Updated-2: Finished DIY install of Fox 2.0 kit with Superpro UCA's and Swaybar Links

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I picked up an unsold new 2024 Lariat, FX4 with the V6 in December. I am coming from a 2021 F250 XLT, Tremor Powerstroke and have been loving the smaller size and fun factor of the Ranger. We take multiple trips to Colorado throughout the year and spend a lot of time exploring the easy to moderate mountain pass trails. The F250 handled these decently outside of the huge turning radius and overall width. I am looking forward to see how the little Ranger handles those same roads/trails but first I want more ground clearance and bigger tires.

So last week I ordered some Super Pro UCA's and sway bar links. They were on sale and it was a deal that was hard to pass up. Originally, I was going to go with the Eibach Pro 2R kit. The price was right but they are back ordered and I've seen some reports of them rusting fairly quickly. Not great here in Missouri with our salty roads. Instead, I spent a little more and went with the Fox 2.0 Performance series front and rear kit.

Once the kit is installed, I will be taking to it a local off-road shop for the alignment and to get new wheels and tires mounted. I really like the look of the 17" Icon Vector 6's and BFG K03's. Not sure what tire size but shooting for something around 33". Definitely open to suggestions on tire size if anyone is running a similar setup.

I am by no means a mechanic but from what I've seen, it should be relatively straight forward. I do still have some questions.
1) Does the steering shaft need to be moved to remove the long UCA bolt on the driver's side? It appears close just looking at it but I haven't taken fender liner out yet.
2) Will I need a spring compressor? It appears as though the strut and spring come as an assembly but I am not sure if I will need to compress the spring on the new Fox's before making any ride height adjustments.
3) Are torque specs available anywhere or is it more of a "snug plus a half turn" sort of thing? All I have found so far is 24 ft-lbs for the top hat bolts and 50 ft-lbs for the strut to LCA bolts.
4) Will the shocks alone in the rear provide any lift? Will I need a block in the rear to fit the larger 33" +/- tires?
5) These Lariat headlights are lot fancier than what I had on the F250. Will I need to adjust them or will the truck pretty much handle that on its own? If they do need adjusted, are there any guides on how to do so?
6) Is it likely that the tire shop will be able to make any speedometer corrections for the new tire size or is that something I will need to take care of? Are there any guides available if it's up to me?
7) Any estimates on how long this will take? May is crazy this year so I pretty much have Sunday this weekend or I'll be waiting until June.
8) Any suggestions on anything else to be aware of? Tips? Tricks?

Thanks in advance for any advice. Definitely looking forward to getting this project underway and eager to see how it turns out. I'll be sure to get plenty of pics before, during and after.

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[Sighbot]

I finally got around to installing the front coilovers, UCA's and rear shocks/blocks over the weekend. The sway bar links keep getting back ordered further and further back so I decided to skip those for now. Everything went fairly smoothly other than a ratcheting wrench somehow seizing onto one of the upper strut nuts on the passenger side. It probably took me close to an hour to free that thing up but after I eventually got it off of there after a wrong tosses and banged up knuckles. All in all I got it done in about 11 hours taking a beer break hear and there.

Initial impressions are that it rides similar to the stock FX4 but I am still running the factory wheels/tiers and I've really only driven it around the neighborhood until I get it aligned so I've by no means put it thought any tests.

I scheduled the alignment and ordered rims/tires at a local 4x4 shop. They are also going to inspect/retorque my work which is a nice piece of mind considering I am no mechanic.

I settled on Method MR703 17x8.5 rims in machined clear coat finish with 285/70/17 BFG KO3's. I was initially intending to go with 0 offset rims. In my mind, this would have less of a chance of rubbing but the shop suggested +35MM offset to minimize rubbing. Feel free to chime in if anyone has first-hand experience with similar rims/offsets.

 

[Sighbot]

I finally got the wheels and tires on yesterday. Axleboy Offroad in O'Fallon, MO did a great job. I took it to them for the new wheels/tires, an alignment and an inspection/retorque of the front and rear suspension that I installed. Not being a mechanic and being very new to suspension work in general made that inspection well worth the piece of mind it offers. The tech at axelboy said my work on the install looked good and the truck aligned very well.

Here is the Danger Ranger's (girlfriend named it but I don't mind) full list of mods to date and a few pics of how it sits now.

1) Super Pro UCAs
2) Fox 2.0 front coil overs and rear shocks
3) 1" rear blocks by readylift
4) 17" Method 703's in machined aluminum and clearcoat with +35mm offset.
5) Hubcentric rings. 106mm OD, 93.1mm ID
6) 285/70R17 BFGoodrich KO3's
7) Sound deadener applied to all 4 doors
8) Door speakers and A-pillar tweeters replaced with Pioneer (forgot the exact models)
9) 20% ceramic window tint
10) Weathertech window vent visors. I got the in-track options and really like them.
11) Lasfit bed mat.

 

[Sauce]

I finally got the wheels and tires on yesterday. Axleboy Offroad in O'Fallon, MO did a great job. I took it to them for the new wheels/tires, an alignment and an inspection/retorque of the front and rear suspension that I installed. Not being a mechanic and being very new to suspension work in general made that inspection well worth the piece of mind it offers. The tech at axelboy said my work on the install looked good and the truck aligned very well.

Here is the Danger Ranger's (girlfriend named it but I don't mind) full list of mods to date and a few pics of how it sits now.

1) Super Pro UCAs
2) Fox 2.0 front coil overs and rear shocks
3) 1" rear blocks by readylift
4) 17" Method 703's in machined aluminum and clearcoat with +35mm offset.
5) Hubcentric rings. 106mm OD, 93.1mm ID
6) 285/70R17 BFGoodrich KO3's
7) Sound deadener applied to all 4 doors
8) Door speakers and A-pillar tweeters replaced with Pioneer (forgot the exact models)
9) 20% ceramic window tint
10) Weathertech window vent visors. I got the in-track options and really like them.
11) Lasfit bed mat.

Looks Great. Out of curiosity why did you add the rear blocks? Aren't the Fox height adjustable?

 

[Sighbot]

Looks Great. Out of curiosity why did you add the rear blocks? Aren't the Fox height adjustable?

The rear for the fox kit are just shocks so they provide no height adjustment in the rear. I use the truck for some moderate towing and hauling so I wanted to keep a little bit of the rake.

 

[Sighbot]

I finally spent my Ford points and had the dealer install the Ford Procal Tune yesterday. I updated the tire size with the device this morning and the speedo is spot on at 70 now after a few iterations. 637 revs/mile seems to be the magic number for 285/70/17 KO'3. The truck definitely feels peppier, similar to but not quite what it felt like in Sport mode before the level and tires. The shifts are noticeably smoother as well especially in the mid gears under light acceleration.

I saw some of the Raptor guys with the Ford tune talking about the truck needing to learn driving habits after the tune before the full power add is noticed. Does anyone know if this applies to the 2.7's as well?

On a side note, the only other "performance" mod I've done is replace the factory air filter with a S&B dry filter. Still stock intake.

 

[ADVNTURR]

Man that looks good. Really happy to see a wheel color other than black or dark gray too; I'm considering the 703s and a few other machined finish wheels to replace my factory chromes when the time comes.

 

[Sighbot]

Man that looks good. Really happy to see a wheel color other than black or dark gray too; I'm considering the 703s and a few other machined finish wheels to replace my factory chromes when the time comes.

Thanks. I was very close to ordering a set of the dark grey Icon Vector 6's but I changed my mind last minute and went with the machined Methods. Glad I did.

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