Just installed 2” leveling kit on 2018 f150 following this way of install. By far the easiest way to go. Only thing I did different is I separated the upper ball joint which just made it easier to remove strut assembly. I was able to line up the LCAs to get fastened exactly where they were prior to leveling install just by light prying and zipping the nuts on with a impact wrench when they were in the correct position. I did mark them with a paint marker but it really wasn’t too necessary as you can clearly see where they were originally fastened by the wear marks from the bolt and nut head. Had alignment done afterwards and only thing off was the toe by less than a 1/8”. Thanks for the video. Installed two different leveling kits on other trucks without pulling the LCA bolts and it’s way easier this way.
Thank you SO much for this video! I can also testify that it worked perfectly fine for me on my 2017 that has spent it’s life in Canada and Michigan. Yeah, it has seen a lot of salt. I am not an auto tech, but am fairly handy. I think I had about 5 hours into the job all together. I had difficulty getting a couple of the lock nuts off of the end-link, but used a heat gun to and they came off just fine once I figured the issue out. I took it for an alignment the next morning and everything is fine. - thanks again!
I try to make things as simple as I can, I did the drivers side and kind of had to figure it out then I did the walk through on the passenger side. I don't remember if I state this in the video but its in your best interest to get an alignment done upon completion.
Out of 10 videos this one looks twice as easy as the rest. I'm upgrading UCA so I do have to remove upper ball joint and bushing bolts, so I just need the strut to drop out of the way (it already has level kit on it) thanks for showing this method.
I did it to my truck in roughly 40 min 20 min per side, all i did was take out the two lower control arm bolts, and then take out the lower strut bolt and boom the strut dropped right out from the bottom and i installed spacer... literally only 3 bolts all the same size
@@ryanrussell3893 you have a 4x4? did you also take out the sway bar bolt or remove the brake line brackets? Just curious since i'll be doing this to my truck in another month or two.
@@zeekdornier2946 yes 4x4. Brake line brackets or sway bar so not need to be removed, I had to remove the easy steering stabilzer. The strut was able to slide out between the axle and tie rod but it was tight, i wouldve just removed the one tie rod bolt but my truck was a little rusty and didnt want to come out easily so i had to weave it through
@@ryanrussell3893 sounds good, I’m definitely a “work smart, not hard” kinda guy and don’t want to spend more time than it should take to do a simple strut spacer kit. I’ll see how it goes. Debating on whether or not I’ll make my own video with more detailed steps and post it.
@@zeekdornier2946 do you have instagram? Ill send you quick just pointing with my finger video on how i did it just so were on the same page, and yes make i video i was going to but got lazy
Thank you for this video. I’ll be doing my Bilstein install this weekend so I think this will cut the time in half versus what other videos and tutorials show.
I watched this video...after I took apart the first side. Then I did the other side this way. Totally nailed it, one side 3 hours the other, 1 hour. Follow this tutorial and don't be like me.
Your process looks much easier than others I've watched. They removed everything above the lower control arm. Basically opposite what you did but yours looks faster
Thanks for this video! Dropping the LCA seems like a WAY easier method than the others out there. Did you have to rotate your lower strut studs? If so, how did you do it?
th-cam.com/video/OlYl1H9q9YQ/w-d-xo.html Watch this video, but start at minute 14:53. This is by far the easiest way that I've seen to rotate the lower strut studs.
Hey can you show Me or explain to me how you got the two nuts off the lower control arm specifically the ones in the rear closer the the doors . There is another bolt in the way preventing my 1/2 impact from getting in there
going to take on this project this weekend. One question I had was when you said to mark for the alignment do you mean mark where the bolts are? a little confused on that. I plan on getting new tires and an alignment right after I am done with it anyways so will it even matter?
@@alienprojects3365 how did you realign the bolts on the bottom of the struts? They have a slight angle one direction and when you put the spacer on top of strut you have to turn strut around 180° and the angle of the bottom bolts are now wrong. Someone on another video said he swaps the driver side with the passenger side and that takes care of it but I think they have the same angle regardless of which side it came from.
Getting ready to install my 2" Level this weekend. I have to say this is the least complex method I have seen...BY FAR. Why is this method not done more often?
Mike Yarina, good question! Doing it this will will require an alignment though, unless you take a paint marker or sharpie of some kind and mark where all the bolts lines up for the lower control arm you could get away without an alignment
@@alienprojects3365 Yeah I do plan on using a mark of some sorts on the bolts on the lower control arm so when I put it back to together it is as close as I can get it. I do plan on getting a realignment right after regardless. Thanks again!
