Rich Oliver

05 xlt

marinemike0931

I didn't have any mpg decrease with the level... you may be right but if so, it was so minimal that I didn't notice. However, level is usually followed by tires (bigger/heavier ones) that will decrease your mileage.

SuminBoutATruck

Yeah, depends on the day - it's a Monday so I like the terra grapplers. Tomorrow probably the Toyos, the next day who knows. Lol.

marinemike0931

If you like the terra "equally" get those. They are not an aggressive looking tire so I don't really like the look but... you won't have the road noise that I have with my Toyo MT. To me its worth the noise... my brother has trail grapplers and they are not as loud as the toyos, the terras will sound relatively quite compared to those 2.

BigBlueOx

I just finished reading every page on this thread.... It was a slow day at work today. Full of good information and some awesome pics. I also found several pics of the same set up I will have on my truck, which beats trying to visualize it. I wasn't quite sure if the 275/70/18 BF Goodrich A/T KO's I'm going to eventually get would fill the space enough with am2" level, but I'm confident now that it will look good. I have a 2" AS kit waiting for me at home when I get off the this rig. I'm going to install it myself. I was debating on having a shop do it, but figured it would be nice to save some cash. I will post pics when I have it done. I'm keeping the stock rims. Keeping the stock tires too until the end of summer. I couldn't go through another winter with the crappy stock tires.

Frank20

Just left my buddy's shop and finished Installing an AS 2" front level with Bilstein 5100's at the stock setting. Also installed new rear blocks off a Raptor which are 2.5" thick and also new Bilstein 5100's in the rear as well.

Rear install was cake.

Front on the other hand was way more trouble than I thought it would be. I'm going to explain it in depth just maybe hoping i can help out some others who may run into the same issues.

First issue we ran into was getting the springs off of the stock shock assembly. These f150 springs are tough. It was too risky using the standard tighten by air gun, clamp type coil spring compressors. Had to take both assembly's to another buddy's shop to use his bigger wall mounted spring compressor. I recommend anyone who does this install alone to just take out the stock shock assembly then run It over to a shop, pay them some $ and have them use a legitimate spring compressor and swap the stock springs on to the new shocks. Much worth the drive and time and couple extra bucks. The other type compressors are way to risky and flimsy for this type of spring.

Next issue we ran into is for whatever reason the supplied locking nuts with the Bilstein shocks would not thread onto the shocks. Tried the OEM nuts as well and same scenario. The threads just didn't match up. We ended up getting totally different nuts in general which worked fine after. That was strange.

Then next issue once we got the spacer mounted to the top of the new shock assembly with the 5100's was trying to fit it back into the truck. With a little prying we got it in. But when bolting everything back together the upper control arm was so far away from the balljoint it was literally impossible. At one point we thought my brand new shocks might have been seized. If we jacked the control arm up we could only go so far before raising the whole truck off of the lift and still no where close to popping into place. We ended up having to put the clamp type spring compressors onto the shock assembly while it was in the truck and tighten them until the spring compressed enough and got the ball joint closer to the upper control arm that we could pry it into place and bolt it up. After doing this the angle of the upper control arm was ccccrrrazzzzyyy bad. Looked so wrong. It was basically rubbing up on the coil spring. Once we bolted it all back up on both sides and dropped the truck on the ground it seemed to correct itself. But it looked real bad when up in the air. We thought something was messed up for sure. I would like to see some pics if anyone has any just to clear up the possibility that we may have messed something up.

But in conclusion everything seems to ride great. It's really smooth and hear no clunking. So I'm guessing everything is fine haha. I can't really tell much if any difference from stock in the front. The rear handles bumps much better without the bouncing around effect.

Overall the front 2" AS level gave me around 2 - 2.25" of lift. Before, With stock tires I sat at 38" from ground to fender-lip up front. Now I sit at about 40" up front. The rear with the new 2.5" raptor blocks gave me an additional 1.25" of lift. Before I was at 40" from ground to fender-lip and now it is at 41.25" in rear. I think the stance is perfect. Looks just right. Not too much rake but not perfectly level either.

Tomorrow I am having 295/60/20 nitto terra grapplers installed and my alignment done right after. Ill try to get some pics before the new tires are on and then some with the new tires afterwards to show the difference.

tabezic

Installing my AS 2.5" spacer and 3" rear blocks Saturday. Anything I need to know or look out for before I get started?

Stumpy

Read the very last post..

Frank20

Here's my 2012 fx4.


Front has 2" AS level and Bilstein 5100's at stock height. Rear has Bilstein 5100's and raptor rear blocks (2.5" thick)

Here it is with stock tires:





Here it is after Nitto Terra Grapplers 295/60/20:

Burnie329

After 1 week went from about 18.5 or so to about 16.5. Think it is mostly the new slightly bigger, heavier tires than stock.

Can definately feel the difference in the speed though... slightly more sluggish