Maybe I'm just a hillbilly but why do you guys want to lower your trucks? It looks like your clearance and your payload would lessened. I would think that a truck should be higher then a car as you are going to ask more from it. I am puzzled. Chris

 

Lowering the rear end 2" is not going to effect the payload that much if any. Besides not everyone (most people) wont ever have 2000lbs in the bed or tow 9,000lbs.

Its an aesthetic thing.

 

Everyone still happy with their lowering kits? Any problems down the road? I'm looking at leveling via lowering soon.

 

Nice looking truck!

I like the look of lowering the rear, more than raising the front!

 

No offence, because we all have different tastes, but your truck looks HORRIBLE!

 

Looks great! Can't please everyone I guess.

 

Looks good.

 

haha i just had an awkward office laugh when i read the all caps "HORRIBLE!" statement. i think it looks great. I'm all for lifted trucks, I've had a few, but recently my truck use has switched from workhorse to daily metro detroit driving (~2 hrs/day). Lifting a truck just doesn't make sense when most of my time is spent over 65mph.

I actually think it's kind of neat to have a truck sit at 2WD height, but still have the capability of 4WD. Everyone's different though!

 

If it's someone is not going offroad with their truck then it will not cause any clearance issues. It looks better aesthetically. Nothing is uglier than the back end of a truck sitting way higher than the front. It looks awful. It won't necessarily affect payload either. It may necessitate the use of a helper bag to make sure it stays level when loaded but I would do that to a leveled truck if I raised the front too so that's not a real issue either. In my opinion, 2wd trucks go down, and 4wd trucks go up as far as leveling goes.

 

Looks great. Do you think it changed the overall height of the vehicle by 2" as well, the only reason i ask is i am looking at a 2011 crew, but it is too high to fit in my garage. Don't need to gain alot of clearance, but just wondering if levelling by lowering the rear would be enough. Thanks

 

I lowered my 2010 4X4 by taking the the spacer blocks out of the rear end, and dropped it 2 inches and didn't cost a thing. I don't think the 2wd trucks have those blocks.

I did mine because I wanted the back end lower so I could reach over the bed, and because my wife didn't like climbing in the thing. It leveled the truck just right.

I think the truck looked pretty good.

 

I wish I had measured my truck before I had the work done, But yes the front is lowered a bit and reallt long shackles in the back.(Iwould prefer a flip kit) My rear springs almost touch the underside of the bed. My front springs are replaced with a bit shorter but thick spring. Beltech makes an adjustable strut. Adjustable down to 3 inches. Belltech Lowering, Leveling & Lifting Struts

 

To answer the one question, if FoMoCo still produced a Sport Trac I wouldn't need to lower an F-150 to accommodate my two handicapped passengers, so those that worry about the aesthetics need to get over it!

But I need to replace my 2001 and am looking at a 2009 F-150 supercrew and thinking of putting on OEM running boards, lowering the front end 2" and leveling out the bed by dropping the rear end close to 4" so my passengers can get in the cabin without me having to lift them up. Since I'm in my 80's that's probably smart.

Will the handling go all cattywampus on me? I should not have a load weight issue but am concerned about the truck becoming squirrely on trips and side roads, etc.

Which systems/mfgs should I avoid?

Thanks to all who can help out.

 

Handling should be fine. The oem running boards on my 2011 were in a very awkward location. Almost too close to the body of the truck. I took them off and sold them. Search and I'm sure you will find some info on how most don't like them. I don't know if any of the aftermarket boards are any better. I would bring your handicapped passengers to the dealer if it's not too much trouble and see if they like the oem boards or not.

Honestly the hardest seat to reach is the driver's ever since ford removed the handle on the A pillar. You have to grab the steering wheel.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check out the F-150 RBs to see how similar they are to the Sport Trac's, which work fine for us. FoMoCo keeps getting rid of good stuff like A-pillar grip assists, drat it! Bummer.

In years past one could usually spec out smaller diameter wheels/tires on an F-150 and lose a couple of inches of height (shades of the F-100) but I suppose that avenue's unavailable now due to disk brake caliper assembly clearances, etc.

Thanks again for the response.