Ok I've read on 3 forums about these leveling kit. My FX4 needs one bad. Now I've head good and bad about them. Cv angles, balljoints wearing pre-mature....I've also seen the Bilstein leveling/shock upgrade kit. No-one really has a done a write up on it, or passed any opinions on it. What do you guys think? Which one is a good kit to go with. I don't want to just throw a spacer up on the coil and call it good, when 30,000 miles later on, I'm replacing balljoints and cv shafts

 

I'm pretty sure I've covered it several times, even on this forum. haha

But I'll try to give you the short version.
Imagine you install a 2" spacer up front. Since the spacer bolts on top of the coil assembly, the suspension will droop an additional 2" beyond stock design. This creates excessive angles on the ball joints and the CV joints. Not only that, but the coils will contact the upper control arm and make noise.
The Bilstein 5100s on the other hand are only a little longer than factory shocks. They will stop the droop before anything is put in a bind. You will only end up with a little over 2" of droop from ride height with the shocks at 2" but the ride is fine. The height is achieved by moving the spring seat for 2" of height, and in the end you actually have more available wheel travel due to a longer shock.
So to recap, 5100s = no binding, no excessive angles, more wheel travel and better ride all around. Not as good as a real lift but much better than spacers.

 

im thinkn bout upgrading to the bilsteins at 30k miles. worth the 400 i guess

 

Love my bilsteins

 

Bilsteins, stock or lift kit. that is your options. Those spacers are bad news.

I had the spacer for 1 week, I got it and I didnt like the ride or the CV angles, the shocks install so much easier and no binding.

 

Ok so the bilstein leveling kit, is just "NEW" coilover's correct? That are adjustable from what I read on their website....400$ just for shocks and coils huh....wow...I totally agree with the "PUCKS" or spacers.....the wife wants the truck level...but I don't wanna be changing out balljoints and what not, later on.

Where did you guys find the best price for the kit to be?

 

It is just the shocks, you'll have to pull the coils/shocks out, and compress the coils to install the bilsteins.
They are adjustable but not like a coilover. The shocks have either 2 or 3 slots for spring seats and you choose when you install them.

When I looked (over a year ago) this was the cheapest place, and I got mine quickly. 2" Bilstein Front Shock Leveling Lift Kit 04-08 Ford F150 4x4 - Top Gun Customz

Be sure to adjust your headlights afterward of course, it is easy to do since there is no side to side adjustment.
If you decide later to bring the rear up 1", I would suggest 3" readylift blocks. I have 3" blocks from autospring and they are welded together and do not have tabs for the bump stops. ReadyLift 2004-2009 Ford F150 4wd 3" Rear block kit

You can see the spring seat slot for stock height just above the part number.