WolfgangFox

Hey all,

Brand new to the forum, and brand new to F150 ownership! I had a few questions that I couldn't find answers to around the 'net.



I'd like to start off by saying I live in East Tennessee and am grabbing the truck tomorrow. There aren't a lot of shops around in the area to do suspension work, and I don't have the tools or space to do it myself. My goal with the truck is just to level it out by raising it up a bit in the front. I also want to add the American Racing Outlaw II wheels, and I was thinking of 16x8 with 245/75/16s on it.

#1: My local suspension shop is stating they use the BDS suspension kits (BDS-380H) for leveling. They also state they have ball joint alignment cams that they swear fix the camber issues. Has anyone used these kits before, and how do you think they rate VS just the moog f250 springs and camber issue?

#2: With the wheels and tires, the truck has the stock 15in wheels with 235/75/15 tires on them, and they stick inside the wheel well quite a bit if looking directly from the front or the back. My goal, with the new wheels / tires (offset 0mm, 16x8, 245-75-16), is to fill the wheelwell a bit more even with the leveling kit, when looking at the side, but I don't want the tires to be sticking off the side of the truck when looking from the front / back. Do you guys think the new wheels will do that?

Thanks!

clarkbre

I have not used the kit but i would find out if that shop is willing to install the parts that you bring to them. I am guessing that kit is probably about $200 + install. The moog 824's can be to your doorstep for $67.99 and the camber adjusters are another $20 or so. I would look into it. Oh, and the 824's do level the truck and ride really nice...i have them on my '90.

Based on the provided picture (and everything is accurate) the truck already has 8" wide wheels with 0 offset. The red pin stripes on the trim rings were for factory 8" wide wheels. Those wheels had 0 offset. The new 16x8 would stick out just as far as the existing tires do right now.

Digem

When you get new wheels, would you want to sell the wheels you have now?

fltdriver

x2 on just using the moog 824's, and you'll need 2 moog k80109 bushings. Total of 110 bucks from amazon. Take the extra money you'll save and swap out your ball joints upper and lower as well as the inner and outer wheel bearings, we are at $150 now, if you also get new shocks front and back you are anywhere between $220 and $275. Considering most places charge shop labor of $80+ an hour you are still in the green. These are all very easy to do in your garage, ball joints require a loaner tool from auto parts store and access to an impact wrench but are very simple. You can take it in after everything is replaced and pay for an alignment ($80 where I live) or you can set your adjustable bushings to true zero (in the directions that come with them) and take it in and get a printout for $40 or less and adjust them yourself using the directions and the printout the shop will give you. So.... for $300 you could have a completely new suspension in the front and new shocks in the back on top of being leveled out or you could just be leveled out.

I did mine in a day, all of the above plus new spindle on one side and new rotor/hub assembly on both fronts, new brake pads and replacing brake fluid and bleeding all 4 brakes to get to the new, this also included a bonehead move of wedging my ratchet so nicely that I had to cut some parts with a cutting wheel to get it out (about 2 hours of WTF did I do and running around trying to figure out how to undo it).

Edit:

A picture of my stupidity, thought I had enough room to take the nut off with the ratchet and got it wedged between top of lower ball joint and the bottom of the upper spindle/ball joint (and no the spindle didn't just drop and pinch it, it was stuck before I freed the BJ's, thought if it dropped I could get it out). Had to go out and buy a cutting wheel for my drill and cut the lower ball joint to get it free. That took a while, I think I stared at it for 45 minutes trying to figure out how I did it.

WolfgangFox

Thanks for the info, and motivation.

I've decided to go with the leveling kit, and it also comes with 4 shocks. If I were to do it myself, and eventually get shocks later on, it'd be just a touch cheaper.

And Digem, I'll definitely keep you in mind. I've actually decided to keep the wheels and just put 31s on them. I am looking for some 15x7.5 bronco wheels, maybe we can trade or work out a deal if you have those?

-Pat

Digem

I don't have any wheels that you are looking for. I just love those wheels on your truck. I have them on mine now just would like to have a second set. If you want to ever sell them let me know, I'd be interested.