OkaloosaFX4

I have to share with the forum - after 2 years of saving, I spent it all on my 05 SC FX4 today! This Friday I am getting everything installed at a local garage.

Here are the new additions:
Rough Country 2.5" Level Kit (without the rear 1" block and shocks)
325/65/18 (34.9X12.99) Toyo Open Country AT tires
18x9 XD Cranks (Matte Black) - factory offset

I haven't seen many of our trucks with the Cranks, which was one of the main reasons why i went with them. I LOVE the Monsters, but I don't know if I preferred them in the 18... And I think at this point, hey are so common - but they look bad*** in the 20inch on 35s!! EXPENSIVE!! I have been going back and forth between 20s and 18s, and decided on the 18s based on TONS of feedback from friends, this forum, and other websites. The garage said I would be happier with the 20s, but it would have been about $500 more, and I am ready for a softer ride (I have been riding on 22s and 305s for 2 years - my brain is so tired of rattling! HA HA!). Plus, I do a good bit of hunting and fishing and I think this is the way for me to go. SO 18s it is!! I will post pics as soon as I get time.

The next steps for me:

1.) Fix the misfire at WOT - going to start with the intake / MAF. If I can't figure it out, I may get Ford to jump in with me and log the code and start changing out those sticky sparkplugs and COPs... I know the 04-08 3V 5.4Ls have this issue, so I am hoping I can get it nipped... If I am not laying on the gas, the truck runs and pulls just fine... I just hate havin to hit the OD-off button to jamb it...

2.) Performance exhuast. I have a 40-series Flowmaster, but I want to get a complete redo - with high flow CATs and maybe a true dual set up... Probably settle for a SISO set up again... Any ideas? I'd like to get a boxed system, but I am about to spend some time on the boards lokking around.

3.) Tunes. Tunes. Tunes... Leaning towards the Edge Gryphon, but am open to whatever my research reveals... These things take so much TIME!! It took me TWO YEARS to finally figure out a tire / wheel config... I wish I had the money for the 6-inch lift, but I will have too many miles on the truck before that would ever happen!

4.) Shock upgrade (probably will be time for this by the time I get to it!)

Anyway, I wanted to share my excitement! I will finally not be the guy with the FX4 set up like a street racer...

dkane9

i am new to the forum and been thinking about getting the 2.5 inch leveling kit in the front and 1 inch in the rear. how much does it affect the ride? I pull a heavy trailer in the winter time so I hope it doesnt affect handling too much. any info would be appreciated. thanks

OkaloosaFX4

I will post how it drives after this Friday. I decided not to go with the 1 inch block in the back bc I have an FX4 and the factory rake will leave me at least 0.5" after the level kit install. The only reason for the shocks in the kit is to compensate for the 1 inch lift in the rear (the factory shocks will not reach). I have a couple of friends who run this same exact kit with 33 MTs on Lariats. They tow boats (one is a 19ft bass boat and the other is a 21ft center console bay boat) and their rakes are not affected at all! They both played a considerable role in my decision to go with Rough Country. Of the guys actually goes mudding with the set up and told me he always retorques the bolts afterwards, but he said every 3000 miles is good enough. The both have had zero issues and they do not baby their trucks... My opinion is that it is a poor man's way to get 33s or 35s on the truck - ha ha... Seriously though I have been looking into this for 2 years! going back and forth between a Rancho 4 inch lift, a 6 inch RC lift, a 4 inch BDS lift, and the RC leveling kit... I finally decided that the leveling kit was for me because I am a 80/20 guy (80 percent street queen, 20 percent MILD offroading to get to my deerstand or river)... If you are serious about off roading I would get a sus lift... I will let you know my personal opinion soon enough, but keep in mind I have been running on 22s and 305s for 2 years so this experience will probably be orgasmic (even if it is not really that good)... If you are coming from a bone stock set up, it may be a completely different opinion... Most of the people I have talked to say this: Bottom line on an FX4 is that the RC 2.5 level will not truly level it, and towing a boat will not even level it... Those stock rear shocks on the FX4 are beasts... The only time I have ever bulldogged by truck is when I hauled 2000lbs of egg rock from Lowes to my house - and the truck didn't even blink... I will always drive a FORD! More to come!

eej711

OkaloosaFX4, The gryphon from PHP is very good with the custom tunes (thats what i have). Also, the SCT programmers with custom tunes are very good to from troyer performance or PHP. Many on this site run these tuners.

dkane9, I have the 2.5" leveling kit from HBS and I like it. The front of mine is a little higher than the back right now. The 1" in the back will make the ride stiffer. Airbags in the back are a good option for the rear suspension help when towing. I have the airlift ride control airbags on order right now and should get them in the next couple days. They allow you to add air in them when towing so the back doesn't sag and when not towing you can have the minimum air in them so it feels like the stock ride. Airbags, a bigger block in the back, and Add-A-leaf are common ways to add height and reduce sag when towing.

iRub1Out

Hey, friendly reminder - Post your pix when you're all done! With all that work you really want to show it off around town and not here?...how selfish

05lariat4x4

Great choice. I'm also running that set up with 18" moto metals and 325/65/18 terra grapplers. Not too high and not that ulgy rake. You might have to do some trimming. I had to

ThaClay3

I am running 325/65/18's terra's too. Had to trim a little bit too

eej711

Post pics when you get it all done. Maybe even a before and after

OkaloosaFX4

Thanks everyone for the positive reinforcement! I am so excited! Tomorrow's the day!! I took off from work and am just going to hang out at the garage until they are done. I ended up getting the Toyos for the price of the Nittos because they had the 325/65s in the showroom. I will definitely post some pics tomorrow! I like the idea of the before and after! I will definitely do that - and ya'll can see what I am talking about regarding my street racer comment... No more polishing chrome either - LOL...

Thanks for the info on the tuners, as well. I will keep those in mind. I really want to regear at some point too, but the monkeys in the shop (I say that with great respect, BTW) said regearing the 2005 F150 to 4.56 is EXPENSIVE, and I will not mind the new power/gas mileage too much... That is yet to be seen though... I have heard that regearing with 35s is worth it in acceleration alone... I am hoping the tune will get my gas mileage to around 13city 15hwy (which is what I get now)... Anything more than that and I will be doing cartwheels...

Thanks again and stay tuned! Probably have something up this time tomorrow! I'm also gonna see if the folks in the shop will let me take some pics of the install. Oh - one last thing - they said they would do the trimming for me!! I was so happy to hear that. They claim that they doover 50 RC levels a month on all kinds of trucks and have figured the trimming/model down to a science!! How cool is that!!

More to come...

white horse

Congrats! You will love your setup. Can't wait to see it when you're done!