Leveling Kit
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 586
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From: Schwenksville,Pa
Leveling Kit
I'm thinking of installing the Donohue Racing 2" front leveling kit on my 2004 F-250 PSD. I measured the distance from wheel well to tire and the front is 2" shorter. From personal experience does anyone know if the kit truely raises the front end 2" or is it more? The website guarantees at least 2". Also, will the stock shocks work well or just OK? The install says it MIGHT be necessary to remove the factory sway bar to make the job easier, has anyone done this? Is it easy or a pain?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,844
Likes: 6
From: Albuquerque
So are you talking about the 2" Mini Spring Pack lift? If so, then yes...you will get the full 2". I have helped install one...and they are pretty easy.
OEM shocks need to be replaced. The added 2" will over extend the OEM.
What we did was raise the entire SD off the ground (kind of high too). Then using a bumper jack hold it in place. When we lowered the axle away from the spring pack...gave us enough room. We did not have to remove the sway bar. The c-clamp is a good suggestion for the center pin removal...and to keep the leafs lined up. We used two...on both ends...and facing towards each other.
Good luck...this is a fantastic lift for the money. My friend went with the Bilsteins (I think the 5100's silver and black). Ride is much improved over stock. Rear shocks un-touched...
biz
OEM shocks need to be replaced. The added 2" will over extend the OEM.
What we did was raise the entire SD off the ground (kind of high too). Then using a bumper jack hold it in place. When we lowered the axle away from the spring pack...gave us enough room. We did not have to remove the sway bar. The c-clamp is a good suggestion for the center pin removal...and to keep the leafs lined up. We used two...on both ends...and facing towards each other.
Good luck...this is a fantastic lift for the money. My friend went with the Bilsteins (I think the 5100's silver and black). Ride is much improved over stock. Rear shocks un-touched...
biz
Last edited by biz4two; Oct 19, 2006 at 04:42 PM.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2006
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I went with the Tuff Country. It is a good kit with one exception. I installed the leveling kit and then the front was about 2 1/2 inches higher than the rear. The actual lift was 3 3/4" instead of the 2 1/2" stated. So, I ordered and installed the rear add-a-leaf ($54, but they paid for shipping because of the inconvenience) to bring it all back together. So for about $550 you get nearly 4" of lift, Nitro shocks and I run 315 75 16 Dunlop Mud Rovers on eagle alloy 187's.
The sales guy at Suspension Connection said people were starting to catch on to that trick as oposed to buying the 4" lift costing about $400 more. It took me 3 hours for the front, and 2 hours for the rear. Make sure you have an air impact, cause you'll need it. It won't be required but if you want to be able to get out of bed the next day, it's a good idea.
Let me know if you want pics
The sales guy at Suspension Connection said people were starting to catch on to that trick as oposed to buying the 4" lift costing about $400 more. It took me 3 hours for the front, and 2 hours for the rear. Make sure you have an air impact, cause you'll need it. It won't be required but if you want to be able to get out of bed the next day, it's a good idea.
Let me know if you want pics
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 745
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Originally Posted by barnbridge
cc322- Nice lookin truck, what size tires and rims in the picture?
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Junior User
Joined: Sep 2006
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Sweet! Looks the opposite of mine (Black)
Originally Posted by cc322
Here is mine with the dr three inch drop hanger kit.IMO go with the 4.5 hanger kit. If you go two inch kit you will wish you had gone bigger, at least thats how it went with me.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2005
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I peronally went with the Tuff Country 2" suspension lift on the front. Got it from ebay for $100. I liked what it did because it made the truck's look flow better from front to rear. I didn't think it was two hard to install. My father and I tackled it in a couple of hours. It definatley helps to have an extra guy with some muscle to help jockey things around down there. If you have acess to a lift, use it. I did mine outside with jack stands and it was more challenging than if it were on a lift. I also used two beefy tow straps strung from front to rear axle to pull the front axle back into position after I unbolted the springs. I couldn't notice a big difference in the way it drove other than the fron was a little rougher on certain bumbs. I also installed a skyjacker steering stabilizer and that made the truck handle like a caddy. Good luck with the install!
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 142
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Hey cc322...I really like those rims and have been looking at getting them or the 950's for my truck. I was going to go with 285 tires though. How are they holding up and do you have any pictures of your truck from the front. I would like my tires to be even with the fenders but not out past them. (Even though it looks much better when they are!)
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 745
Likes: 34
Mine are 17x9 4.5 back spacing and they just sit even with the fender well. Maybe just a hair outside but not much if any, I dont get all the dirt flung up on the side of my truck. The 17x10 will push them out even more, I would suggest the 17x9, and they are holding up good. Check thie site out for other good wheel styles,http://www.wheelpros.com/main.php also the link below has a front view of my truck,
http://www.donahoeracing.com/cust_ga...?galleryID=216
http://www.donahoeracing.com/cust_ga...?galleryID=216
Last edited by cc322; Dec 8, 2006 at 01:31 PM.
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2005
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I have the Dr 2" mini spring pack in my truck and I like it it lifted it right at 2" and was easy to install you do not need to change the shocks with the front end at full drop the factory shocks are right at the correct length as the mini spring pack is below the lower shock mount and spring so the length does not change I ran the stock shocks for almost a year defore I switched to Bilsteins and I am running the stock replacement bilsteins. I am running BFG AT 295/75/16 with them installed with no rubbing at all.