how much drop can you get out of the front, and still be able to align it. i dont want to spend the money for i beams cause its just my beater truck. i thought i heard you can do 2" with just coils. where can i find coils and alingment parts

 

Here a useful thread https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...light=lowering

 

Very useful info that info.

 

Out of curiosity...Why would you want to lower it?

 

why wouldnt i. should i lift it instead

 

If you check with LMC Truck, they sell 2" lowering springs for half-ton 2WD trucks that they claim do not require camber adjustment. I think this will still give you a small amount of negative camber, but it shouldn't be excessive to the point that you cannot align it.

As far as alignments, I took my '79 to a professional alignment shop after installing my lowering kit, cost was like $25 for a front-end alignment. All they did was adjust the toe-in, since that is all that is adjustable. They said that my caster was out slightly, but it is nonadjustable except with offset radius-arm bushings (they would have to order them). My truck drives arrow straight and handles great without adjusting the caster, so I'm not going to mess with it.

Also, there are a few companies that sell do-it-yourself alignment kits (for adjusting toe-in), but they are probably only worth it if you will be doing multiple alignments (I think the kits are well over $100). Do a search online to see what you can find (I can't remember off-hand who sells them).

Hope this helps.

 

FORD141: i was checking out the pics of your truck. what size tires are you runing in them? what did the 1/2 down spindles do for you? in the link above it says they bend the i beams to do the alignment.

 

Why not??? IMO these bumpsides and indent sides look great when lowered... Anywhere's from 1" for street use, and absolutely slammed to 2" ground clearance with some nice wide tires stuffed up inside those very accomodating wheel wells (and on board compressor to raise them air bags back up so you can drive it)..... I don't use any of my trucks for work, so why not have some fun with them and give all the custom car guys something to look at. These bumpsides and indent sides IMO are the most stylish looking pickups Ford every made, let alone any other manufacturer. Lowering and customizing is just one more venue to show all the brand X guys what nice trucks they are......

 

all the cars ive owned were built to be made better. all i ever see is silveraldos and s10's hooked up. no one in my area has anything like mine. uncle jesse would have done the same if them duke boys didnt keep him so busy.

 

I guess it depends on your definition of "made better". For a lot of us, customizing, suspension mods, chopped tops, and a long list of other modifications does make them better..... Lowering a pickup correctly lowers the center of gravity and the instant roll center, thereby improving the handling charachteristics of the truck.... Some of the 4 X 4 guys go the opposite way, and raise them sky high with lift kits and huge tires, which also IMO look great. Hey, don't get me wrong, stock looks great, too..... Whatever trips your trigger and makes the truck define YOUR definition of "made better".

 

The tires on the truck in the pics were stock wheels and tires off of my dad's '95 F150, tires are 235/75/15, approx. 29" high. Wheels, as I mentioned, are stock Ford 7.5" F150 wheels. I currently have my dad's summer wheels and tires on it (its in storage right now), and they are 255/70/15 on 15X8 chrome wheels with more offset than the stockers. It looks 100% better since the tires fill up the wheelwells perfectly and sit flush with the side of the truck. When it comes out of storage, I will be putting the same size tires on 15X8 ford steel wheels painted body color with chrome centers and trim rings. I'll get some more pics up as soon as I get a chance.

The 1/2 ton spindle swap allowed me to run 5-bolt hubs and brakes, so I can run standard 1/2 ton wheels and tires. My truck started as a 3/4 ton with 8-bolt wheels, and I don't need the extra weight since I never haul anything with this truck (that's what my 05 is for). I also swapped to a posi 9" rear with 5-bolt axles that I just happened to have laying around from my last '79 truck project.

 

I really don't mind the look of a lower truck, I was just curious . Don't see to many threads on lowering these old trucks. I see quite a few newer trucks lowered, but not these. You definately see just the opposite alot, lift kits and huge tires.

 

Not trying to bash anybody, but when I was little, I asked my grandma what kinda guys lowered trucks, and she replied "those that squat to pee." lol. Ever since that day, I've not looked at lowered trucks the same way...My neighbor has two 92-96 shortbed Flaresides that are kinda low, they look awesome, I don't know if I'd like a 73-79 that was low though, but its not my truck, so to each his own.

 

IMO, the only trucks that look okay lowered are the 80-90 Rangers.

These 73-79 F-series were made for working

 

My truck has spent its entire life working, it had a fifth wheel in the bed when I bought it and it was used by an older gentlemen to haul a camper trailer. Its getting the rest and pampering that it now deserves as it is now just a street cruiser. My '05 F150 is now the work truck since it can haul more, and handle the weight better while its doing it. Not to mention that it has much better brakes to stop all of the weight.