize what is impacted. Thanks
Check my post above. Yes, the axle moves together and the camber and toe will be fine by these spacers. But the axle moves down and the radius arm mount point stays the same, in turn it rolls the axle forward a little bit. You need to drop the radius arm mounting point to get the caster back in speck. Then you need an adjustable track bar or a track bar drop bracket to move the axle back to center.
Check my post above. Yes, the axle moves together and the camber and toe will be fine by these spacers. But the axle moves down and the radius arm mount point stays the same, in turn it rolls the axle forward a little bit. You need to drop the radius arm mounting point to get the caster back in speck. Then you need an adjustable track bar or a track bar drop bracket to move the axle back to center.
ok , I see what you are concerned about.
But the distance from center axle to center pinion arm does not change....so the Pythagorean theorem math value would be zero along that plane and zero along the other ( original intersection and new intersection).
the distance from center axle to center wheel well might change 1/16 of an inch ...but that would be a new rest position not a new position since the axle swings along that radius anyway....basically that rest point is an existing rest point not a new one.
im looking hard at this right now on my truck and I’m not seeing a new rest point that needs to be compensated for.
I did a 2" lower perch spacer kit, '07 4x4 so the same as OP's truck. Axle was almost an inch out of center and lost enough caster to barely be in spec with the original alignment cams. Shocks were replaced with +2" sticks, pitman arm was fine, brake lines were fine, sway bar links were fine.
Spacers are a cheap way to do it, but if you want a better ride and to actually gain flex, pony up for a set of springs.
still trying to wrap my mind around this and been looking under the truck and dont see the issue.
but an once of prevention is worth a pound of cure so for a simple 2" lift......whats the parts list for a 4X4.....and Im going to scream if the parts list is different for a spacer vs a longer spring as both just change the height.
so
1) pinion arm relocation - some report inches of needed correction...I see like 1/16th of an inch
2) a drag link thats bent - makes sense for 6", having trouble wrapping my mind around this for 2"
3) longer anti sway links - my anto sway piviot...so it seems like they are ok
4) what else
so, im willing to follow up on this and if there is even the slightest credibility on the need to throw parts at a 2" lift..am willing to buy the parts and do a before and after thread.
