2003 F350 6.0L CC 8' SRW

Front end has always been raked & it's time to level it out. Looking for options, not looking to spend a month's pay. Truck has original suspension.

 

2" leveling lift, using this-
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0ge...lFDRVO54SjkJU-

Very reasonable, easy to install, and the truck drives the same as before. I am very happy with the results. I have about 1,000 miles on the lift, 3 heavy tows, zero issues.

 

I saw this kit, bought their dual stabilizer & thought I'd reach out to the group before buying the leveling kit just in case there were other options. Thanks!

 

Initially, I was skeptical. Reviews were favorable, but I couldn't find much else other than the reviews on Rough Country's website. I watched the youtube videos on installation, and came away with the impression that it was more simple than other options, but that the ride may be harsher afterwards. I was thinking that the top shorty leaf would restrict the factory leaves from flexing as much. But, I went for it, and I am super happy. I'm sure that the other options are great, but they are more involved and expensive. I have not found a single drawback from using the short leaves, and there were less complications- I did not have to replace the track bar, or the shocks, and the only addition was to have an alignment afterwards. All of the other kits require that. So, it exceeded what I was expecting. I've driven it empty quite a bit, and I've towed heavy 3 times- no drawbacks, or difference. Steering is the same, handling is the same, and my truck didn't squat to the point that the rear was lower than the front. Empty, the back is 1" higher than the front. Loaded, with 12,000+ pounds of hay and trailer, it sat close to level (pulling gooseneck). Again, I am super happy with the results. For once, a simpler solution seems to be a very viable one.

 

Well the cheapest leveling kit seems to the cut spring pack stack that gets under the front leaves. The next step up is the Zone leveling spring pack with the spring block and add a leaf. Then the typical 4 inc lift kit for about 600 and 6 inch full kits for 12-1500

 

The F350 and up trucks came with a 4" block under the rear leaf spring pack. The stock stance on the truck is about 3.5" difference between the front and rear heights...and that's if the front spring packs are in decent shape. The front leaf spring packs were bad about sagging over time and the F550 we had actually settled into a reverse curve on the front spring packs. About 16-18 years ago I had a local shop that works on 18 wheelers, dump trucks, etc. install a full length leaf spring under the existing front leaf spring packs to pick the front end up and also not have to worry about them doing the reverse curve on me. This gave me a final stance height of about 1.5" in difference between the front and back. I changed nothing else on the truck and it was about $250 to have this done...it would have been cheaper had I pulled the spring packs myself and took them to him. I asked him about the need for different shocks, pitman arm, etc. and he said to me: "Hey Steve, let me explain it to you, you like to fish right? You should know there are lures on the market to catch fish and then there are lures on the market to catch fishermen." I have not had a single issue with this setup through all these years. Yes it does ride a little stiffer, but on a side note I do not have a front sway bar...no more squeeky bushings to worry about and it tracks better offroad...but yet I can run the truck through a corner at a faster speed than most sports cars!


Front leaf spring pack forward.



Front leaf spring pack aft.



F350 stance height.