What am I marking on the lower control arm bolts? I’m not exactly sure what you mean. Doesn’t the bolt only go in 1 way? Any help is appreciated thanks for the video!
@@thatone_trailboss good luck man. I just tried this and couldn't finish, too many details not shown. Puttingg that control arm back in with the spacer was a nightmare. 2.5in spacer
@@DopeEst96 dude tell me about it, my bro in law is an amateur mechanic out of college but he is pretty damn good and me and him both could barely get it out let alone with the spacer on lmao. He honestly did it all i was just trying to help in any way lol. We didn’t take the lower control arm bolts off though.
@@caseyeberle7998it doesn't include steps for 4x4 and rotating of strut's mounting screws. here's a better video th-cam.com/video/OlYl1H9q9YQ/w-d-xo.html
Pretty sure all Fx4’s are 4 wheel drive but I could be mistaken. I did see videos though where you need to rotate the bottom strut bolts a little but I still think this way is do-able.
Yes guys the American Trucks video will be better, they sell the product, have done more than me and have all the available tools and shop space, this was my first time installing a leveling kit, Im just sharing my experience
Could someone please explain what to mark on the LCA?! I'm confused as to how that effects camber if it's a bushing and the control arm itself moves up and down naturally.
They are eccentric bolts, so rotating them will change how far in or out the LCA is in relation to the mount. You should see some alignment grooves on the bolt head side to give you an idea, but just mark where the cam lobe is the largest against the mount so you can put everything back. An alignment shop can fine tune everything after so no need to be exact just close enough.
How will this make it more unaligned than any of the other ways? Looks less invasive to me and much simpler... As long as you mark the LCA bolts and put it back together right, it shouldn't be that far off and you should be able to make it to a shop for an alignment
@@zeekdornier2946 go ahead. You’ll see. You can’t just “mark it”, You can’t just put it back in place. Those A arms won’t budge with out straps and leverage. Just drop the spindle, if you know how...
@@jasonwilliams1618 I’m not acting like a smart a$$ or anything, just genuinely curious. This guy seemed to have zero issues as well as 2-3 other guys in the comments that did theirs the same way. I want to know how it’s hard to get back in the same place? You’d use the Jack to bring the LCA back up I’d assume. That shouldn’t be difficult, but I’ve never done it and will be attempting to in a month or so, so I’d like to know.
Dude thanks man, I am installing a 2in level kit on mines,and your video is by far the straightest/easiest way to go.
Just installed 2” leveling kit on 2018 f150 following this way of install. By far the easiest way to go. Only thing I did different is I separated the upper ball joint which just made it easier to remove strut assembly. I was able to line up the LCAs to get fastened exactly where they were prior to leveling install just by light prying and zipping the nuts on with a impact wrench when they were in the correct position. I did mark them with a paint marker but it really wasn’t too necessary as you can clearly see where they were originally fastened by the wear marks from the bolt and nut head. Had alignment done afterwards and only thing off was the toe by less than a 1/8”. Thanks for the video. Installed two different leveling kits on other trucks without pulling the LCA bolts and it’s way easier this way.
Wish I had seen this before watching other video's. This took less than half the time. Thanks.
What about setting the preload on the lower control arms? Sitting the truck on the ground before tightening them? Otherwise looks like a great method.
I love this guy already. Completely bypassed the removal of bolts.
i can see your way is a lot easier than other people are showing. thank you
Thank you SO much for this video! I can also testify that it worked perfectly fine for me on my 2017 that has spent it’s life in Canada and Michigan. Yeah, it has seen a lot of salt. I am not an auto tech, but am fairly handy. I think I had about 5 hours into the job all together. I had difficulty getting a couple of the lock nuts off of the end-link, but used a heat gun to and they came off just fine once I figured the issue out. I took it for an alignment the next morning and everything is fine. - thanks again!
Glad I came across your video.
Your install method is way less complicated than every other one I've come across. Thanks!
I try to make things as simple as I can, I did the drivers side and kind of had to figure it out then I did the walk through on the passenger side. I don't remember if I state this in the video but its in your best interest to get an alignment done upon completion.
Out of 10 videos this one looks twice as easy as the rest. I'm upgrading UCA so I do have to remove upper ball joint and bushing bolts, so I just need the strut to drop out of the way (it already has level kit on it) thanks for showing this method.
It’s work! Thank you for saving my time. Much easier than regular way. And you have to do alignment anyway. Thanks!
Just used this method to install a 2.5 inch Motofab lift. It took me about 2 and half hours to install it by myself.
