How to Install Rough Country 4 in. Suspension Lift Kit on your F-150

1. Chock the rear wheels and jack up the front of the vehicle.

2. Place jack stands under the frame rails and lower onto jack stands.

3. Remove the wheels/tires using a 21mm socket. 4. Remove the skid plate with a 13mm socket. See Photo 1. 5. Remove the EPAS (Electronic Power Assist Steering) Plugs as shown located on the steering assembly by the front differential. See Photo 2. This must be done BEFORE installation is started.

6. Remove tie-rod end using a 21mm wrench. Using the appropriate tool remove the tie-rod from the knuckle. Photo 3. 7. Remove the ABS and brake line bracket from the knuckle using a 8mm wrench for the ABS wire and a 10mm wrench for the brake line bracket. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 4.

8. Remove the vacuum line from the hub. See Photo 5. 9. Using a 19mm socket & 21mm wrench, remove brake caliper as shown in Photo 6. Hang caliper out of way. Do not let caliper hang by brake hose as this will damage hose. Retain hardware for reuse. Remove rotor.

10. Remove the dust shield using a 8mm socket and dust cap. See Photo 7. 11. Remove the ABS wire from the bearing assembly using a 5mm allen wrench. See Photo 8.

11. Remove the ABS wire from the bearing assembly using a 5mm allen wrench. See Photo 8

12. Remove the axle nut using a 15mm socket. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 9.

13. Loosen the upper ball joint nut using a 21mm wrench. Use the appropriate tool to release ball joint from knuckle. See Photo 10.

14. Loosen the lower ball joint using a 24mm wrench. Use the appropriate tool to release ball joint from knuckle. See Photo 11.

15. Remove the upper and lower ball joint nuts and remove the knuckle from the vehicle.

16. Remove the sway bar links from the sway bar using a 8mm and 19mm wrench. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 12.

17. Remove the lower strut nuts using a 18mm socket. See Photo 13. Retain hardware for reuse.

18. Remove the sway bar from the frame mount using a 15mm socket. Please note the position that the sway bar is installed from the factory to make sure it is reinstalled correctly. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 14.

19. Remove the lower control arm using a 21mm and 1-1/16” wrench. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 15.

20. Remove the strut from the upper mount using a 15mm socket / wrench. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 16.

21. Remove the lower skid plate if equipped by removing the 4 bolts using a 13mm socket. See Photo 17.

22. Remove the driveshaft from the front differential using a 10mm socket. See Photo 18. Secure driveshaft out of the way.

23. Remove the stock rear cross-member using a 15mm & 18mm socket. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 19.

24. Tape supplied cutting template on front and back side of the driver side lower cross-member mount. Using template as a guide, trim cross-member mount to allow the differential to be removed. See Photo 20.

25. Remove the differential vent tube from the differential.

26. Support the differential using a floor jack and remove the upper driver side differential bolt using a 18mm wrench. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 21.

27. Remove the passenger side differential bolt using a 18 & 21mm wrench. Retain hardware for reuse. See Photo 22

28. Remove the lower rear driver side differential bolt using a 21mm socket / wrench. Lower and remove the differential from the vehicle. See Photo 23.

29. Complete the trimming of the frame on the driver side using the template and you can use a saw to cut the radius clearance or drill with a 1.25” hole saw before cutting the frame. See Photo 24

31. Install the new bracket on the passenger side diff mount with the supplied hardware. Install the 9/16” x 4” bolt, washers & nut in the in the passenger side mount. See Photo 25.

32. Install the driver side diff mount with the supplied 9/16” x 4” bolt, washers and nut from the front to rear. NOTE: The differential mounts bolts will need to be inserted from the front of the differential in order to clear the rack and pinion. See Photo 26.

33. Raise the differential into place and install the driver and passenger upper differential bolts using the stock hardware. See Photo

27. Do not tighten at this time. 34. Install the rear cross-member with the supplied 18mm x 150mm bolt. The bolt will install through the sway bar bracket and rear cross-member, securing it to the stock location. Do not tighten at this time.

