That is the question.

I really like the look of a leveled truck, but I'm hearing of two major drawbacks that concern me enough to think long and hard before deciding to go forward.

1) Gas mileage. From everything I have seen others say, the loss is significant, not just 1-2 MPG. Is the aesthetic appeal enough to overcome the extra cost in fuel?

2) Payload. If you tow a trailer and/or carry a heavy load, now your headlights are tilted at an upward angle that could blind oncoming traffic.

I understand Ford engineers designed these trucks with a purpose, and when we alter them we are affecting airflow and other aspects. My mechanic friend, whom I trust immensely, suggested using air shocks in front to get the leveled look I like but at a considerably lower cost. The downside is that it would still cause the loss in MPG, but the upside is being able to lower the front end when carrying a heavy payload.

I would like to hear some others' thoughts on this.

 

i helped one of my buddies put a 3 inch level on his 04 2wd and he didnt loose any mpgs and wen he pulls his race car trailor his headlights stay at normal position

 

I didn't lose any mpgs with mine. If you put bigger tires on after the level that could cause loss of some mpgs. As for the towing aspect I added a set of $200 airbags to the rearend that keep me level no matter what I'm towing. Old setup with four wheeler and dirtbike in the bed and new setup that is fairly tongue heavy with the wheelers on the front deck. There is also miscellaneous stuff in the bed of the truck. Still level with the bags and weight distribution hitch.

 

i say keep it like it is...i personally like the raked look and when you put weight on the rear end it wont sag on you...and im pretty sure a leveling kit will affect the ride

 

I put a 3" level on my 07, and noticed that the front was prone to bump steer. To correct this I added a 1" block to the rear to add a small amount of rake back and everything rides like stock. I lost mpg when I added a 33" wheel/tire combo that weighs 85 pounds each. I don't tow, but I have hauled some heavy loads...two pallets of ceramic tile, a full yard of gravel, etc. With over a ton back there the front end did point up a little, but not enough to be a big deal.

 

1) I saw no decrease in mileage from the addition of my lift.

2) Adding a 3 inch block in the rear in combination with a 2 inch level in the front should return some rake to your truck. This is what I did on my F150
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ReadyLift-66...b28a7d&vxp=mtr

 

I installed my leveling kit the first week I got my truck so I'm not sure about gas mileage difference, and I don't tow or haul so I can't help with that either lol
It depends what kind of look you want to go for, I see you have a brush guard so I say go for it since your more on the off road look...
I'm removing mine tomorrow because I changed my mind about getting bigger tires and going the off road way. I realized I will never go off road so its coming off..

 

Not sure where you got your mileage info but I didn't lose a single MPG and I'm not sure why anyone would. What's hurting your MPGs is that 100 pound brush guard hanging off your front end. A leveling kit will help with the sag from the increased weight.

 

Have a brush guard on mine and saw no significant loss in gas mileage. (edge evo shows instant and and average mpg)

 

Nice ride there. I'm not familiar with airbags. I will have to look into them.