'14 with 3/2 readylifts, will stock wheels work with upgraded uca's?
- Thread starter oldpaddy
- Start date
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Tuff Country claims factory wheels will not work but one of the suspension sales sites have a number of folks running factory wheels with no issues on the F150.
Some UCAs will not work with factory wheels due to backspacing.
I might have some bad news for you my friend.
All my reading for the BDS just stated for trucks lifted 2” +
Get to reading the little print on the install instructions states that the BDS are designed specifically for Fox 2.0s and may fit some spacer kits (Bilstein is not a spacer kit).
Here is what I look like with 5100s and BDS upon install.
That is the knuckle underneath the coil but the arm does not contact the coil. with factory UCAs the inside of the UCA hit the coil but the knuckle does not bind like above.
Now this is prior to any load being put back on the suspension without tightening everything to spec.
I did not like the idea of it binding under the spring vs. just the arm to coil contact.
So I pulled it off as I did not have a full day to install, uninstall, and reinstall to find out if I was good.
I sent the pics to BDS and they said that “it should” pull itself out under load and be good.
I am holding out to see if there are any good Black Friday deals on the Fox 2.0s. If there are I’ll just grab them that way I don’t have to possibly end up taking everything apart twice again.
Some UCAs will not work with factory wheels due to backspacing.
I might have some bad news for you my friend.
All my reading for the BDS just stated for trucks lifted 2” +
Get to reading the little print on the install instructions states that the BDS are designed specifically for Fox 2.0s and may fit some spacer kits (Bilstein is not a spacer kit).
Here is what I look like with 5100s and BDS upon install.
That is the knuckle underneath the coil but the arm does not contact the coil. with factory UCAs the inside of the UCA hit the coil but the knuckle does not bind like above.
Now this is prior to any load being put back on the suspension without tightening everything to spec.
I did not like the idea of it binding under the spring vs. just the arm to coil contact.
So I pulled it off as I did not have a full day to install, uninstall, and reinstall to find out if I was good.
I sent the pics to BDS and they said that “it should” pull itself out under load and be good.
I am holding out to see if there are any good Black Friday deals on the Fox 2.0s. If there are I’ll just grab them that way I don’t have to possibly end up taking everything apart twice again.
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Thanks, let me get this straight, are you saying you don't think the bds will work, or too close for comfort, with either the readylift spacers or the bilstein shocks?Tuff Country claims factory wheels will not work but one of the suspension sales sites have a number of folks running factory wheels with no issues on the F150.
Some UCAs will not work with factory wheels due to backspacing.
I might have some bad news for you my friend.
All my reading for the BDS just stated for trucks lifted 2” +
Get to reading the little print on the install instructions states that the BDS are designed specifically for Fox 2.0s and may fit some spacer kits (Bilstein is not a spacer kit).
Here is what I look like with 5100s and BDS upon install.
That is the knuckle underneath the coil but the arm does not contact the coil. with factory UCAs the inside of the UCA hit the coil but the knuckle does not bind like above.
Now this is prior to any load being put back on the suspension without tightening everything to spec.
I did not like the idea of it binding under the spring vs. just the arm to coil contact.
So I pulled it off as I did not have a full day to install, uninstall, and reinstall to find out if I was good.
I sent the pics to BDS and they said that “it should” pull itself out under load and be good.
I am holding out to see if there are any good Black Friday deals on the Fox 2.0s. If there are I’ll just grab them that way I don’t have to possibly end up taking everything apart twice again.
I cannot speak for the Spacers but they have a different geometry compared to the Bilstein lift so it is possible they could work.
I just have no first hand knowledge.
As for BDS and 5100s I took that picture above as it is my truck.
I had to pick my kids up in a bit so I did not have time to hope it would work, which it very well may.
I was not comfortable with it at that point because I did not have time pull it all out again if it did not move out from under the spring so I put the stock arms back on because I know my only issue with factory arms is a clunk at full droop and not physical binding like shown in the picture.
I have not had an opportunity to fully disassemble and reassemble everything to test it. So I can’t say for sure it won’t work.
If one did not have to pull the coil over to get the UCA bolts out it would be a much shorter task.
The issue for us is these parts are designed for F150s and while they fit. The spring rate of the Expedition is slightly different so it has some different effects and the fact that in most cases at full droop even with no contact we’re talking like 1/4” of clearance.
The Fox Unit is a touch shorter and the spring has a slightly smaller diameter which is why there is more room.
In the picture that is a factory coil over. The coil over with a 5100 is even slightly longer at the bottom than the factory unit which is likely why the 5100 does play as nicely with the BDS Arms, or factory arms compared to the Spacer kit since the height is added to the bottom and not the top like the spacers.
Just enough difference in geometry to give us issues since we are talking a very little clearance area any way.
I likely won’t have time to fool with it anyway before Black Friday so if I can get a deal on the Foxes I will just go that route.
If you bite the bullet and get it all bolted up and back together and there are no issues let us know.
Then I won’t have to buy the Foxes and save about $800.
I do have to say that the new HaloLift 2.0s look awesome and would love try them but since the BDS will work for sure with the Foxes I am not willing to risk $1k since I already have the BDS arms.
And all the reviews of the Foxes are very positive.
I just have no first hand knowledge.
As for BDS and 5100s I took that picture above as it is my truck.
I had to pick my kids up in a bit so I did not have time to hope it would work, which it very well may.