35. Install the passenger side differential brace as shown in Photo 29 using the stock cross-member hardware. Do not tighten at this time. 

36. Install the supplied 9/16” x 4” rear differential bolt through the sway bar mount and new differential mount. See Photo 30.

37. Tighten the diff bolt with a 21mm and 22mm wrench. See Photo 31.

38. At this time tighten all diff bolts using 18mm socket / wrench for the upper diff bolts and a 21mm & 22mm socket / wrench for the new supplied lower diff bolts. Also tighten the passenger side diff brace hardware using a 15mm & 18mm socket /wrench.

39. Reinstall the vent tube on the differential with the new supplied vent tube extension 1557Bag2.

40. Install the front cross-member using the factory hardware. See Photo 32. Do not tighten at this time.

41. Install the lower control arms using the supplied 18mm x 160mm cam bolts, cam washers and nuts. See Photo 33. Do not tighten at this time.

42. Install the new skid plate in the front and rear cross-members threaded holes using the supplied 3/8” x 1” bolts, washers. See Photo 34. Tighten using a 9/16” socket

43. Tighten all upper cross-member bolts using a 21mm, 1 1/16” socket and 1 1/16” wrench.

44. Tighten the sway bar drop mounts to the frame using the factory hardware with a 15mm socket. See Photo 35.

45. Install the drive shaft spacer with supplied 10mm x 85mm hardware. See Photo 36. Tighten using a 8mm allen wrench.

46. Using a 10mm wrench remove the brake line bracket from the driver and pass side frame. See Photo 37.

47. On the passenger side remove the brake line from the two factory clips. See Photo 38.

48. Install the new brake line bracket on the driver and passenger side with the stock hardware. See Photo 39.

49. Install the factory passenger side brake line in the new bracket using the supplied 5/16’ x 3/4” bolt, washer and nuts. See Photo 40.

50. On the driver side, pull slightly on the brake line to allow the line to be installed on the new bracket. Secure the brake line to the new bracket with the supplied 5/16” x 3/4” bolt, washers and nut.

51. Using a 13mm socket / wrench, tighten the supplied brake line hardware and 10mm for the stock hardware.

52. Install the supplied 10mm studs in the strut spacers with a 17mm wrench as shown in Photo 41.

53. Using the stock hardware, install the strut spacers on the struts. Tighten using a 15mm socket. See Photo 42.

54. Install the strut with strut spacers installed in the stock upper mount. Secure with supplied 10mm nuts, washers and lock washers. See Photo 43. Do not tighten at this time.

55. Install the lower strut in the lower control arm using the factory hardware. Tighten using a 18mm socket.

56. Tighten upper strut mount hardware using 17mm wrench.

57. Install the sway bar body on the sway bar links located on the lower control arms. Install nut to hold the sway bar in place but do not tighten at this time. See Photo 44.

58. Swing up the sway bar and install on the sway bar drop brackets using the supplied 7/16” x 1” bolts, washers and nuts. Tighten using a 18mm on the sway bar drop hardware and 18mm wrench on sway bar links on the lower control arms. See Photo 45.

59. Remove the stock bearing assembly from the stock knuckle using a 18mm for the bearing and a 8mm for the locking hub mechanism. Install the bearing assembly on the lifted knuckle using the stock hardware. Tighten using a 18mm wrench. See Photo 46.

60. Install the new knuckles using the stock hardware on the lower ball joints, tighten using 24mm and a 12mm wrench. See Photo 47. Do not use air impact on the upper and lower ball joint, tighten with hand tools.

We recommend using OE instructions for disassembly and assembly of IWE actuator, the following instructions are for reference only.

60. Install IWE actuator on CV shaft. Make sure the actuator splines line up to the splines on the CV shaft. See photo 48. 61. Install CV shaft into the knuckle assembly. See Photo 49. 

