First off, Thank you for allowing me to join the site.

Second, I am looking for some expert advice if anyone cares to help. I just picked up a 2001 F250 Scab V10 w/200k miles. Prior owner said it has a 6 inch lift with Dick Cepek rims and Cooper 37' tires.

That is all I know about it, other than it runs very well, seems a little loose steering but thats not shocking considering the lift and wheel and tire combo. Transmission shifts well, motor starts fine, idles well, pulls very well, seems to be very well taken care of.

But thats all I know, other than I paid Less than $4000 for it. Yes, it was a good deal but also a bit of a risk, I felt it was worth it.

My question is, if this was your truck, what would you do to it first? Obvious Oil filter libe etc. What else?

I don't have any experience with the V10, any advice, warnings?

Transmission shifts well, thats all I know. Any concerns I should be aware of?

Leaf spring front end with a reported 6inch lift. It has about 25% tread on the coopers, my idea was to go with a 35inch tire with a less aggressive tread. At that time I will likely check/replace tie rod ends and align front end.

I would rather have a 4 inch lift but dont think it is worth the effort to swap the f springs and rear block, any thoughts?

There seems to be a dual steering stablizer set up, that surely needs to be replaced yes?

Any other ideas, comments, warnings?

Thanks for your help.

 

I would replace all the fluids in the truck. Fuel filter. Jack the front end up and check for anything out of the ordinary. After you replace any obvious parts take it to an allignment shop to check everything. Also check the front brakes. The slider pins want to stick causing premature one sided brake pad wear and killing your gas milage. That's about it I would say. When you change the spark plugs be vary carefull. I have heard there aren't enough threads in the head for these plugs and they are known to eather strip out or blow out while you are driving down the road.

 

Hello and welcome.
I would change all fluids. Engine oil/filter, trans, front and rear end fluids, coolant, spark plugs, air filter and clean the MAF.
Since you stated that the steering seems kinda of loose. I would check the steering box and ball joints. They get extra wear with a lift.
There is a thread in the begining of the Super duty forum that would explain things about maintance and issues to look for.

 

The V10 is a great truck. Where as I don't own one with a lift I do know that it will stress out faster the engine and transmission with those tires but if it looks cool who cares.I would really just go through it put it on a compression check and such with those many miles I would check everything I could. If I were you also I would replace all the relays just to be on the safe side you know. By the way we would like pics of this beauty. I believe you stole this thing. It is harder then you could ever believe to find a V10 with less then 200K for under $18000 any year. Yet people up here pay that because they know the reliabilty of a V10 and pulling power. The first time I ever saw a V10 doing its working was a 1999 V10 4x4 super cab with 6 inch lift 35 inch tires pulling over to my place a 42 ft mobile and it didn't budge and did great. After that me and my dad needed a big 4x4 so we got our last 2002 F250 4x4 V10 super cab later to trade in for a crew cab because of a family of 6. I love the V10. Others will come in and tell you more about it but this is my experience.

 

I would check the steering shifter inside the column to make sure the wire isn't getting rubbed through. Those have the same setup as my EX did and right after 200k it had a short there. Turns out the short is VERY common, but it caused me THOUSANDS in repairs. I have another EX now and it had the wire rubbing through too, atleast this time I caught it before it shorted out my whole friggin truck.

 

Can you be more specific about the short inside the column? The shifter is a little loose, shows in N when in R, in D when in N, and so on.

 

<a href="http://s618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/seanmcd82/?action=view&amp;current=F2502.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/seanmcd82/F2502.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/seanmcd82/?action=view&amp;current=F2501.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/seanmcd82/F2501.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

That is sweet jack man. I love the barbwire pinstirpe. Plus the last owner took great care of that man. By the way are you going to put the trailer tow mirrors on it I think it will look even better with them on it. I can't stop looking back at it. You need to post it in the ultimate superduty thread everybody will love it trust me. I sure do. I can't believe that thing has 200k miles on it.

 

I will find that thread and post when I get some new pics. You know what it's like when you join a new forum, need to find your way around a bit and get some situational awareness before start posting everywhere.

I need to correct one thing, I paid $4900 for it, not 3900. Either way I feel it was a great deal but I hate when people embellish so I won't.

