Warning about Rough Country 2.5" Leveling Kit

DMac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
57
Reaction score
78
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger Lariat
I have found a safety issue with the rough country 2.5" leveling kit though. I contacted rough country about it and then called back this morning to see what the engineers had said/found.

I had my leveling kit installed last Monday at a local shop who has a very good reputation, and who does good work. I drove the truck back and forth to work (30 min. Drive) for the week with no issues I noticed.
Saturday I drove the wife to Birmingham (1.5 hr. drive) and just as I exited the interstate, luckily slowing from 80mph to 20mph on the ramp, my front end went crazy, trying to pull left into oncoming traffic as I was making the right hand merge turn. I fought it over to the right hand side of the road in a construction zone and got it stopped.

When I looked at the front end, the passenger side tie rod had worked loose and came free. The threads on the ball joint were a little marred, but no damage had occurred. Of course I had a short stomping/cussing fit, then I walked the 45 min. in a thunderstorm to AutoZone and bought enough nuts and lock washers to insure I had the proper thread style, then walked back and repaired it and went home.

I took everything apart once home and checked the torques on everything, and paid close attention to the surviving tie rod end. Everything was up to spec's. Also, I inspected the tie rod that came loose for signs of faulty install (stripped threads, cross thread, etc.) and found nothing. But I did find the flaw.
The mechanic followed the install instructions from rough country to the letter. The problem is that whoever wrote them specified that you "retain the hardware" for the reinstall. Back in the "castle nut/cotter pin" days that was fine, but the 2019 Ranger front end doesn't have those, they use a version of a Nylok nut, which has the nylon retaining ring at the top.

A Nylok nut is a one time use nut, once loosened or removed, you should replace the nut, because it no longer safely holds torque. The mechanic didn't notice because he was following the instructions, I didn't notice it because I didn't check their work, and probably still would have missed it once installed.

Anyway, the guy from rough country told me this morning that the engineers said they are going to start including two new nuts for the tie rod ends. When I asked if they were going to contact the folks who already purchased the kit, I really never got a definitive answer, which is why I'm posting this here. I know it won't reach everyone, but if it saves someone from a wreck, then that's something, because I almost went diagonally into cross traffic, and the pucker factor was crazy high.

Pass this around please, so people check their installs. Those nuts are sold in pairs from Ford, pick some up and be safe.

Thanks
Sponsored

 

RJohans

Well-Known Member
First Name
Robert
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
223
Reaction score
194
Location
Bend, Oregon, USA
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger Lariat 4x4 Supercrew Sport
Occupation
Project Manager
Wow! Thanks for sharing!
 

Andy

Well-Known Member
First Name
Andy
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Threads
33
Messages
735
Reaction score
1,257
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger Lariat / 2019 Volvo XC60 T6 Inscription
I planed to use blue locktite on all the fasteners I loosened just for this reason. I did ask Rough Country if they would send me new tie rod nuts and they said no. That’s nice.
 
Last edited:

RCMUSTANG

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ray
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
1,789
Reaction score
1,935
Location
Los Angeles
Vehicle(s)
2017 Fusion 1995 Ranger
I don't have this particular kit but I guess I'll go back and add a drop of Loctite to all the fasteners R&R'd.
 
OP
OP
DMac

DMac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
57
Reaction score
78
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger Lariat
I planed to use blue locktite on all the fasteners I loosened just for this reason. I did ask Rough Country if they would send me new tie rod nuts and they said no. That’s nice.
See, that's what bothers me. I was only calling them to make them aware of the Nylok nuts and make sure that others didn't have any issues. I wasn't asking for a rebate or pitching a fit, I just felt like they should know and prevent possible issues.
If I had actually wrecked, I might have gone a different directio.
Regardless, the business who did the work were stand-up guys about it. I took it to them the next morning and they ordered a new tie-rod end, 2 new nuts installed, inspected and realigned without so much as a cross word.
Them, I will use again. Rough country, most likely not, just for the way it's been handled. A mistake I can understand and forgive, but once you know it's a mistake and don't fix it, that I cannot abide.
 


RCMUSTANG

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ray
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
1,789
Reaction score
1,935
Location
Los Angeles
Vehicle(s)
2017 Fusion 1995 Ranger
I hit everything with my impact gun though. I'm probably good. Loctite wick for insurance.
 

j0shm1lls

Well-Known Member
First Name
Josh
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Threads
25
Messages
877
Reaction score
1,160
Location
SoCal, USA
Website
www.youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
2016 Focus RS, 2019 Ranger SCrew Lariat FX4 Sport
Vehicle Showcase
1
It looks like BDS may have taken notice as well, they pulled down their lift kit from the site without any explanation. I took a look at their instructions while they were still up though and they also said to reuse the tie rod nuts.
 

NateS415

Active Member
First Name
Nate Schroeder
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
29
Reaction score
19
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Vehicle(s)
Ford Ranger
Anyone have a part number or size for the nut in question? Kits in the mail and would like to get all necessary parts before starting.
 

j0shm1lls

Well-Known Member
First Name
Josh
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Threads
25
Messages
877
Reaction score
1,160
Location
SoCal, USA
Website
www.youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
2016 Focus RS, 2019 Ranger SCrew Lariat FX4 Sport
Vehicle Showcase
1

Jrye22

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jon
Joined
Feb 20, 2019
Threads
18
Messages
181
Reaction score
223
Location
New Jersey
Vehicle(s)
2019 ranger lariat
Vehicle Showcase
1
Anyone know the exact nut size and thread I rather go to like a Lowe’s or Home Depot
 

NateS415

Active Member
First Name
Nate Schroeder
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
29
Reaction score
19
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Vehicle(s)
Ford Ranger
What does everyone think would be better? Adding some Loctite or a new nut?
 

RCMUSTANG

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ray
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
1,789
Reaction score
1,935
Location
Los Angeles
Vehicle(s)
2017 Fusion 1995 Ranger
Loctite.
 

rangerdanger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2018
Threads
194
Messages
3,489
Reaction score
2,635
Location
SF Bay Area
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger SuperCrew XLT FX4
Vehicle Showcase
1

j0shm1lls

Well-Known Member
First Name
Josh
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Threads
25
Messages
877
Reaction score
1,160
Location
SoCal, USA
Website
www.youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
2016 Focus RS, 2019 Ranger SCrew Lariat FX4 Sport
Vehicle Showcase
1
New nut AND Loctite?

EDIT: Actually don't do that! Apparently they don't play well with each other. I'd just go the route of what the Manfuacturer suggests - New Nyloc Nut (NÂł).
Sponsored

 
Last edited:
 



Top