Looking to have a Carli 2.5” Back Country lift system installed on my ‘22 F250.

Has anyone installed this kit while leaving the factory springs in place, rather than replacing the springs?

Installer is really pushing for an add-a-pack at a minimum. Said the rear end won’t really benefit from the Fox shocks if the factory springs aren’t replaced with the add a pack, or full springs.

Also stating I’ll be nose high if I don’t replace the springs.

in the Wild Willie Akins Ford videos he talked about replacing the block to 4”, and when I recommended that to the installer he again pushed for the springs.

 

add a pack adds maybe half an inch on my 2017. i'm pretty much dead level. add a pack is great for towing, otherwise you dont notice it. you only notice them when the OEM overload would've been used (so heavy towing or big dips)

just run the fox shocks. you can always decide later to try the leaf springs out.

If i were to do it over, I'd skip the add a pack and do the full leaf pack with air bags.

 

I run 15 lbs in my Firestone air bags. Give me about 1/2 inch higher in the front. No problems. 37k miles on my f350

 

I appreciate the comments. I’d like to get air bags eventually so I’ll put more consideration into this path. I don’t like the idea of losing capacity with the full springs, but it would be a rare occasion where I’d ever push the limits to that point anyway.

 

probly it will be nose high but thats the new thing nowdays. may as well roll with it and fit in with everyone else

 

I have the commuter kit sitting in my garage. I asked Carli about the backwater and for my application it was not suggested as I have the HCTTP and wanted to keep the towing capacity. So I ordered the commuter kit and 4” block kit from rough country.

 

I dont understand what the goal is...why would fox shocks need leaf changes? if the goal is to help from bottoming out the shocks as you ride over road center devides and jump curbs, then I would go (which I actually have) with summo springs. summo springs are progressive and do not need air. they come in 1000, 1500, and 2800 spring rate sizes. I have 1000 in the front and 2800 in the back. I also have fox 2.5's all around . with my 37 on 22.5's running over 4" x 4" or 6" x 6" beams rusults in no bronco busting effect. is that what you are looking for? if not (on road use only) I would skip the leaf spring concerns .

I started with a level kit and everyone said it was nose high even though I measured 1" higher in the back than the front.

so then I decided to do a full lift that would put my shocks at center travel at rest and started at 2.5" in the front and 4" in the back. measured the shocks and was not at center travel so I went with 3.5 in the front and 5 in the back. in both cases, although I have 2+ higher in the back measured at wheel well edge, folks still say the front looks nose up.

you also have to worry about introducing bump steer. as you change the drag bar angle, you will have bump steer that you did not have a stock height. At 3.5" front height I had to add a 4" pitman arm drop kit (the version with bolt and rod end flip) to get ride of all my bump steer.

on a 250 or 250 (since there are no overleafs in most cases) a full spring replacement in the front and full leaf replacement in the rear will provide the best ride....this is becuase the lift blocks in the back act like levers and introduce more axle wrap. BUT, if you have over leaf's, you will lose that becuase no sull leaf replacement kit will have over leafs.

so it depends what you are after. the recipe is simple.

 

Is your truck gas or diesel? I have a 22’ 7.3 with a Carli level. I left the back alone and the front ended up being about 1/2-3/4” high. I know the diesel kit doesn’t quite lift the front as high cause of the engine weight difference. After I put airbags on and kept them at the recommended 5psi minimum for daily driving, it sits perfect. I’ll post a pic for comparison for you.

 

The first pics makes it look way more Carolina than it was in person, angle, lighting, idk. It was definitely higher then I wanted. My truck is a 250, the lift shop said I could put 350 blocks in to level it perfect. I went with the bags.


Stock rear

After airbags at 5psi

 

curious. how much front lift did you get with the Carli gas springs?

 

I didn’t do an actual before and after measurement. The kit states it’s a 3.5” lift. I think it was pretty close to that.

 

it’s a diesel.

 

tough looking truck. Really like it.

 

Most of my driving will be highway. I do live on a farm and pull a cattle trailer. My days of jumping anything are well behind me.

 

interesting.
i put them on my 7.3L truck. I got exactly 2.5", was expecting 3".
swapped to the diesel springs, truck is right at 3.5" of front lift.