I did it to my truck in roughly 40 min 20 min per side, all i did was take out the two lower control arm bolts, and then take out the lower strut bolt and boom the strut dropped right out from the bottom and i installed spacer... literally only 3 bolts all the same size
@@ryanrussell3893 you have a 4x4? did you also take out the sway bar bolt or remove the brake line brackets? Just curious since i'll be doing this to my truck in another month or two.
@@zeekdornier2946 yes 4x4. Brake line brackets or sway bar so not need to be removed, I had to remove the easy steering stabilzer. The strut was able to slide out between the axle and tie rod but it was tight, i wouldve just removed the one tie rod bolt but my truck was a little rusty and didnt want to come out easily so i had to weave it through
@@ryanrussell3893 sounds good, I’m definitely a “work smart, not hard” kinda guy and don’t want to spend more time than it should take to do a simple strut spacer kit. I’ll see how it goes. Debating on whether or not I’ll make my own video with more detailed steps and post it.
@@zeekdornier2946 do you have instagram? Ill send you quick just pointing with my finger video on how i did it just so were on the same page, and yes make i video i was going to but got lazy
Can someone explain how to mark the Lower Control Arms bolts?
Bro... this looks WAY easier than the other videos I've seen where they take EVERYthing apart. Why disassemble everything if this is all you need?
Thank you for this video. I’ll be doing my Bilstein install this weekend so I think this will cut the time in half versus what other videos and tutorials show.
I watched this video...after I took apart the first side. Then I did the other side this way. Totally nailed it, one side 3 hours the other, 1 hour. Follow this tutorial and don't be like me.
Yes very simple install!
What exactly are you marking on the LCA? I could not see any marks in your video. Is the hole that the bolt goes through slotted?
Did you not have to do a 180 rotation of the strut? Have seen multiple videos showing them doing something like that
Your process looks much easier than others I've watched. They removed everything above the lower control arm. Basically opposite what you did but yours looks faster
Thanks for this video! Dropping the LCA seems like a WAY easier method than the others out there. Did you have to rotate your lower strut studs? If so, how did you do it?
th-cam.com/video/OlYl1H9q9YQ/w-d-xo.html Watch this video, but start at minute 14:53. This is by far the easiest way that I've seen to rotate the lower strut studs.
What is the offset on your wheels / and the exact measurements I really like how it looks
Hey can you show Me or explain to me how you got the two nuts off the lower control arm specifically the ones in the rear closer the the doors . There is another bolt in the way preventing my 1/2 impact from getting in there
going to take on this project this weekend. One question I had was when you said to mark for the alignment do you mean mark where the bolts are? a little confused on that. I plan on getting new tires and an alignment right after I am done with it anyways so will it even matter?
The only correct way to do this!
Do you have torque specs for any of this? those 2 big nuts seem kinda important and I think it'd be prudent of me to get it right.
Not gonna lie I dod the ugga dugga think and 50k miles later no issues
@@alienprojects3365 WHAT?!?
this was a 4x4 right? about to start on mine and this looks way more logical than removing the uca and axle etc
Yup! Just make sure to immediately get an alignment, eye balling skills are not enough, so Ive learned
@@alienprojects3365 how did you realign the bolts on the bottom of the struts? They have a slight angle one direction and when you put the spacer on top of strut you have to turn strut around 180° and the angle of the bottom bolts are now wrong.
Someone on another video said he swaps the driver side with the passenger side and that takes care of it but I think they have the same angle regardless of which side it came from.
Did you have to compress the springs?
What size level kit?
Great vid ! Whats the roof rack you got, it looks good!
Getting ready to install my 2" Level this weekend. I have to say this is the least complex method I have seen...BY FAR. Why is this method not done more often?
Mike Yarina, good question! Doing it this will will require an alignment though, unless you take a paint marker or sharpie of some kind and mark where all the bolts lines up for the lower control arm you could get away without an alignment
@@alienprojects3365 Yeah I do plan on using a mark of some sorts on the bolts on the lower control arm so when I put it back to together it is as close as I can get it. I do plan on getting a realignment right after regardless. Thanks again!
@@alienprojects3365 Alignment is required regardless which method you use.
What offset are your wheels? I have a leveling kit on my f150 but want a bit of poke and I like how your truck looks
What am I marking on the lower control arm bolts? I’m not exactly sure what you mean. Doesn’t the bolt only go in 1 way? Any help is appreciated thanks for the video!
Fraser Price Mark the location of all of them, you’ll need an alignment once its back together
@@alienprojects3365 that didn’t answer the question very well. What are we marking on the LCA bolts??
