Ryguy1188

I just installed a 6" Rancho lift kit on my 2015 f150 and I need a little help figuring out what's going on.
This is my first 6" lift, and I have a question about how the front end feels while driving it. I'm not sure if this is an alignment issue, or lift kit fitment issue or what.
Problem: I noticed whenever I am driving at any noticeable speed, and I go down a dip in the road or something that will cause the suspension to articulate up, the front end feels like it's dragging. Like if the suspension articulation is causing wheel camber or toe to change which makes the tires scrub. On the bottom of the dip in the road, when the suspension is compressed, it sounds like more tire noise and drag that wants to slow the truck down just a little bit while it's "bouncing". I also noticed the same noise while braking when the front end dips forward.

Does anyone else with a 6" lift have this sort of issue or know how I can start trouble shooting?
I'm going to get some footage of driving to see what exactly is going on.

jhunt47

Has the alignment been done yet?

SURF150

Good lookin' truck. Hope you get it sorted.

Ryguy1188

Yeah, it has been aligned already but it was done at a collision center with limited exposure to lift kits. I'm debating if I should take it to an off road specific shop for alignment.

16XLT

Start there.

srg963

It may be your ABS kicking in. Try holding down the traction off button for 5 seconds, then try to replicate the noise.

SilverSurfer15

Theres really no magic with aligning a lifted vehicle. On modern day IFS trucks, the lifts usually follow factory spec for alignment. If it doesn't, the lift should come with alignment specs. Either way, the tech doing the alignment is getting the specs from somewhere. They should be able to align it to spec.
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edit: It literally says aligns to factory specs right here:

http://www.gorancho.com/products/sus...-rs66501b.html
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Typically what you get with "an offroad alignment shop" is a higher price.

Now, there is one other factor.... the tech could be incompetent. You are more likely to get a competent tech at a nicer shop, aka the offroad alignment shop.

my .02 on alignments.

It sounds to me like you have a shock/strut issue. Is it possible your struts were disassembled during install (for some kind of spacer) and were not put back together correctly?

Ryguy1188

Good points. The shock/strut was only touched to put a spacer between the shock/strut assembly and the frame mount. Nothing really complicated with it. I did notice that when I was installing the strut back into the lower control arm (LCA), that I did have to flex the strut inward a little bit to get the lower bolts to align into the holes of the LCA. Then later on I noticed the strut has a decently sized crack up the plastic dirt guard covering the strut. But it doesn't look like it was in a bind or anything.

I'm just thinking that the wheel isn't moving properly up and down when the suspension compresses, and that it's moving more like an arc. Or possibly maybe the front end toe changes when it's compressed. Which would explain why it feels like it's dragging.

I noticed another thing yesterday, and that I get random popping sounds. It seems to happen on like bumps in the cement with a slight turn on the wheel. Sometimes it even feels like the steering wheel changes which way is straight after some of the pops. I've heard of some people having issues with the LCA not being aligned properly, which puts it in a bind casing the pop sound.

srg963

The torque on the camber bolts needs to be checked, and re torqued to 240 ft pounds. Use blue loctite. The bolts that attach the subframe to the body should be at 258 ft pounds.

SilverSurfer15

interesting... that sucks though, let us know what you find out.