A Guide to Ford Lift Installation
A custom-lift Ford truck will transform a run-of-the-mill truck and make it something special. Below is a guide to Ford lift installation. Whether this is your first installation, or you’re just looking for a 4x4 lift kit installation, we have the information you need.
A lift kit is a package designed to enhance your vehicle’s suspension and move it further off the ground. This typically increases the distance between the truck’s body and the tires. Ford makes lift kits for their line of trucks, including the F-150 and the Ford Ranger. Ford lift installations can help get the clearance, performance, or handling you want to get out of your truck.
Lifted Ford Ranger: A Quick How-to Guide
If there’s a Ford lifted truck worth focusing on, it’s the Ford Ranger. The Ranger is already a great truck for offroading, so it benefits even more by getting a 4x4 lift kit installation. Installing lifted suspension in the Ranger is similar to customizing other Ford models. Here’s what to expect when customizing your own Ford lifted truck. Make sure you consult your owner’s manual and the lift kit itself before attempting any lift installation yourself.
1. Lift the Truck and Remove the Wheels
Start by loosening the lug nuts while it’s still on the ground, then lift it with a floor or bottle jack. When it’s high enough to free the wheels from the ground, place the jack stand under the frame. Remove the wheel and put it aside.
2. Disconnect Brake Calipers and Brake Disc Dust Shield
Remove the assembly in one piece by unscrewing the bracket from the wheel hub and sliding it off the rotor. Don’t let the caliper assembly hang by the brake lines, or you may risk damaging it. Then, remove the rotor. This can be difficult if there’s severe corrosion. After that’s removed, remove the dust shield and ABS sensor.
3. Disconnect the Tie-Rod Ends and Sway Bar Link
Most kits start by removing the stock-steering knuckle from the truck. This means disassembling the knuckle, starting with the tie-rods. If you have four-wheel drive, the dust shield over the hub will need to be removed as well.
4. Disconnect the Spindle From the Ball Joints
Loosen the upper and lower ball joint nuts, then remove the sway bar link at the lower control arm. Along with that, remove the sway bay from the chassis.
5. Remove Struts
Remove the strut assembly by removing the lower bolt and securing it to the lower control arm. The three on top secure it to the strut mount. Most lift kits install spacers on the top of the struts. Some high-end kits come with completely new struts.
6. Remove Lower Control Arm
Remove the lower control arms along with the lower skid plates. The next steps vary depending on the kit. You may have to remove and reinstall the hub assembly with a new OEM knuckle. Four-wheel drive models will need to drop and add a new rear cross-member to the frame.
7. Install Rear Leafs/Blocks/Shackles
From here, you’ll put everything back together, and add longer brackets where necessary. The rear portion will also vary from kit to kit. Some will have new rear shackles and blocks, some just blocks, some spring-leaf packs, and shocks, or a combination. Consult with your kit for specific details.
Remember to Periodically Retighten Bolts on Lifted Ford Trucks
When it comes to lifted Ford trucks, it’s important to remember to retighten all the bolts again after another 100 miles. We recommend setting a reminder for yourself either in your window or on your calendar. After that, you can check the bolts periodically every 500 miles to make sure everything’s still working properly. Tiny bits of preventative maintenance like this can keep you from dealing with a serious accident later on.
At D&D Ford, we love seeing lifted Fords as much as we enjoy seeing the base models. After you see them in action, you will too. Visit our customs page to see some of the lift kits, tires, and accessories we offer through D&D Customs.
D&D Ford is proud to serve Greer SC near Greenville, Spartansville, and the upstate South Carolina area. Whether you’re just gaining interest in lifted trucks, or have loved them for years, we can help you customize it.