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I installed a 2" leveling spacer on top of the OEM front shocks, and 34" tires (on a 2015 F-150) and there was no rubbing. I added 1.5" spacers all around and now the tires rub a little on the front crash bars when steering wheel is fully turned. I read that the two crash bar bolts can be loosened and there will be a little play to move the crash bars enough to stop the rubbing. When I went to undo the bolts I realized that each bolt head has two tack welds securing it to the bottom of the crash bar. Is this normal? I like the new stance and want to keep the spacers. What are my options?
EDIT - Just realized the bolts undo from the top.
Last edited by Pullsmyboat; 02-15-2019 at 03:13 PM.
Loosened the bolts, pushed the crash bars forward and re tightened. Wasn't quite enough. Took a stubby sledge hammer and hit the crash bar to bend it. There was no room for a proper swing so had to hit it many times and eventually my forearm gave out. But I got the wheel to clear. So far so quiet on level surfaces. Don't know about inclines.
I'd like to bend the crash bar some more to be safe, and I'm wondering if there's a power tool that will do it? Eventually will paint the deformed area.
The same thing happened to me when I installed spacers too. The potra power hydraulic spreader will work to spread them open a little more. One of those wasn't available when I did mine so I used a hydraulic bottle jack turned horizontal and a 2x4 cut to length. It got the job done.
Back the bolts out of the top as far as they'll go. Cut them off with a cutoff wheel. Pull the remaining pieces out and remove the crash bar. Grind the tacked bottom nuts off. Repaint to ward off rust. Get new fasteners... grade 8. When reinstalling, put the nuts on top.
The potra power hydraulic spreader will work to spread them open a little more. One of those wasn't available when I did mine so I used a hydraulic bottle jack turned horizontal and a 2x4 cut to length. It got the job done.
Does the bottle jack do the job as good as the spreader? The jack is easier to find locally.
Was it difficult to find a support point that has a clear line of sight to the front crash bar?
How do you control which part the jack is actually bending? I mean if it's resting against the rear crash bar it could be bending it instead of the front crash bar.
Originally Posted by DeltaNu1142
Nah.
See this video about removing the bumper, starts at 2:36.
Does the bottle jack do the job as good as the spreader? The jack is easier to find locally.
Was it difficult to find a support point that has a clear line of sight to the front crash bar?
How do you control which part the jack is actually bending? I mean if it's resting against the rear crash bar it could be bending it instead of the front crash bar.
The spreader is easier if you're doing it alone. With the jack you will need an extra pair of hands. It is a little tricky to control which one moves more. I needed the front to move more so I placed the jack against the socket of the rear and put something in the slot on the front to prevent the 2x4 from sliding off.
02-15-2019, 01:09 PM
Crash bars move?
