Issues with Rough Country 2.5 inch level kit on front axels

[geoman]

I purchased a 2024 XLT FX4 with 18 inch stock tires and wheels back in June. It has the max towing package on it with the OEM trailer brake. I had it undercoated within a month after purchasing it as I live in Illinois where road salt is a killer of anything rolling down the highway. After a lot of difficulty, I had a Ford/Leer topper installed by the local Ford dealer, then had a Rough Country 2.5 inch leveling kit added to it. Shortly after having the leveling kit installed, I noticed a rotation/rub sound coming from the front of the truck. You can hear it with the windows up between 0 and about 15 mph. Took the truck to my local dealer, and they said I had a bad drive shaft and they replaced it. It didn’t fix the problem. They then said that the boots that cover the front two drive axels had undercoating on them and that was what was making the noise. I took the truck to another Ford dealer in a small town an they said that the leveling kit has raised the truck to a point that it is putting too much stress on the axels thus making the noise. They want me to remove the leveling kit to see if the noise goes away.

So question for you all is…..has anyone had an issue with installing a Rough Country leveling kit on a 2024. Any issues with undercoating a truck……and does anyone think that the topper is adding too much weight on the back and pushing the nose of the truck up? Any thoughts you may have would be great!!!

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[SnowMan]

I'm running a rough country level kit on mine. Self installed. No issues here at all. It aligned up fine. Been in for about 2500 miles.

 

[geoman]

Many thx! Any thoughts on weather the weight of the Leer/Ford topper could push it up too high?

 

[Alaska Steve]

If the Rough Country kit is just a spacer or a spacer and a shock absorber, the front drive train is probably stretched to its limit. A proper level kit would have relocation brackets for the differential to correct the drivetrain geometry and new coils to better control the dampning and rebound of the suspension. My experience from the Jeeping community is that Rough Country tends to make low end solutions that don’t stand the test of time and performance. Related Comments
I’m still waiting for a BDS leveling kit expected to be in the market in a couple months. I had their 4.5” short arm lift kit on my Jeep for 60k+ miles and never had any issues with it. They stand behind their product. Their suspension performance was better than stock.

 

[geoman]

Here are a few pics.

 

[geoman]

Makes sense Alaska Steve. That is kind of what I'm thinking is going on. The weight of the topper may have pushed it over the edge. I've made an appointment at the shop where I had the spacers installed removed in early January. I'll jump back on the thread once I find out if the rotational noise goes away. I had a Rough Country coil over leveling kit on an F150 that I owned for a short time and they worked great.

 

[ag02m5]

Did you install the J braces for the bed?

 

[Jason B]

Hundreds, maybe thousands have use spacer level kits with no problem, unless will do serious off road. Check that your tires or wheels are not rubbing in the A-arms.
Did you get an alignment?
Any possibility is that the axles were overextended during installation.
I don't know about 6G, but many people on 5G accidently let the lower control arm fall to low
during install, pulling the CV joints are axle out of the diff.

 

[geoman]

Did you install the J braces for the bed?

The dealer installed both sets. There is one set that goes under the bed itself, and another set that goes inside the bed in the front two corners.

 

[geoman]

Hundreds, maybe thousands have use spacer level kits with no problem, unless will do serious off road. Check that your tires or wheels are not rubbing in the A-arms.
Did you get an alignment?
Any possibility is that the axles were overextended during installation.
I don't know about 6G, but many people on 5G accidently let the lower control arm fall to low
during install, pulling the CV joints are axle out of the diff.

Got an alignment the next day they were installed. Great point on the over extended axels. I'm going to share your thoughts with the shop when I have the leveling spacers removed. Is it an easy fix to reset the CV joints?

 

[Jason B]

If they were popped out of joint, or the axle separated from the diff, they would have to reset them to get everything back together. On 5G, the preferred and safe method is to remove the axle nut from the hub so that it separates there, not at the diff. I am assuming it's the same on 6G.

 

[ScottyRangerDanger]

2.5 on a leveling kit is imo with all due respect a cheap/not smart way to get a lift in a truck. very bad idea. you've stressed your components. I'd take it off and save up for a proper set up.

 

[geoman]

2.5 on a leveling kit is imo with all due respect a cheap/not smart way to get a lift in a truck. very bad idea. you've stressed your components. I'd take it off and save up for a proper set up.

I now agree for sure. Had the shop remove the 2.5 spacers and the rotation/rubbing sound went away immediately! Talked to a guy when I had the front end realigned and he told me that he had purchased a 2024 Ranger XLT and had similar issues with the spacers. I used coil overs on my F150. If I decide to go for a lift down the road I’ll probably go that route when folks start making them for the 6G.

 

[ScottyRangerDanger]

I now agree for sure. Had the shop remove the 2.5 spacers and the rotation/rubbing sound went away immediately! Talked to a guy when I had the front end realigned and he told me that he had purchased a 2024 Ranger XLT and had similar issues with the spacers. I used coil overs on my F150. If I decide to go for a lift down the road I’ll probably go that route when folks start making them for the 6G.

right on, let us know how it goes and what brand you go with.

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