2004+ Ford F-150 - Leveling Kit Installation - Off-Road Magazine

The rake we are talking about refers to the vehicle you have in your garage: the one that has the nose-down forward slant. Most SUVs and pickups come from the factory with this downward rake. They're usually about 2 inches lower in the front. This is fine for aerodynamics, but it doesn't have the ready-for-action, level stance that most of us want. Skyjacker Suspensions has a quick and easy fix to get your nose back up in the air.

Skyjacker's 2-inch kit will separate you from the masses of stockers. It's also an effective, inexpensive, and safe way to gain tire and ground clearance. Skyjacker offers a diverse line of applications by offering leveling kits for many two-wheel- and four-wheel-drive vehicles: Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, and FJ Cruiser; Chevy/GMC 1500 pickups; and Ford F-150s. The company's newest product line includes aluminum spacers for the top of the OE coilover shocks/struts.

We're going to hit the highlights on an '04 Ford F-150 2WD. It's not a full-blown desert prerunner, but all our 2WD brethren are still truck owners and still part of the cool crowd. This system is simple and straightforward. All you need is the Skyjacker Leveling Kit, a floor jack, two good jackstands, and a few basic handtools.

04 Ford F-150 2WD with a stock...        read full caption 04 Ford F-150 2WD with a stock rake.	The new level stance with...        read full caption The new level stance with the 2-inch Skyjacker aluminum spacers gets rid of the factory rake. The chrome rocker guards amplify the straight stance, and the bug shield is a bonus.	These are the perfect solution...        read full caption These are the perfect solution for a low-cost lift, and the name Skyjacker ensures you that these are high-quality parts. The aluminum spacers attach to the "top" of the factory struts. Skyjacker's leveling spacers are CNC-machined from T6 aircraft-quality billet aluminum. This aluminum is lightweight yet physically strong and withstands the elements.
Front Suspension OverviewBoth...        read full caption Front Suspension OverviewBoth the 2WD and 4WD F-150 models have a long-spindle, double-wishbone/control arm with coilover shock design. Many other OEMs use a similar setup: '07 Chevy/GMC, Tacoma, Tundra, and FJ Cruiser.	Once the vehicle is secured...        read full caption Once the vehicle is secured and up on jackstands, the tires are off and we're ready to get started. We disconnected the outer tie rod from the steering knuckle (you usually have to give the knuckle a tap with a hammer to dislodge the tie rod).	We disconnected the upper...        read full caption We disconnected the upper A-arm (this is what the OEM calls a "wishbone") ball joint from the top of the steering knuckle (OEM calls it a "long spindle").
Then, we disconnected the...        read full caption Then, we disconnected the lower shock mount from the lower A-arm (wishbone), using a 1-3/16-inch and a 1-1/16-inch socket to remove the bolt and nut. We retained the bolt and nut to be reused on the install.	We also disconnected the sway-bar...        read full caption We also disconnected the sway-bar end links from the sway bar. It is a good idea to do both sides at this point. The sway bar will be reconnected in one of the last steps. This factory hardware will be reused as well.	With a 15mm wrench, we removed...        read full caption With a 15mm wrench, we removed the three upper shock mounting bolts from the frame mount. The three bolts form a triangle - two up front and one in the back. The nuts will be used to attach the factory shock mount/studs to the Skyjacker spacer.
Now to the Skyjacker parts....        read full caption Now to the Skyjacker parts. We took the supplied thread-locking compound and applied it to the "coarse" threaded portion of the studs. This adhesive compound is designed to fill the thread gap and hold it in place to prevent parts from vibrating loose.	We then threaded the coarse...        read full caption We then threaded the coarse end of the stud (the one with the locking compound) into the aluminum spacer until it was handtight The fine thread is up for the install.	Next we inserted the top of...        read full caption Next we inserted the top of the factory shock mount studs through the spacer, attaching the coilover to the spacer using the factory nuts we took off earlier. A deep-well socket was very helpful at this point.