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- Alex Moroz
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We all have the desire to make out trucks the best version that they can possibly be. Not only when it comes to performance, but also to the looks of the truck. A leveling kit is one of the first accessories you should get to make your truck appear better on the road. You should expect a leveling kit to level your truck and allow for bigger tires to be installed. Leveling your truck is the act of raising the front end anywhere from one and a half to three inches to eliminate the factory look. As with most trucks, when the Ford F150 comes out of the factory, its front end is slightly tilted downwards. A leveling kit solves this problem by balancing out your truck to give it a much better appearance on the road. This is definitely a product worth purchasing as it makes such a huge difference in the looks of your F150 while being one of the most inexpensive aftermarket modifications. We combined our personal experience with customer feedback and preferences to help make the buying process a lot faster and easier for you. Here are our top five choices in this category.
Top Rated Leveling kits for Ford F150
1Rough Country 52200 2-inch Leveling Strut Extensions for 2009-2018 Ford F150 — Customer’s favorite
Increased ground clearance, allowing for bigger tires to fit, leveling the front of the truck with the rear. These are three desirable modifications that can be easily accomplished with the help of a leveling kit. The first option we would like to offer you is the Rough Country 52200 2-inch leveling kit for your Ford F150. We decided to review this product first because it has the most positive customer feedback out of the five. This is a high-quality product that will serve you a lifetime. On top of that, it’s in the same inexpensive price range as all the other leveling kits in our review.
This Rough Country leveling kit will raise the front end of your F150 by 2 inches, allowing you to fit 33-inch tires according to the manufacturers. Just like all of the other kits, this one has a very simple design. You get a pair of strut extensions that bolt onto the top of your strut assembly to give you that additional front end altitude. The extensions are constructed out of high-quality T6061 billet aluminum, making them one of the most reliable strut extensions on the market.
There are many different leveling kits ranging from 2 inches to 3 inches. We recommend you to go with a 2-inch option because it guarantees you won’t accelerate the ware and tare on your front end components. Leveling kits above 2.5 inches might make the lifetime of your front end components shorter. The reasons for that will be explained in the buyer’s guide at the end of the review.
The installation of the leveling kit is a very easy process that will require your truck to get lifted and about an hour and a half of your time if you have at least a little bit of mechanical know-how, but it’s always better to just take your truck to the local shop. All you need to do is mount two strut spacers on top of your factory strut assembly. Easy installation with no cutting or permanent modifications required, so you can take the leveling kit off whenever you like. All necessary installation hardware is included, and the kit comes with a lifetime warranty. You’ll be surprised by how inexpensive this leveling kit from Rough Country is.
Pros
- The number one leveling kit based on customer reviews
- Constructed out of T6061 billet aluminum
Cons
- This kit is not compatible with 2009-2016 Raptor models but is compatible with 2017 and 2018 Raptor models
2MotoFab Lifts 2.5-inch Front Leveling Lift Kit for 2004-2018 Ford F150 — When 33-inch tires just aren’t enough
What to do when 33-inch tires just aren’t big enough for you, if fitting in 35-inch tires and lifting your truck even higher is the goal? In such cases purchasing a 2.5-inch leveling kit will be the right decision for you. MotoFab claims that installing their leveling kit will give you just enough space to install those huge 35-inch tires. Their product is one of the first choices out on the market when it comes to 2.5-inch leveling kits for F150’s, and they are one of the most trustworthy brands on the market. Your truck will be on top of its game with a product like this.
As we’ve already mentioned above, the leveling kit will raise the front of your truck by 2.5 inches and will allow you to install 35-inch tires. What MotoFab doesn’t state is that installing 35-inch tires with a 2.5-inch lift will usually slightly restrict your wheels from completely turning to both sides (or you will get slight rubbing). No major restrictions, only by a centimeter or two, but it’s still slightly inconvenient. Of course, you can fix such a problem with permanent modifications, but no one wants to cut their truck because of a leveling kit.
The extensions are CNC machined out of billet aluminum and powdercoated black to match your factory suspension. All of the other leveling kits in our review are also black, but this one keeps its color the longest out of the five.
A 2.5-inch leveling kit is still in the safe zone, meaning your truck won’t be raised to such an extent that you’ll be accelerating the ware and tare of your front end components. If you are willing to risk less wheel movement or having to make permanent modifications to your F150 in order to install 35-inch wheels, then go for it. You won’t shorten the lifespan of your suspension, and at the same time you’ll level the front of your truck with the back, and you’ll have the possibility to install 35-inch wheels. The size of your wheels really does matter when it comes to truck appearance and performance.
