Ready To Lift Your Ford F150

Cadillac
Chevy
Dodge
Ford
GMC
Honda
Hummer
Infiniti
Jeep
Lincoln
Nissan
Suzuki
Toyota
Specialties

Tech Articles

READY TO LIFT YOUR FORD F-150

If you are looking for a safe and affordable way to give your truck a more aggressive stance while providing the ability to upgrade to larger wheels and tires, there is no doubt the hottest suspension modification on the market right now are leveling kits. Consumers of late model trucks such as the 2008 Ford F-150 want to take the factory rake out of their truck's stance while also having the opportunity to upgrade to larger aftermarket tires. The 2008 Ford F150 uses the same strut-type front suspension seen since 2004. This design is ideal not only for giving the owner a great ride, but also very receptive to leveling applications such as the ReadyLift® 66-2050 leveling kit designed to raise the front of the Ford F150 three-inches.

Choosing the right leveling system is important. There are different choices available to consumers. Some kits use a rubber spacer that can compress and separate. Other kits required a spring compressor in order to install a spring pre-loading spacer that will stiffen the ride. There are even some spacers on the market that require the owner to cut the factory studs off of the struts in order to install the spacer.

This is where the ReadyLift® Smart Strut Technology steel strut extension rises to the top of the leveling kit market. These steel struts are designed to bolt right to the existing factory studs and install without having to pre-load your springs or cut any existing components from the vehicle. And most important is that these strut extensions don’t alter your OEM ride!

The ReadyLift® 2004-08 Ford F150 strut spacer kit will lift the front of the truck 3-inches from stock which is what is required to bring the front up level with the bed. This additional space allows the owner to install up to a 35-inch tall tire for a truly aggressive look. The kit fits both 2WD and 4WD trucks.

Installing the strut extension is something most consumers can do at home in their driveway although a professional alignment will be required. The following steps illustrate the steps involved with installing the ReadyLift leveling system on a new 2008 Ford F150.

Also click on this link to view the full installation video!

66-3085 Installation Video CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Step 1

Here is a look at the ReadyLift® Suspension 2004-08 Ford F150 strut extensions constructed from steel and powercoated for nice finish to compliment the 3-inches of lift.

Step 26

Here is a look at this new Ford F150 now sporting a great looking level stance thanks to the ReadyLift® 3” leveling kit which also allows for up to a 35” tall tire for this application!

Step 27

After an alignment, the fender height is measured to verify the amount of lift gained with the strut extension. This application provided exactly three-inches of lift as designed.

Step 28

For comparison, here is a 35” tall tire shown next to the stock tire which reveals the ability to run a larger tire.

Step 29

2007 Ford F150 shown with 35” tall tires on 18” wheels.

Step 30

2007 Ford F150 shown with 35” tall tires on 18” wheels.

Step 2

The new Ford F150 trucks are nice riding trucks, but have the often unwanted front rake that makes the back end look like it is sticking up in the air.

Step 3

As with any suspension modification, it is always good to take measurements before starting the installation in order to be able to verify the results when complete.

Step 4

With this truck in factory form, a measurement was taken from the ground to the top of the fender, rendering a measurement of 34.75 inches.

Step 5

Position the truck on a flat surface where it can be properly jacked up and secured before beginning any suspension work. Remember safety first!

Step 6

Place a jack under the control arm at the steering knuckle to support the knuckle during the following steps.

Step 7

Unbolt the tie rod end nut from the steering knuckle. Leave the threaded on until you are ready to pull the spindle away from the upper control arm.

Step 8

Loosen the upper ball joint nut, but do not completely remove the nut yet.

Step 9

Unbolt the wheel speed sensor cable bracket.

Step 10

Remove the sway bar end link hardware to detach the sway bar from the control arm.

Step 11

With the jack positioned under the control arm, loosen the lower strut mount bolt. You can remove the nut, but leave the bolt inserted through the strut for the time being.

Step 12

Upper ball joints are usually pressed in and require a few taps from a heavy mallet or hammer to pop the ball joint loose from the upper mount of the spindle.

Step 13

When the tie rod is released, remove the nut and pull the spindle away from the upper control arm as shown.

Step 14

Remove the three upper strut mount nuts. Retain the factory nuts as you will need to use them to attach the ReadyLift® strut extension to the strut.

Step 15

Holding the strut with one hand, remove the lower strut mount bolt to free the strut.

Step 16

Carefully remove the strut assembly from the suspension.

Step 17

Place the new ReadyLift® 66-2050 strut extension onto the top of the factory strut. The lower holes in the strut extension go over the factory strut studs.

Step 18

Install the factory nuts onto the factory studs and tighten to secure the extension to the strut assembly.

Step 19

Install the top of the strut with the extension attached into the upper frame mount. Install the provided new nuts onto the studs enough to hold the strut in place.

Step 20

Install the lower strut mount hardware and tighten to secure the lower strut assembly.

Step 21

Permanently tighten the three upper strut mount nuts.

Step 22

Loosen the upper control arm mounting fixtures enough to allow the upper control arm to fully droop.

Step 23

Jack the lower control arm and steering knuckle assembly up while pulling the upper control arm downward enough so the upper ball joint can be inserted back into the spindle and tightened back up.

Step 24

Re-attach the brake line bracket to the frame.

Step 25

Make sure all line clips that were removed are re-attached back into the original configuration. Re-check all hardware that was loosened or removed before installing the wheels and tires.