62. Using a floor jack, raise the lower control arm and connect the upper ball joint on the upper control arm to the spindle. Using a 21mm wrench, torque to manufacturer specs. If ball joint turns while tightening, use a 3/8” wrench to hold the ball joint.

63. Reinstall the steering linkage nut using a 21mm wrench.

64. Using a hand vacuum pump, apply and hold 24inHG of vacuum to the actuator through the large port. See Photos 50 and 51.

65. Install the (3) bolts securing the actuator to the knuckle and tighten using an 8mm wrench. See Photo 52.

66. With vacuum still applied to actuator. Measure the depth of the CV shaft treads protruding through the hub bearing. If minimum 15.5mm or .61” is not achieved, rotate the hub to eliminate binding of the splines. See Photo 53.

67. Install axle nut and tighten to 30 lb.ft. Do Not Use and impact, caution must be taken or damage to shaft may occur. See Photo 54.

68. Verify free rotation of the hub with NO CV shaft rotation. No clicking or grinding noise should be present

69. Release the vacuum from the actuator and rotate the hub to engage the actuator. You may hear/feel the actuator engage.

70. Verify that the hub and CV rotate together. Reconnect the vacuum lines to the actuator. See Photo 55.

71 Install the ABS wire on the bearing assembly using a 5mm allen wrench. See Photo 56. NOTE: The factory dust shield will not be reused.

72 Install the rotor and caliper on the knuckle with the stock hardware using a 19mm or 21mm wrench. Tighten hardware. See Photo 57.

73 Make sure the vacuum hose and ABS wire are out of harms way. Using the supplied zip tie, secure the vacuum hose and ABS wire to the knuckle neck.

74 Install the tires and wheels using a 21mm socket. Remove the jack stands and lower the truck to the ground.

75 Tighten the lower control arm bolts using a 1-1/16” wrench and socket. Torque to 200 ft/lbs.

REAR INSTALLATION

1. Chock the front tires and jack the rear the rear end up. Put jack stand under the frame rail and lower truck onto jack stands.

2. Remove tires and wheels using a 21mm socket.

3. Remove rear shocks from the upper and lower mount using 18mm and a 15mm wrench. See Photo 1 & 2. Retain the stock hardware.

4. Using a 10mm wrench, remove the brake line assembly on the inner driver side frame rail. See Photo 3.

5. Install the brake line extension bracket on the frame using the stock hardware and tighten using a 10mm wrench. See Photo 4.

6. Install the brake line assembly to the new bracket using the supplied 3/8” x 1” bolt, washers and nut. Tighten using a 9/16” socket and wrench. See Photo 4.

7. Remove the e-brake cable mount with a 10mm wrench as shown on the drivers side as shown in Photo 5.

8. Install the supplied e-brake bracket with the factory hardware. Tighten with a 10mm wrench. See Photo 6.

9. Install the e-brake cable mount to the new e-brake drop bracket using the supplied 5/16” bolt, washers, and lock nut. See Photo 7.

10. Using a jack support the rear end and remove U-bolts using a 21mm socket and remove the factory blocks. Retain factory block for the 4” kit. See Photo 8. 

11. Install the supplied blocks on the block pin holes on the axle and raise the axle into place. See Photo 9. Note the 4” kit will have a standard block with the factory block while the 5”/6” kit will use the Rough Country Anti-wrap design blocks.

12. Install the axle u-bolts and tighten using a 22mm socket.

13. For the 5”/6” kits install the upper leaf spring u-bolts over the leaf spring and into the blocks. Secure with supplied hardware and tighten using a 16mm socket. See Photo 10.

14. Install the supplied rear bump stop bracket if supplied with the 3/8” x 3.5” round u-bolt. Tighten with the 3/8” nylock nuts and a 9/16” socket. See Photo 11.

15. Install the new RCX 2.2 shock absorbers in the upper and lower mounts using the stock hardware. Tighten using a 18 and 15mm wrench. See Photo 12.

16. Install the tire and wheels.

17. Raise up the rear of the vehicle and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.