leveling kit

[astults]

I've got a 09 XLT 4x4. I had a 2" leveling kit installed and now when I go around a curve that's bumpy, it feels like I'm momentarily losing traction. Somewhat like hitting some black ice. Anyone have any idea what could be causing this?

astults

 

[strvger]

did you also get longer shocks so they keep the tires in contact with the road better?

 

[astults]

I did get longer shocks for the rear, but was told I didn't need them for the front. I'll look into that.

Thanks,
astults

 

[JohnnyO]

Define "leveling kit". If it is torsion bar keys that maxed out the torsion bars, then they are too stiff and all the downtravel is gone in the suspension and that's what it will do.

That's why we here at TRS tell people not to get torsion bar keys.

 

[94bigsteele]

when u level a truck ur really dont need new shocks for the back cuz thats still a stock height. but now that ur up 2-1.5'' in the front the stock shock has no room to move.so u deff need new front shocks

 

[JohnnyO]

On a late-model with a 1.5"-2" torsion crank the stock shocks are fine. I've done it on one Ranger and one Sport Trac with no issues.

 

[astults]

Yes, the "leveling kit" is torsion bar keys. Is there an alternative method for lifting my rig?

Define "leveling kit". If it is torsion bar keys that maxed out the torsion bars, then they are too stiff and all the downtravel is gone in the suspension and that's what it will do.

That's why we here at TRS tell people not to get torsion bar keys.

 

[strvger]

^^ 2 actually. body lift and suspension lift. both are sold in kits. body lift ($100-200) will get you 2-3in without affecting your handling. suspension lift ($400 and up, iirc) will get you 4-6in or more and will require extending brake lines and such, and also a new alignment. good luck with your lift.

 

[Chris.S.]

Or the other thing people will say eventually is that you could have had your torsion bars cranked instead of buying the new keys. Either way it does the same thing.

I believe the problem you're having is because of the loss of downtravel on your front shocks. Finding longer for the front is tricky (I haven't been able to figure out which ones to use) so my partial fix was to put a small (1"-1 1/4" or so) spacer in between the top of the shock and it's mounting bracket to effectively push the shock down towards the ground a little. It might be considered a little ghetto by some, but it helped my handling quite a bit with a 2" lifted front end...

I used two stacked nuts to make the spacer...

 

[86 slo-vo]

put the stock keys back in and just crank the bars

 

[Boggin]

suspension lift ($400 and up, iirc)

try $2000..
http://www.topguncustomz.com/Store/products.php?S_ID=375545

 

[Chris.S.]

put the stock keys back in and just crank the bars

No point doing that if the keys are already in.

I found a pic of that "spacer" I was talking about for the front shocks:

 

[07rangerfx4lv2]

the keys come with a shock spacer i was pretty sure...

 

[JohnnyO]

The problem isn't that the shocks are too short, it's that the suspension geometry and travel is what it is.