[updated:LAST EDITED ON 13-Dec-01 AT 05:25 PM (EST)]I currently have a 2001 F250 Superduty 4x4 with 10-10.5in. lift in the front and 8.5 in. in the rear with Mickey Thompson 39/18-16.5 and Weld 16.5/14in. rims. The tires rub when turned all the way to either side. I wanted to put some radials on it and was thinking of puting on either 38/15.5-16.5 super swamper TSL radials or 38/15.5-16.5 radial ground hawgs. After looking into the two tires, I found that the new 10 ply 38in. TSLs weigh even more than my Mickeys (by about 15 pounds each) and some people told me that the ground hawgs seperate easily. Now, my question is, if I put 36/14.5-16.5 super swamper radials on my lift, will it look funny? I can always lower the back about another 0.5in and the front another inch. The shops here in Las Vegas told me that you need about an 8 in. lift to clear those tires because of the width with a 14 in rim. They told me that if the rim was narrower, than a smaller lift (6in.) would be ok (maybe minor rubbing). Just some input on how my truck would look with 10in. lift front, 8 in. lift rear with 36/14.5-16.5 superswamper tires on 16.5-14 in. wheels. Thanks Also, if anyone wants to trade tires, let me know :+

 

chad....

dude.... DON'T lower your truck!!!! it looks great the way it is!!!!

when i got my lift done, my tires rubbed both ways too.... the 4wd shop welded a little extra meat on the bumpstop (that is what the called it, but i think it is something else, i will take a pic if you want... basically the tab that stops you from turning any more) and it cured the problem just fine..... i think it may have changed my turning radius slightly, but nothing serious.

- brad

 

Have you looked for rims with a different offset? You might be able to get something that will let you use the 38s and not rub.

 

I'm not trying to get smaller tires so it doesn't rub, I just want to get a set of radials and all the radial tires are smaller than the 39s I have right now. I don't want to go heavier on the tire weight so I was looking to get the 36 swanpers and wondered if they'd look wierd with my lift? Thanks for the response so far :+

 

OK. I'm a little slow sometimes. :-)

I'd image the truck will look fine. But, why not have the tire shop roll a couple out so you can look at them. Won't be exactly how they'll appear when mounted, but it should give you a good idea.

 

What I'm wondering is why are you going to run a 14" wide wheel with a 14.5" wide tire? For the 36's it's recommended that a 9.75 wide wheel be run (per Interco). I can understand the 14's on an 18" wheel, but thats a bit wide for a 14.5" tire in my opinion. I'd go with NoMo and maybe look for a new set of rims with a different offset, or maybe new narrower rims all together. Also what Abendx was saying about adjusting the steering stops is good mojo as well. It would look a bit "lofty" with 36's, but I've seen people around here run the stock tires with 8" lifts till the tires wear out. Each to their own I guess!

 

chad.

imho, you truck would look BAD with 36" tires. I also think 38" swampers may not look great also (real dia of those tires is 37.6, so u'd lose 2" from your 39.5" tires going to the 38).

i am currently runing an 8" fabtech and 38" swampers (the radials) and think they look about right.... any more lift and personaly, i think the truck would lose it's proportional look.

again... imho, i think the more tire you get into the wheel well, the beter it looks.

it sounds like the desire for radial tires is driving your decision more than anything? maybe you can drop your lift to 8" and run the swamper 38s?

i am ready to go higher with mine... (lol... i know, i just lifted it), but am going to wait out the life of my current tires and hopefully the tire companies are making 42" radials by then.

- brad

 

Hey Abendx, how do you like that Fabtech kit? Just trying to get some feedback before I lift my rig, thanks!

 

Thanks Brad. A question though... What swamper tires are you running? Radials or Bias Ply? Also, what gears did you have before the 4.56s (the 3.73s or the 4.30s) and did you notice much difference? Thanks again.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Dec-01 AT 12:26 PM (EST)]Munkey...