The installation is the same simple process as with all the other leveling kits, only fitting 35-inch tires might require permanent modifications afterward. MotoFab’s leveling kits for the F150 are made in the USA and come with a lifetime warranty. All of this at a very moderate price.
Pros
- Powdercoated black color will last very long, keeping extensions looking as good as new
- Additional lift for more practicality
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Installation of 35-inch tires might restrict complete wheel turning distance or might require cutting to be installed
3MotoFab Lifts 2-inch Front Leveling Lift Kit for 2004-2018 Ford F150 — Best appearance
The desire to make our trucks look and perform better never goes away. Every modification you do makes that much of a difference when it comes to looks and performance, and this 2-inch leveling kit form MotoFab was made exactly for that. A 2-inch leveling kit is just enough to raise your front end to the same level the back of your F150 is, and such a modification will allow 33-inch tires to fit perfectly under your truck. A leveling kit is definitely a product worth getting, and MotoFab is one of the best brands to get one from.
This product is the second best 2-inch leveling kit on the market based on customer reviews. It will raise your truck by 2 inches, allowing you to install 33-inch tires afterward. As all MotoFab extensions, these ones are CNC machined out of billet aluminum. MotoFab give big importance to the appearance of your truck, so they made the extensions powdercoated black to match your factory suspension.
Why we believe a 2-inch leveling kit is the perfect length, is because, with a range of up to 2 inches, suspension geometry isn’t really altered, meaning that the ride quality and the longevity of your parts will remain. You improve your car visually with no cost to its performance at all.
To install this product on your F150 you have to go through the same process as all other 2-inch leveling kits. Meaning that it’ll be a simple process with no permanent alterations required.
As with all other leveling kits from MotoFab, you get a product with a lifetime warranty, that is made in the USA, and will cost you barely any money considering how much it changes the appearance of your Ford F150.
Pros
- The same powdercoated black color will last very long, keeping extensions looking as good as new
- CNC machined out of billet aluminum
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Multiple claims from customers saying the leveling kit is hard to install. We recommend you to allow your local shop to do the installation
4Dynofit 3-Inch Leveling Lift Kit for 2004-2016 Ford F150 — As high as it gets
Performance and the longevity of your F150 are very important, but raising your truck even higher and installing bigger wheels can at times be so tempting you give up an extra year of your truck’s lifespan in order for it to look the best it can. This leveling kit from Dynofit will allow you to enhance the looks of your car in only a few hours and at a very modest price.
Dynofit offers you a high-quality leveling kit that will raise your front side by 3 inches, allowing you to install 35-inch tires with no additional alterations needed to be done to your truck. The strut spacers are made out of T6061 aircraft aluminum and 10.9 grade bolts, Dynofit use only the best materials, because the bigger the strut spacers are, the more pressure they get ton the road. On top of that, they match well with your suspension color and give your truck great stance.
The reason why we don’t recommend purchasing a 3-inch leveling kit is that it slightly shortens the longevity of your front end suspension. A 3-inch leveling kit will surely give you more clearance, but those bigger kits put your CV joints and axels at really bad and extreme angles. If you go off-roading or haul heavy weights very often, then such a modification will most likely become a problem. On the other side, if you generally drive your F150 in the streets and prioritize its appearance, then a 3-inch option will work perfectly.
Even though Dynofit use the best materials when manufacturing their leveling kits, for some reason the company doesn’t provide you with a lifetime warranty. What they do guarantee is a free return if it does not fit well.
The reason why we decided to include a 3-inch leveling kit and chose this option out of all its competitors on the market is that even though this is a 3-inch leveling kit, it has such a perfect alignment with your factory suspension that it keeps stock ride quality intact. Unlike most other 3-inch options that negatively affect the ride quality of any F150.
You’ll go through an easy installation as with all the other leveling kits. One and a half hours of work, and your car will look a lot more aggressive and bold, especially if you change your tires with 35-inch options.
Pros
- Highest additional height and clearance out of the leveling kits included in this review
- One of the toughest builds out of the five leveling kits reviewed
- Allows you to easily fit 35-inch tires under your truck
Cons
- May decrease the longevity of your truck’s front end parts, especially if you regularly go off-roading
5Supreme Suspensions 2-inch Leveling Lift Kit for 2004-2019 Ford F150 — Heavy-duty leveling
There’s nothing left to say on why a leveling kit is such an important modification and why it is necessary to purchase and install one. A leveling kit raises the front end of your F150, allows you to install bigger tires under your truck, and by doing so gives it a much better appearance on the road. We decided to include this 2-inch leveling kit from Supreme Suspensions in our review because it also has a fair amount of positive customer feedback.
This leveling kit will lift your truck by 2 inches, allowing you to install 33-inch wheels. The kit includes high-quality black aircraft billet strut spacers. You will get improved ground clearance, and not only will you be able to fit bigger tires, but also bigger custom rims.