Beautiful! Gold 🪙🥇
What do you mean by marking the control arm bolt ?
Mark the bolt to the chassis to get it lined up as best as possible, making it not as bad to drive without the alignment
Is it ok to put a 285/55 r20 tires on that truck ?
You should be able to, if not the website American Trucks has a lot of detailed information on what can and cant fit
Any problems with premature ball joint wear?
Ryan Dauphinee Nothing so far, been like 25-30k miles since
@@alienprojects3365 Thanks! appreciate the vid
What were the torque specs for the struts lower nuts/bolts ?
What size are the lower control arm bolts???
27mm
@@DopeEst96 you the man thank you.
@@thatone_trailboss good luck man. I just tried this and couldn't finish, too many details not shown. Puttingg that control arm back in with the spacer was a nightmare. 2.5in spacer
@@DopeEst96 dude tell me about it, my bro in law is an amateur mechanic out of college but he is pretty damn good and me and him both could barely get it out let alone with the spacer on lmao. He honestly did it all i was just trying to help in any way lol. We didn’t take the lower control arm bolts off though.
@@thatone_trailboss Well I think thats why you had such a hard time. Im def taking my. lower controls off
What wheels do you have
Looks good.👍
Great video! So for a relatively mechanically inclined guy in the driveway you thinking 3 hours? Thx bro!
S.T. ENTERTAINMENT Yup, didnt take me too long if I remember correctly
This is a 2 wheel drive, same install on 4x4?
It's a 4x4.
whats the size of the level kit?
Tye Castellano I cant remember if its a 2.5” or a 3” but one of those two
Do you have to a alignment after this
Yes, you will need an alignment
Tried to do this last and couldn't. There are a lot of missing steps from this video.
Can you elaborate? I have my kit on order. I would love to hear what you did.
@@caseyeberle7998it doesn't include steps for 4x4 and rotating of strut's mounting screws. here's a better video th-cam.com/video/OlYl1H9q9YQ/w-d-xo.html
Pretty sure all Fx4’s are 4 wheel drive but I could be mistaken. I did see videos though where you need to rotate the bottom strut bolts a little but I still think this way is do-able.
Yes guys the American Trucks video will be better, they sell the product, have done more than me and have all the available tools and shop space, this was my first time installing a leveling kit, Im just sharing my experience
Knuckle-busters Garage I think your video is great.
Was this truck four wheel drive?
Joseph Kotlar Yes it is
Could someone please explain what to mark on the LCA?! I'm confused as to how that effects camber if it's a bushing and the control arm itself moves up and down naturally.
They are eccentric bolts, so rotating them will change how far in or out the LCA is in relation to the mount. You should see some alignment grooves on the bolt head side to give you an idea, but just mark where the cam lobe is the largest against the mount so you can put everything back. An alignment shop can fine tune everything after so no need to be exact just close enough.
Do i need to get an alignment after this?
Yes
How bout you record how’s it done next time
Sorry I didn't go slow enough for you. 738 other people figured it out from this video.
Torque Values !
Sounds like you’re in a chiller plant lol.
Nuts!
Nuts not bolts
Damn, you're a cutie. ❤
Pretty sorry video and not full detail on what really goes into it and how to mark lower control arms. Just not good detail.
Attn: all TH-cam content providers. Pleas stop using go pro or what ever camera attached to your head. Use a tripod or a buddy
Ya, I got kind of dizzy watching.
Don’t do it this way!!! Your alignment will be so far off you won’t be able to drive to get it aligned!
How will this make it more unaligned than any of the other ways? Looks less invasive to me and much simpler... As long as you mark the LCA bolts and put it back together right, it shouldn't be that far off and you should be able to make it to a shop for an alignment
@@zeekdornier2946 go ahead. You’ll see. You can’t just “mark it”, You can’t just put it back in place. Those A arms won’t budge with out straps and leverage. Just drop the spindle, if you know how...
@@jasonwilliams1618 I’m not acting like a smart a$$ or anything, just genuinely curious. This guy seemed to have zero issues as well as 2-3 other guys in the comments that did theirs the same way. I want to know how it’s hard to get back in the same place? You’d use the Jack to bring the LCA back up I’d assume. That shouldn’t be difficult, but I’ve never done it and will be attempting to in a month or so, so I’d like to know.
@@zeekdornier2946 videos can be stopped and started. I guarantee you it took longer than 9 minutes.
@@jasonwilliams1618 you don’t say?
How tall is his leveling kit