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2003 Ford F150 4WD - Skyjacking The '03 F-150 4x4

Upping The F-150 Ante
By Jough Schmall
Photography by Jough Schmall
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Exterior Side View
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Removed Leaf Springs
Now that the front was together,... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Removed Leaf Springs
Now that the front was together, the back needed to be finished. Rick's unbolted the U-bolts and dropped the rear axle away from the leaf springs and removed the factory leaf springs.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Skyjacker Skidplate
Skyjacker also provides a... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Skyjacker Skidplate
Skyjacker also provides a new skidplate. Some bolts fit into existing holes, but three holes have to be drilled in the frame to attach the new skidplate.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 H7000 Shocks
Shocks are included with this... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 H7000 Shocks
Shocks are included with this kit. The H7000s were mounted in the factory locations on the frame and the lower A-arms. Longer shocks are used due to the dropping of the lower A-arms, but they still bolt up the same way.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Drop Brackets
Skyjacker provides drop brackets... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Drop Brackets
Skyjacker provides drop brackets for the factory brake-line brackets to compensate for the kit.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Remove Brake Caliper
The brake caliper has to come... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Remove Brake Caliper
The brake caliper has to come off, as does the antisway bar. It's OK to just hang the caliper out of the way instead of disconnecting the brake line and having to bleed the system afterward.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Cv Shafts Abs Lines
We watched as Rick's Pro-Truck... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Cv Shafts Abs Lines
We watched as Rick's Pro-Truck popped off the CV shafts (six bolts at the diff) and unthreaded the nut holding them into the hub assembly. The ABS lines were removed from the A-arms and knuckles at this time as well.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 A Arm Knuckles
The Skyjacker kit comes with... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 A Arm Knuckles
The Skyjacker kit comes with replacement knuckles to keep the upper A-arms in the factory position. Rick's Pro-Truck attached the factory hub assemblies to the new knuckles and set the knuckles on the A-arms' ball joints.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Cv Shafts
Now that the drop brackets,... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Cv Shafts
Now that the drop brackets, A-arms, and knuckles were on, it was time to move on to reinstalling the CV shafts. Skyjacker provides 1-5/8-inch CV spacers that bolt in between the diff and the shaft on the driver side. This is due to the slight repositioning of the diff under the framerails.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Remove Torsion Bars
It started by getting the... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Remove Torsion Bars
It started by getting the truck up on a rack, pulling the wheels and tires, and then unloading the torsion bars so it would be possible to dismantle the front end. If you're trying this kit yourself, it'd be a good idea to make some note or mark how much thread is showing on the torsion-bar adjuster bolts that hold the torsion-bar keys in place. Once unloaded, you can pull the torsion bars and the torsion-bar crossmember.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 20 Inch American Eagle Wheels
It wouldn't be our first choice... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 20 Inch American Eagle Wheels
It wouldn't be our first choice for wheel sizes, but this owner stepped up to a set of 20-inch American Eagle wheels. He made a sensible decision going with 35-inch ATZs. The Mickey Thompson ATZ is a good all-around tire (all-terrain tire), and the 35-inch size will allow the owner a little height and some good looks but not so much tire that the Ford's engine will struggle or its drivetrain will need to be upgraded.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Torsion Bar Crossmember
Back to the middle of the... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Torsion Bar Crossmember
Back to the middle of the truck, the torsion-bar crossmember has to be dropped to compensate for everything in front being dropped down since the torsion bars need to line up with the lower A-arms. A couple of holes need to be drilled in the frame for extra support, but it's not a big deal. As soon as the drop brackets were on, Rick's Pro-Truck reattached the factory torsion-bar crossmember and reinstalled the torsion bars.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Skyjacker Leaf Springs
Since Skyjacker provides all-new... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Skyjacker Leaf Springs
Since Skyjacker provides all-new leaf springs (optional) with its 6-inch F-150 kit, Rick's heaved them up into place and reused the existing factory block. The rear Skyjacker shocks were bolted up, and we were ready to get some tires on the truck.
2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Differential Detached
Once the A-arms were unbolted... 
   
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2003 Ford F150 Skyjacking 03 F 150 4X4 Differential Detached
Once the A-arms were unbolted and removed, the diff detached from the frame and was removed for the time being. The rear Skyjacker crossmember can be bolted in. The factory crossmember should not be removed until the Skyjacker one is installed (sounds weird, we know).
American Eagle Wheel Corp.
bossmotorsports.com
Rick's Pro-Truck
www.rickprotruck.com
Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels
www.mickeythompsontires.com
Skyjacker Suspensions
Dept. FW, 212 Stevenson Street
West Monroe
LA  71292

www.skyjacker.com

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