What struts do I need
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Trailering
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 15
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What struts do I need
04 f-150 5.4 4x4 new body style
Ive got 2" blocks between rear axle and leaf spring and Im 98% sure a 2" alumunium spacer on top of my struts. I bought the truck this way. My truck sits level. Iwas always under the impression that to level these trucks the front needed more lift. Am I wrong? Can I just buy shock and strut kit from rough country that are the 2" lift already and be fine? I obviously dont want to lower the front at all and Im confused on what to buy.
Thank you for any help. If you need more info please ask
Ive got 2" blocks between rear axle and leaf spring and Im 98% sure a 2" alumunium spacer on top of my struts. I bought the truck this way. My truck sits level. Iwas always under the impression that to level these trucks the front needed more lift. Am I wrong? Can I just buy shock and strut kit from rough country that are the 2" lift already and be fine? I obviously dont want to lower the front at all and Im confused on what to buy.
Thank you for any help. If you need more info please ask
Thread Starter
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Trailering
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Thank you so much. Did you have to take alot apart? Ive seen some vids of guys onky taking tierod off and others take it all apart.
Thanks for your help
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 799
Likes: 13
From: East L.A.
The stock 4x4 set up has the front about 2 1/2" lower than the rear. This might help with aerodynamics-not sure.
I installed the Rancho 9000 strut/springs on my front end and it made the truck about dead level.. Then every time I used the truck as a truck, which some of us actually do, the back was sagging like some dilrod's squat-pig-mobile. Also put the 9000 rear shocks on, which don't affect height.
I installed 1 1/2" taller blocks in the rear and regained some rake, with a more normal attitude when loaded.
That gave some additional body height compared to stock for off road clearances, (again, some of us use our trucks off pavement) without making a big change to the drive-train angles.
I installed the Rancho 9000 strut/springs on my front end and it made the truck about dead level.. Then every time I used the truck as a truck, which some of us actually do, the back was sagging like some dilrod's squat-pig-mobile. Also put the 9000 rear shocks on, which don't affect height.
I installed 1 1/2" taller blocks in the rear and regained some rake, with a more normal attitude when loaded.
That gave some additional body height compared to stock for off road clearances, (again, some of us use our trucks off pavement) without making a big change to the drive-train angles.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,841
Likes: 2,612
From: The Shenandoah Valley
2007 FX4 Scab here.
Yeah, when I was planning my drop, the rear was about 2" higher than the front, could have been near 2-1/2". I removed the factory 2" rear block, used new shorter square U-bolts. Rear springs have two main leaves and a third extra thick lower leaf for a total of 3.
Up front I measured LC pivots, shock mount from pivot and ball joint from pivots to calculate what needed to be cut from shock lower end to get about 2" at the wheel. I cut out 1-5/16", but might have been 1-7/16" time I dressed the cuts for welding. Ended up with about 2-1/4" drop in front. Ratio of cut out to drop is between 1.71:1 and 1.75:1.
I think it did slightly increase the rake. I did the rear one night, did the front a couple days later, looked pretty much level between.
Yeah, when I was planning my drop, the rear was about 2" higher than the front, could have been near 2-1/2". I removed the factory 2" rear block, used new shorter square U-bolts. Rear springs have two main leaves and a third extra thick lower leaf for a total of 3.
Up front I measured LC pivots, shock mount from pivot and ball joint from pivots to calculate what needed to be cut from shock lower end to get about 2" at the wheel. I cut out 1-5/16", but might have been 1-7/16" time I dressed the cuts for welding. Ended up with about 2-1/4" drop in front. Ratio of cut out to drop is between 1.71:1 and 1.75:1.
I think it did slightly increase the rake. I did the rear one night, did the front a couple days later, looked pretty much level between.
Last edited by tbear853; Oct 19, 2025 at 05:26 PM.
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