Coilover Leveling or Lift Kit for Occasional Towing?

[motivology]

Need your expertise and experience regarding if I should do a leveling kit or a lift kit. For a lift, I cannot do higher than 4” due to 7’ garage height clearance. For now, I’m not considering pucks.

I do occasional towing of car/truck & heavy loads. Will be towing boats down the road as well.

Here’s the trick - I have a ’21 F150 Platinum equipped with 3.0L Powerstroke diesel engine, 4WD and 6.5’ bed. It’s near impossible to find a leveling or lift kit that will work with diesel engines. Based on my research, ICON seems to be the only choice.

First question is, which is best for occasional towing - leveling or lifting it?

Second question is, would you do coilovers all around - or would you do coils front and have a different set up in the rear for occasional towing?

Originally I was going to do a complete kit all around but with occasional towing, I am not sure which is better.

Lastly, I am not sure which ICON stage kit would be ideal either so I’d like your advice on that.

This is my first time leveling / lifting a truck and these kits are not cheap so I want to do it right the first time. I will be keeping this truck for a long time. Ride quality and long-term reliability are important.

After that’s done, I will be looking to have 33”/34”/35” AT tires on a 18” or 20” wheels. I do not want any cutting and/or trimming of crash bars as they are there for a reason. It is does not have CCD however it does have BlueCruise - which I love and want to retain.

I’d appreciate your advice on this. Here’s a pic of my truck towing two ATV Rhinos on a 20’ steel car hauler recently - it did great.

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[amschind]

I will point out that 33's on 20" wheels are an option that requires no changes to the stock suspension. My first truck had a 3" body lift and 33"s on 15" wheels.....now that's factory standard. Put another way, I'm 40 and still driving a truck with 33s......maybe I haven't matured as much as I thought since high school.

 

[motivology]

I will point out that 33's on 20" wheels are an option that requires no changes to the stock suspension. My first truck had a 3" body lift and 33"s on 15" wheels.....now that's factory standard. Put another way, I'm 40 and still driving a truck with 33s......maybe I haven't matured as much as I thought since high school.

Interesting thought. Not opposed to that idea, curious if it requires trimming or cutting the crash bars to make it fit on a stock suspension?

-DK

 

[Boyk1182]

Interesting thought. Not opposed to that idea, curious if it requires trimming or cutting the crash bars to make it fit on a stock suspension?

-DK

What size tires came on your truck? I have a 2023 Platinum that came with 275/60R20 tires, which are 33’s. They’ll fit yours for sure on stock wheels if that’s not what’s already on there.

 

[SpaceWhiteF150]

I’d look at eibach, they offer powerboost kits so you would be good with the diesel. As those are both the heaviest engine options! Then with the money you save add ras or airbags. Since you are not planning or wanting off-road performance there is no need for icon. Unless you just want the bling-bling!!
https://eibach.com/product/E86-35-035-02-22?epsid=3283
Here’s the powerboost kit!

 

[motivology]

What size tires came on your truck? I have a 2023 Platinum that came with 275/60R20 tires, which are 33’s. They’ll fit yours for sure on stock wheels if that’s not what’s already on there.

I believe mine is the same as yours, I’ll have to double check - I know they’re Hankook Dynapro AT2. Whatever came with stock. How do you tell if tires are 33” / 34” / 35”?

-DK

I’d look at eibach, they offer powerboost kits so you would be good with the diesel. As those are both the heaviest engine options! Then with the money you save add ras or airbags. Since you are not planning or wanting off-road performance there is no need for icon. Unless you just want the bling-bling!!
https://eibach.com/product/E86-35-035-02-22?epsid=3283
Here’s the powerboost kit!

I’ve wondered about that too because I believe Powerboost is the heaviest, and diesel is the 2nd heaviest - but not by large margin. However if I recall correctly, I think the intercooler is in a different location on the diesel hence the compatibility issues with most kits. I will definitely check into that.

I won’t be doing any performance racing, hill climbing, or rock climbing with my truck but I do want to be able to go off on a beaten path and explore.

-DK

 

[Boyk1182]

I believe mine is the same as yours, I’ll have to double check - I know they’re Hankook Dynapro AT2. Whatever came with stock. How do you tell if tires are 33” / 34” / 35”?

-DK



I’ve wondered about that too because I believe Powerboost is the heaviest, and diesel is the 2nd heaviest - but not by large margin. However if I recall correctly, I think the intercooler is in a different location on the diesel hence the compatibility issues with most kits. I will definitely check into that.

I won’t be doing any performance racing, hill climbing, or rock climbing with my truck but I do want to be able to go off on a beaten path and explore.

-DK

They’re probably 33’s then. Here is a good calculator that you can input the metric size into to get measurements in inches: https://tiresize.com/calculator/

 

[motivology]

They’re probably 33’s then. Here is a good calculator that you can input the metric size into to get measurements in inches: https://tiresize.com/calculator/

Appreciate it. Even if they are 33’s, wouldn’t it still be ideal to level the front end to have little more clearance and avoid cutting/trimming for AT tires?

-DK

 

[Boyk1182]

Appreciate it. Even if they are 33’s, wouldn’t it still be ideal to level the front end to have little more clearance and avoid cutting/trimming for AT tires?

-DK

This will come down to opinions but here’s what I did. I leveled my truck with the 2” ReadyLIFT kit. I had stock size Goodyear Wrangler DuraTracs on at the time and it looked weird, they looked tiny. I have since put on 295/65R20 BF Goodrich KO2’s and in my opinion it looks normal now. They’re 35.1” x 11.6” tires and I think they’re just right for these trucks.

 

[SpaceWhiteF150]

I believe mine is the same as yours, I’ll have to double check - I know they’re Hankook Dynapro AT2. Whatever came with stock. How do you tell if tires are 33” / 34” / 35”?

-DK



I’ve wondered about that too because I believe Powerboost is the heaviest, and diesel is the 2nd heaviest - but not by large margin. However if I recall correctly, I think the intercooler is in a different location on the diesel hence the compatibility issues with most kits. I will definitely check into that.

I won’t be doing any performance racing, hill climbing, or rock climbing with my truck but I do want to be able to go off on a beaten path and explore.

-DK

The eibach should be perfect for your use!

 

[motivology]

This will come down to opinions but here’s what I did. I leveled my truck with the 2” ReadyLIFT kit. I had stock size Goodyear Wrangler DuraTracs on at the time and it looked weird, they looked tiny. I have since put on 295/65R20 BF Goodrich KO2’s and in my opinion it looks normal now. They’re 35.1” x 11.6” tires and I think they’re just right for these trucks.

Gotcha. Got a picture of it?

-DK

The eibach should be perfect for your use!

And I like the price too! I’ve sent an email in Eibach. I’ll see what they say.

-DK

 

[Boyk1182]

Gotcha. Got a picture of it?

-DK




And I like the price too! I’ve sent an email in Eibach. I’ll see what they say.

-DK

I tried to get one at an angle that shows the tire size.

 

[amschind]

Tire size is the worst measurement ever devised: it contains mm, inches and a percentage and you have to multiply them all to get the diameter. Take: 275/65R20
275=tread width in mm
65=tire sidewall in percent of tread width
20=wheel diameter in inches

Overall diameter is tread width*sidewall percentage*2+wheel diameter.

275mm*65%*2=357mm/25.5mm/inch=14"
14"+20"=34"

It's completely nuts.

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