Supreme Suspension have had this product developed by in-house ASE certified specialists. The strut spacers are CNC machined from T6 aircraft-grade billet aluminum. The manufacturer guarantees that they will never compress under heavy loads. A special anodized coating protects against the elements and offers premium resistance to corrosion.
The second most important reason why we decided to include Supreme Suspensions’ product in our review is that it is considered to be the most resistant to heavy loads out all of the five leveling kits. You can be certain nothing will happen to it as long as you don’t overload the F150’s maximum load capacity
The installation is an easy process that will take only up to two hours. Everything is bolt-on and all required hardware is included. An alignment is recommended after installation, so it’s better if all of this is done at your local shop.
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Pros
- The spacers are CNC machined from T6 aircraft-grade billet aluminum
- Can easily handle heavy loads
Cons
- Some user complaint about slight vehicle shaking and clinging metal noise. If a problem like this does occur then go to your local shop to get it fixed, such problems are usually fixable
Buyer’s Guide
Why a leveling kit is a must-have
A leveling kit is one of the three most popular types of modifications that you can do to your F150’s suspension. When deciding what exact modifications you want to do to your truck, you have to decide between installing a full suspension lift kit, a coiler lift kit or a leveling lift kit.
All three have their pros and cons. A leveling kit is the product for you if you want to level the front and back end of your truck, if you have the desire to fit bigger wheels under your truck, and at the same time if you want a low budget product that is simple to install. This is the most basic option out of the three, yet you get the most out of it if you consider how inexpensive a leveling lift kit is.
The way a leveling kit works is you install two strut spacers on top of your factory strut assembly and it lifts the front end of your Ford by a certain amount of inches to level it out with the back. This gives your truck a much better look on the road and allows you to squeeze in bigger. The bigger the strut spacers are, the bigger tires you’ll be able to fit.
Difference between a 2-inch, 2.5-inch, and 3-inch kit. Which one will meet your needs.
The main difference between the three is how high they raise the front of your F150, and what size tires you can fit depending on the lift of your truck. A 2-inch kit allows you to install 33-inch tires with no harm done to the truck or the suspension at all. A 2.5-inch kit should allow you to go even further and install 35-inch tires, but some problems may occur when you try to completely turn your wheels to the left or right. You might have to do some cutting to get the full range of movement. A 3-inch kit will without a doubt allow you to install 35-inch tires, but here a problem can occur with the longevity of your trucks CV joints and axels, which a 3-inch spacer can put at really bad and extreme angles. Not a big deal for 2-wheel drive trucks or 4-wheel drive trucks on the road, but if you constantly go off-roading it will accelerate the wear and tear on axels and hubs. Also, a 3-inch kit might make your riding quality worse. You might get additional shaking and swerving on the road.
The bigger the leveling kit, the better your truck is leveled, the better clearance you get, the bigger tires you can install, but the less time your axels and hubs will serve you.
Do not get a leveling kit if you often do heavy hauling
If you often do heavy hauling in the back of your truck, then a leveling kit might be a bad idea for you. Coming out of the factory, all F150s are purposely slightly raised on the back side so that the truck doesn’t squat when there’s heavy cargo in the back. A leveling kit eliminates that, giving your truck a much more leveled look. The negative side of it is that if you lift the front end by a decent amount, and you haul very heavy cargo, your truck will squat, raising the front side up. You eliminate one problem but create another one. It will also take a small bite out of your miles per gallon.
Installation
The installation of the leveling kit is a very easy process that will require your truck to get lifted and about an hour and a half of your time if you have at least a little bit of mechanical know-how, but it’s always better to just take your truck to the local shop. All you need to do is mount two strut spacers on top of your factory strut assembly. Easy installation with no cutting or permanent modifications required, so you can take the leveling kit off whenever you like.
Price
On average, the leveling kits mentioned in our review range from $50 to $100. A very inexpensive price for a product that levels your truck, gives you better clearance and allows you to install bigger tires.
Summary
A leveling kit is a very practical and inexpensive aftermarket modification for your F150. Purchase one of the five leveling kits we offer you, and benefit from how much better your car looks, the better clearance you get, and the bigger tires you fit in.
Questions and Answers
No, it isn’t. Spend a few extra bucks, but be sure those strut spacers will withstand all the pressure. The leveling kits in our review are all out of metal.
Yes, it will, especially if you go off-roading often.
They can easily withstand the weight, but if your hauling something extra heavy, and have a 3-inch kit, then your truck might squat in the back.
They are compatible with most models, but it’s better to check on the manufacturers’ sites whether they are or not.