>Hey Abendx, how do you like that Fabtech kit? Just trying
>to get some feedback before I lift my rig, thanks!

hi. i love the fabtech kit..... it rides like a dream in my opinion and would do it again.... i have heard on one of the other message boards that caters to deisel folks that a lot of ppl have seen a lot of front end sag in their springs. now u have to realize that that these guys are running the PSDs and it has a much heavier front end and i hear that fabtech has also stood behind every one of the saging problems! mine has so far had no sag problems.

Chad....

>Thanks Brad. A question though... What swamper tires are you
>running? Radials or Bias Ply? Also, what gears did you
>have before the 4.56s (the 3.73s or the 4.30s) and did you
>notice much difference? Thanks again.

i am running the 38" TSL Radials. they seem so far to be a great set of tires! they run very true... seem much better than the bfg's that i have run on previous trucks!

as for gears.... i originally had the 3.73's in the truck.... but upgraded the gears at the same time i upgraded the suspension/tires.... i had made the mistake one time and relaized that if i can't afford to do both at the same time.. i wouldn't do either.... nothing is worse to me than to have a DOG for a truck!

so, my before and after comparison wouldn't be of great value, but i can tell you this.... the truck runs just about the same as it did with the 3.73's in there (with teh stock 31" tires).... and i know if i hadn't upgraded the gears, it would have felt like i had a four banger under the hood. so in my opinion.... it is 100% worth the coin involved!

the next step up in gears would be 5.38's and that would be a BAD idea.... way too low.... unless all you do is pull stumps, i wouldn't go that low with 38" tires..... now, when i put those 42's on... i will be looking at a set of those 5.38's but actually, 5.13's would be better... but no one makes them for the sterling 10.5 and dana 60 i have (nor for the dana 50 you have).... wasn't that nice of ford to upgrade the front this year

anyhow.... you helped my make my decisions about my lift... so any help i can give you, just ask! (although i didn't take ALL of your advice... lol... u did tell me to go with the 5.5 and hangers.... but i knew... and isn't it coming true in my head... that 8" was not going to be enough!).

- brad

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Dec-01 AT 04:18 PM (EST)]Brad

Hey, have you ridden in any with the double shock? I am just wondering because you said it rides like a dream, but I find that mine is a pretty stiff ride. I'm just wondering if the single to double shock makes that much of a difference. Also, the hanger kit is 3.5-4in kit. I put some 39.5 swampers on my truck with my lift. If you want, I'll send you some pics if you can get me your email? I had a friend of mine who had a set of 39.5/15-16.5 swampers and I mounted them on my truck to see how they'd look before I bought a set. Did you get a chance to see the ride difference between the bias ply and radial tsl swampers? The ones I have on now are the bias ply. Thanks :+

 

chad....

i already have a few pics of your truck

no... i have never been in one with the dual shock setup.. and under your advice i didn't go that way. i run rancho 9000's and can adjust my ride with them.... i find that if i make them stiffer than a 2 on the highway is bounce pretty hard... and set them at a one and i just never stop bouncing!!! lol.

now i didn't get to feel the differentce between the swampers radial and bias ply, but ran a set of bias plys on a jeep i once owned (cepek brand tires) and know that i didn't like the bias tires at all.... they don't last long, they thump, thump, thump in the morning is enough to make me insane, the fact that bias tires can't track well in a straight line are just a few of my reasons....

i do have a question for you tho..... with adding the fabtech hangers to your 8" did you have to do any other work to the truck? did you put on the hangers at the same time you did the 8"? on my 8" i only had to lengthen the front shaft 2".... but wonder about more lenght there and then the rear, and then break lines, and then axel rotation, etc, etc, etc..... i want to eventually go with teh hanger kit, but wonder of all teh aditional costs above it.

- brad

 

Brad

I did have the hanger kit put on the same time I had the 8in. Fabtech system installed. ABout the only thing I can tell you about the questions you asked me is that I did have to have the front AND rear driveshafts lengthened and the sway bars are custom as well. As far as brake lines, etc., I'm not sure? I too have the RS9000s and am just wondering if I should see about switching to a single shock set up? Thanks for all you help and if there is anything else I can help with, let me know.

Chad