Sandbox1

New to the forum here. Back in May I bought a leftover 2013 Platinum, now I'm looking to raise the truck up a little bit.

I'm new to the independent front suspension, as my previous truck was a superduty, and was wondering what kind of setup would give the best ride and/or keep the factory ride as the truck rides good as is.

I've been looking into the 2.5" Autospring leveling kit, as that's what brand I have seen the most throughout this forum, but wasn't sure if the 2.5" kit would put too much stress on the suspension components.

So I guess I have a two part question:

1. Aside from cost, what are the pros and cons between the two setups?

2. If I were to decide on a spacer system, is a 2.5" too much?

Lethal Weapon

The spacers work well and relatively inexpensive. (I even have a spacer kit that I installed on my son's truck - it's a 2006 F150). Spacers are a fixed height and can not change it unless you remove them...but they do work well.
With THAT said, on a newer truck like yours, I would HIGHLY recommend F150lifts.com (which is also a vendor on here) that make GREAT coil over kits, that are adjustable to suit your exact needs & height that you want. They will ride better, have a lifetime warranty and looks great! If you can swing a little extra $$, (which is not all that bad), I would definitely recommend going with one of their kits for your truck!
Contact Alex! He is a upfront Honest guy & their company is Outstanding!!!
Good luck & keep us posted!


EDIT: The higher you go, the worse angle on your Upper control Arm & more stress on the Upper Ball Joint. I'd recommend staying no more than 2" ...with 2 1/2" being max..., but many have pushed the limits on here with 3" without any issues, but that's getting some pretty steep UCA angles...but that is what is nice with the adjustable coil overs, get the height you want, 2" - 2 1/2"... get it aligned & enjoy the truck! If you decide you want a little more or less.... just adjust & re-align. ...F150Lifts.com..... Can't go wrong with those guys!!

MCDavis

iTrader: (1)

[MENTION=156426]F150Lifts.com[/MENTION]
Alex, you should chime in here sir!

Spacers get the job done. Coilovers will take the ride to a new level. Treat that Platinum right and do a set of coilovers. Alex can get you setup with anything from spacers to a full blown Icon kit.

HaloLifts

Hey Guys, Thank you. Sandbox 1, Please take a look at our Coilovers or our Ultimate kit designed specially for the 09-13 F150. The Boss Coilover is our brand shocks, then we add an Eibach coil spring and our custom 6061 T-6 Billet top mount...and we have a completely adjustable Coilover that bolts in place. They can be seen here, any questions just email me or call. We are an Icon dealer, also a Fox dealer, Bilstein adjustable Coilovers, Leveling Spacers, AirBags....lots of options.

http://www.f150lifts.com/2009-2013-F...ers_p_138.html

http://www.f150lifts.com/Boss-Ultima...-13_p_143.html

IMG_1136sm by Alexl5280, on Flickr

photo by Alexl5280, on Flickr

IMG_1583 by Alexl5280, on Flickr

Here is our truck at 2 3/4" lift in the front...and 2" blocks in the back sittng on Toyo 35's:

IMG_1532 by Alexl5280, on Flickr

IMG_1533 by Alexl5280, on Flickr

JCP281

You have a 3rd option between spacers and a full coil over swap. You can look into lift shocks, which level you out like a spacer would, while upgrading the shocks front and rear at the same time.

I used Bilstein 5100s front and rear to do my level. Its more expensive then a spacer and less than coil overs. Made a wonderful difference in terms of ride quality and handling on my truck as well as leveling the truck out. The benefits to this are you get a better valved shock for the truck, while also getting your front leveled. And you can adjust the lift from stock height to 2.25".

Just something to think about, as if you dont have your plate full already. :p

Bjg068

For sure call Alex. Everyone has different opinions as to what they like. My "like stock" or "soft/firm" can be different than others. Then there's the fact of what u drive ur truck on. I've had spacers. I think they soft n floaty, because they are the stock springs/shocks. I have rancho quicklifts, i researched n pm'd ppl and theyre supposed to be above the 5100's. I dont feel completely satisfied and blown away by them. NOW i have a Boss Ultimate kit on order. I have a truck stickered at 50k and want a great overall ride to reflect that. Make the call, get truely informed and do it once. Its the real world, you'll get what u pay for.

Sandbox1

Thanks for all the input, I'll check out the F150lifts coil over setup.

What size rear blocks should I run if I plan to set the coils at 2.5" and maintain a little rake or level?

Bjg068

I believe 2" front is level. Rear block i think are 1.25. Alex can tell u for sure, he has different size blocks w/ the u-bolts and heavy grade hardware. I chose it as a pkg in the Boss Ultimate kit.

Truckin

iTrader: (4)

Depends..my fox went up 1.75.. and left me with 1/2" rake
Maybe it's fx4 vs xlt..Platinum etc have different springs?? Maybe it's different engine weight 3.5..5.0 or 6.2 that affects it.. not all trucks level the same with the same lift..wish I knew why..woulda saved me from reading hours of threads!

Manuellabour247

The great thing about F150Lifts is they are a vendor for all the suspension lifts that most people on here use. They sell different brands to suit as many people as possible. You can research the differences in the coilover specs for your truck as well as spacers, airbags, etc. Even if you don't go with F150Lifts products, I would say use their site and others to research what would be the best for you and your ride. Also, look at the member's build section to see what people are running and how they look. It will give you a good idea of what your truck will look like with whatever you decide. Good luck to you.