I was not comfortable with it at that point because I did not have time pull it all out again if it did not move out from under the spring so I put the stock arms back on because I know my only issue with factory arms is a clunk at full droop and not physical binding like shown in the picture.
I have not had an opportunity to fully disassemble and reassemble everything to test it. So I can’t say for sure it won’t work.
If one did not have to pull the coil over to get the UCA bolts out it would be a much shorter task.
The issue for us is these parts are designed for F150s and while they fit. The spring rate of the Expedition is slightly different so it has some different effects and the fact that in most cases at full droop even with no contact we’re talking like 1/4” of clearance.
The Fox Unit is a touch shorter and the spring has a slightly smaller diameter which is why there is more room.
In the picture that is a factory coil over. The coil over with a 5100 is even slightly longer at the bottom than the factory unit which is likely why the 5100 does play as nicely with the BDS Arms, or factory arms compared to the Spacer kit since the height is added to the bottom and not the top like the spacers.
Just enough difference in geometry to give us issues since we are talking a very little clearance area any way.
I likely won’t have time to fool with it anyway before Black Friday so if I can get a deal on the Foxes I will just go that route.
If you bite the bullet and get it all bolted up and back together and there are no issues let us know.
Then I won’t have to buy the Foxes and save about $800.
I do have to say that the new HaloLift 2.0s look awesome and would love try them but since the BDS will work for sure with the Foxes I am not willing to risk $1k since I already have the BDS arms.
And all the reviews of the Foxes are very positive.
Good call, thanks. I canceled the bilstein shocks.I cannot speak for the Spacers but they have a different geometry compared to the Bilstein lift so it is possible they could work.
I just have no first hand knowledge.
As for BDS and 5100s I took that picture above as it is my truck.
I had to pick my kids up in a bit so I did not have time to hope it would work, which it very well may.
I was not comfortable with it at that point because I did not have time pull it all out again if it did not move out from under the spring so I put the stock arms back on because I know my only issue with factory arms is a clunk at full droop and not physical binding like shown in the picture.
I have not had an opportunity to fully disassemble and reassemble everything to test it. So I can’t say for sure it won’t work.
If one did not have to pull the coil over to get the UCA bolts out it would be a much shorter task.
The issue for us is these parts are designed for F150s and while they fit. The spring rate of the Expedition is slightly different so it has some different effects and the fact that in most cases at full droop even with no contact we’re talking like 1/4” of clearance.
The Fox Unit is a touch shorter and the spring has a slightly smaller diameter which is why there is more room.
In the picture that is a factory coil over. The coil over with a 5100 is even slightly longer at the bottom than the factory unit which is likely why the 5100 does play as nicely with the BDS Arms, or factory arms compared to the Spacer kit since the height is added to the bottom and not the top like the spacers.
Just enough difference in geometry to give us issues since we are talking a very little clearance area any way.
I likely won’t have time to fool with it anyway before Black Friday so if I can get a deal on the Foxes I will just go that route.
If you bite the bullet and get it all bolted up and back together and there are no issues let us know.
Then I won’t have to buy the Foxes and save about $800.
I do have to say that the new HaloLift 2.0s look awesome and would love try them but since the BDS will work for sure with the Foxes I am not willing to risk $1k since I already have the BDS arms.
And all the reviews of the Foxes are very positive.
I forget the company I talked to, but they said they will work without rubbing. If I had used bilstein shocks, I had to leave the shocks at stock height. I even showed them your picture.
Well, I should know tomorrow if the bds arms will work with the 3/2 lifts. The mechanic started working on it around 4. I went with factory shocks. Though I probably should've kept the bilsteins and tried them. What some company told me was that the bilsteins will work with the spacers and uca's, but the bilsteins have to be left at stock height.
Pretty f'n close. Nothing is touching the coils with the front end down and rear up. See pics.
I asked the tech if I should get thinner tires and he said no. He's concerned that I'll have a problem getting an alignment. He's not impressed with the moog bearings on the bds upper control arms.
I asked the tech if I should get thinner tires and he said no. He's concerned that I'll have a problem getting an alignment. He's not impressed with the moog bearings on the bds upper control arms.
That's a pic of each side with the front end down and the rear up.
They were touching the spring just like you warned. The mechanic said it's not an issue because the tires aren't at full droop unless it's being worked on. He said one knuckle on one stock uca was up against the spring when he raised the front end up.
Next issues. He said I might have an issue with the alignment and caster. The bds uca's change the caster 1.5deg positive. Also, he said I shouldn't go with thinner tires. Why?
They also hit full droop when off-roading.
No need for skinnier tires as there is no contact. A skinnier tire won’t bring the arm away from the coil.
We have had noting but freezing temps or rain on my days off so my Fox 2.0s and BDS arms anxiously await install.
Kids are out of school next week till after the new year so likely be mid January if I can get some decent weather.
No need for skinnier tires as there is no contact. A skinnier tire won’t bring the arm away from the coil.
We have had noting but freezing temps or rain on my days off so my Fox 2.0s and BDS arms anxiously await install.
Kids are out of school next week till after the new year so likely be mid January if I can get some decent weather.
Let me know how it goes. I went with factory shocks I wish I had gone with the bilsteins, but it's a long story.
I pretty much go off roading every day. My road is bad. Especially right now. Half mile of dirt, pot holes, bumps and deep ruts. Plus it may or may not get plowed after snow. And there's the 80 miles commute on bad roads and other driving I do. We'll see what happens.