The truck actually has 215k miles, yes it is very well taken care of all in all. I will get it cleaned up and see if I can't get some polish on those wheels and get some new pics.

Thanks for the help and info, I am sure I will be asking for plenty of advice when things start to break and all that.

 

Ok so a few more questions if anyone would like to offer some info. As I look at the front suspension, it appears as if the 6 inch lift kit is a cheapo kit with just a add-a leaf?

What I see is 2 main leafs per side, they appear to me to be a negative arch spring pack. However on the bottom is what appears to be a single positive arch leaf that does not extend to the eye. Is this what I assume is a cheap add a leaf? If so it seems like a bad design.

How many leafs are in the stock leaf pack for a 2001 F250? Are they negative or positive arch?

And in the back I have 2 blocks stacked on top of each other, one seems to be about 2 inches or so, the other seems to be 4 or 5 inches? Can someone tell me how many blocks are stock? How thick is it?

I may consider going back to stock height here if it means just removing the add a leaf and removing one block. If I do that, what tire would fit on the Mickey Thompson 16 inch wheel? Will a 35' tire fit if I go back to stock? If not, what size tire will?

Or, should I remove the front leaf springs completely and go with a new set with a 3 or 4 inch lift and go with the block in the back?

My goal is too keep the wheels and go with a smaller tire, a 35 would be great, and lower the truck a little bit for the driving I will do with it.


Any and all opinions/advice is appreciated!! Thanks very much.

 

If you take apart the steering column there is a wire that comes off the shifter that rubs over time. It is just poorly designed. Since there is metal all around when it rubs through it starts shorting out things. The shifter being loose is not an indicator I would think. It's just that over time from moving the shifter it rubs that wire. Mine started blowing fuse 19 under the hood from it, from there I found others that had had this wire rub through. Sure enough, open up column and there it is, almost completely rubbed through, but the damage was done and at that point a $60 shifter did not fix anything. THOUSANDS later in electrical work and I was finally back up and running.

 

well my opinion is, that it made it to 200k just fine with the lift and tires it has, so if there is no negitive affects i would leave it as is....

such possible negitives could be, you or someone in your family has a hard time getting into it, then i would consider lowering it, or you plan on working it to capasity then go back to stock. Just to explain this a bit... you f250 is still a f250, but it is not able to handle the loads as intended by design with the current wheels and tires.

as far as the stacked blockes in the back, stacking is generaly frowned upon here, but its not to much of a sin, I would rather have a dedicated lift on mine, but if you wish to run this set up, i would inspect it once a month for loose u-bolts untill i was confident it was put togeather ok. then later on when you decide which direction your going to go with your truck move on from there. Keep in mind if you decide to remove one of the blocks your going to need new u-bolts, and possibly shocks.

I have no experience with your front springs as far as what is supposed to be on there, but I do know that any block lift in the front is a deadly sin, so as long as thats not in there, your square as far as i know, someone else may be on in a bit to help with that...

other than that, just remember to concentrate on updating fluids and schedualed maint to have a base to know what has been done then keep on top of it, and remember this truck made it to 200k as it is so dont be in a rush to change major stuff untill you get a feel for where you wish to go with it...

Other than that welcome to the family and enjoy it...

 

This is what I do need to keep reminding myself of, if it aint broke don't fix it.

Thanks for the advice, the only thing that makes me squeemish is the way the front springs look, just seems sorta sketchy. Otherwise is seems to have been this way for a very long time so I agree, it is probably ok as long as I keep checking on it.

I think my biggest concern is it is really too high for how and where I drive, would like it to be a little lower but still look nice.

I never thought that after all the lift kits I paid for over the years on dozens of trucks, I would be considering taking one off a truck. Times change.

 

is it possible to get pix posted of what concerns you about the suspension, im not an expert on your year truck but I do know what bad looks like... It is funny how times changed, not saying its bad to lower, all i was saying is... dont be in a hurry untill you see it is a problem

 

Add-a-leaf aren't my first choice, but they do work for increasing height. As for the rear, I have always heard that you chould not stack blocks. If it were me, I would order new single blocks to replace the ones you have.