ksstang

Hello everyone. I'm new here and looking for some advice. I'm the maintenance supervisor here at our Jail where I live and my company truck that I drive every day is a 2005 F150 with the 5.4l I was in to Lawn and Landscape for years before I took this job 10yrs ago. Anyway, our Sheriff wanted me to purchase a plow for the truck so that we didn't have to contract out our Jail parking lots anymore. I tried advising him that hanging a plow on that 1/2ton truck wasn't the best idea, but would work. I ended up purchasing a 7'wide Hiniker plow. That's all I ever used with past work and love their stuff.


So my question. This truck with the plow on the front sags pretty bad in the front end. I have to pull up on small ramps I built to remove the plow so that I can get it high enough to get the stand down.


I was wondering if a leveling kit in the front end of some sort would help with bringing that front end up? I don't envision having this truck forever, but for the time that we do have it I would like to try and bring the front end up.


Any suggestions on what I can do would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


Kyle

Stu Cazzo

Yes...funny you mention this as I bought a front "level" kit for my other truck for just this reason...plow. The maker actually markets the kit I bought as a fix for what you are describing. Its a 1 inch lift for the front and gives that little bit of lift needed.

Its made by Daystar...Item Number: KF09115BK

Ford 04-14 F150 Daystar 1" Budget Boost


You can of course go higher if you want to a 2 or 2.5 inch.

ksstang

Awesome! I appreciate the quick reply!! I'm just stuck at to how much I should lift it up. That plow is actually the 7.5' model and my manual says that the plow weighs 732lbs. I don't know that that includes the weight of the bracket that's always mounted to the truck or not. I will try and take a picture later today after I hook the plow up since we're expecting snow tonight.


Thanks!


Kyle

ksstang

Here is a picture of the truck with the plow off, and then a picture with the plow on and lifted up to show how much it sags the front. Just looking for some opinions on what can be done to help rectify this situation.


Thanks!

Jeriko

you might want to go with a 2" level with that much sag. It'll level out the truck nicely when it's off and should make the sag a little more manageable. Just my 0.02

PerryB

Leveling kits are typically just a spacer that pushes the struts and control arms down a certain amount. I have a 2" kit on my 05 and it looks great but this would be a short term fix in your situation due to the significant amount of weight you have hanging ahead of the axle. Before long your coils are going to start collapsing or breaking. I think stiffer springs are going to be the solution. One more thing to consider, the sag is exaggerated due to the overhang factor. As a result, not only is the front end lower but the rear is higher. I would try putting about 4-500 lbs. of sandbags in the bed, right up against the tailgate. This will actually lever some of the weigh of the plow off the front axle and increase traction in the process. A 55 gal. barrel of water would be be about 475 lbs (including the weight of the barrel) but the issue would be to properly secure it. It would be a runaway wrecking ball if it got loose.

ksstang

Ok, thanks everyone! I will look into all ideas. I agree that I do need some ballast weight in the rear end to help offset it!

Boulevard

I have found that with that much weight up front and the suspension so heavily overloaded that the truck gets really bouncy and dangerous. The faster you go the scarier it gets. Do it right and buy a set of heavy duty front springs made for snow plows ($250 a set at Rock Auto), heavy duty shocks ($100) and LT rated tires.

SHOBout

Do you put any weight at the back of the bed for ballast? With a big heavy plow hanging off the front you'll want to put something as far back as possible to even it out. It will also help with the front end sag and not put so much stress on your front end.

Boulevard

I would add about 500lbs of sand bags as far back as you can go (tailgate) to act as a traction aid/stabilizer. If you put the weight forward up against the cab than you will add weight to the front axle as well and this is what you do not want. Use the sand when you get stuck and add heavier shocks to control any added bounce.