Everything is included for...
Everything is included for a complete lift: Rancho Suspension system with radius arms, 325/65R/18 BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires, and Centerline Scout 18x9 wheels.
Choosing a suspension in today’s market is tough, as there are a lot of quality suspension systems to pick from. From shocks to springs to brackets, everyone is working hard to build the best. When choosing our suspension for Project KR (introduced in the August ’11 issue) we started with the requirements necessary for a Ford F-250 King Ranch 6.4L Power Stroke 4x4.
Tire size dictates the amount of lift necessary for clearance, and the taller the tire the more negative effect there is on acceleration, braking, fuel economy, agility, and unsprung weight. This is where the balance comes in: too tall and the truck gives away overall performance, not tall enough and the truck suffers in the off-road arena with low-approach angle and limited powertrain clearance. To give ourselves flexibility, we determined that tire diameter should be between 35 inches and 37 inches, requiring a lift of 5 inches for clearance. We wanted the suspension to use new radius arms to keep the pivot point close to the frame in the stock position.
Rancho Suspension has what we needed in kit number RS6514. While it was advertised as a 4-inch lift, we know Rancho Suspension is conservative with its numbers and its installation sheet stated 37x12.50R17/D BFGoodrich All-Terrains were installed on a 17-inch wheel with 6.25-inch backspacing during the development of the kit. Rancho includes the company’s radius arms, pitman arm, track bar bracket, bumpstop spacers, brake line brackets, carrier bearing spacer, hardware kits, and everything necessary for installation. The shocks in both the front and the rear are the new RS9000XL series with the large 2.75-inch body.
For the tires, we went with BFGoodrich and its All-Terrain in the new LT325/65R/18/E size. This new tire has an impressive spec sheet. It’s 13.0 inches wide on a 9.5-inch wheel, with a 3,860-pound max single load with 65 pounds of air in the tire, and it has an overall diameter of 34.6 inches. Tread pattern is in the middle for both street and off-road applications, offering a quiet and smooth ride. For the wheels we went with Centerline, whose wheels are rotary forged using T-6061 aluminum and made right here in America. Once you witness the rotary-forged process you’ll understand why these wheels are so strong. The Scout from the Wilderness line was the look we wanted, with an 18x9-inch size, 4.5-inch backspacing, and a 3,200-pound rating. Centerline offers the wheel in either chrome or polished, and we opted for the polished process so we can touch up the polished wheel.
Once we had all the parts, we wanted an experienced shop to do the installation. So we turned to Off Road Unlimited in Burbank, California. Owner Maurice Rozo and his qualified crew have been building and manufacturing quality off-road vehicles and parts for a long time. Installing the Rancho Suspension lift kit is an easy task for this experienced shop.
[1] With the truck on the...
[1] With the truck on the hoist and the axles supported with jackstands, Albert Cuedas began removing the factory parts that were to be replaced, starting with the front shocks.
[2] The track bar was removed...
[2] The track bar was removed from the frame bracket and lowered to the axle.
[3] Next, the track bar bracket...
[3] Next, the track bar bracket was removed. It will be replaced with a new track bar bracket from the kit.
[4] We removed the drag link...
[4] We removed the drag link from the stock pitman arm. Albert uses the steering arm puller to remove the pitman arm from the steering gear sector shaft.
[5] The new pitman arm was...
[5] The new pitman arm was installed using thread lock and torqued to 350 ft-lb. This new arm allowed the drag link to obtain factory location specs after the lift was completely installed.
[6] The new track bar bracket...
[6] The new track bar bracket was fitted into place and tightened to 129 ft-lb.
[7] Removal of the factory...
[7] Removal of the factory radius arm pivot bolt was next.
[8] The factory arm is shown...
[8] The factory arm is shown here resting on the jackstand while being removed from the axle.
[9] This side-by-side comparison...
[9] This side-by-side comparison of the Ford radius arm and the Rancho Suspension radius arm allows you to see that the length and caster angle are increased with the new arm yet they retain the factory alignment specs—even after the lift. The material and design add to a more aggressive look, and the bracket welded to the rear of the arm on the bottom tube is for your jack. Nice touch, Rancho.
[10] The bushing stays the...
[10] The bushing stays the same. The factory Ford pivot bushing in the radius arm works great, so Rancho—as well as other suspension companies—uses the same bushing. Tenneco, the manufacturer of the bushing for Ford, is also the parent company of Rancho Suspension.
[11] With the axle attached...
[11] With the axle attached to the new radius arm, Albert Cuedas slides the arm into place to match the pivot point on the frame.
[12] Lifting the radius arm...
[12] Lifting the radius arm up to get it aligned, Albert installed the original bolt.