[updated:LAST EDITED ON 01-Jan-03 AT 09:18 PM (EST)] What options do I have to lift and beef up my frount suspention of my 97 F-150 4x4. My plow frame drags on some steep entry ways and even hits sometimes with the plow attached on bumpy secondary roads?

Every where I go they say they don't offer any COIL OVER SHOCKS and offer no sugestions. I did here mention about COIL SPRING AIR BAGS? What are they and how reliable are they; Preformance and duribility wise if they are even available for my truck?

What about LIFT FOR SPRINGS? I am not very knowledgable so your help would be greatly apreciated.

 

2wd truck? Dunno. If no one lists beefier coils? You should be able to get some inflatable airbags though. We put them in motorhomes all the time. Its a little bag that fits inside and comes with some tubing to inflate them with. Should do the trick for you.

 

Thanks for your reply, This is a 4x4 off road short bed. Ford desided they did not want to alow 4x4 1/2 ton owners to mount plows to there trucks and only offered a 3600# front axle that year instead of the 3900# previous years. I am a Ford man who has owned Ford Trucks as long as I can remember. I was disapointed I did not do my homework on this one. Unless you do comercial plowing 1/2 tons have alwas been sufeciant.

 

Ah! You have an easier answer then. Crank up your torsion bars! That will bump up the ride height a little and probably get the results you need. In the middle of the truck, (front to back) you will see the crossmemeber where the torsion bar ends. There will be two bolts, 18mm heads IIRC, put a couple of cranks on them and that will lift the truck up some. On my 7700 I got an inch of lift with 4 turns, dunno what it will be on the 1/2 ton.

Chris

 

Thanks Chris,

Will this affect the handeling? also should I have it alined once I have done this? Also do you know what is the maximumn you can cranck it up?

Peter

 

I doubt it will have any effect on handling, no more than the plow will. Alignment is always good when changing suspension, but not required, you can always turn them back down when done.

You have to becareful about going too far. I probably could get 2inches or more out of my truck, but it will start to limit downtravel. So if you hit a pothole, it will slam into it, as the wheel won't be able to move down away from the truck.

In your situation, you should really be compensating for the weight of the plow. I would recommend resetting it if nothing else. I raised mine to remove some of the severe rake my truck had.

 

Great information Chris,

When you said you increased your hight to reduce the rake which is very evident in my truck without the plow; I was wondering if the first owner did this purposly. She is pitched forward with a lot of attitude! So mabe if I give her a few turns of lift and put super duty shocks on her she'll come to. Is there a site that has the stock hight of my vehicule so I might be able to check it?

Also when you mention turns do you refer to complete 360 reveloutions or just what you can get accesing it mabe a quater turn with each wrench turn?

I am guessing also if I deside to crank it six turns and experiance the senerio of not enough travil I can just back her off a turn at a time till I get optimumn preformance.

Thanks again for your assistance. I am new to this sight and think it is great to find individuals like your self willing to assist novices like myself!

 

Just a thought...tortion adjustments would only change the clearance, not the rated load. Somebody in one of these forums has had a problem with the frame tearing on a '97 and newer from towing a trailer well within capacity of the truck, too.

You could also try the bone yards for the front end off a '97-'99 F-250 LD or '00-up F-150 7700: same front end, with heavier springs, already cleared for snowplowing from the factory.

Chris should have thought of that...he owns a 7700 too

-Kerry

 

Thanks Kerry,

Are you folks Members of the ford Pro-Team? LOL

Are you Chris's Wife?

That is also good information I did not know that the 250 frount end was intercahngable with the 150. Is it a unbolt and rebolt option and ties in with the transfer case? Are there any other considerations that you both are aware of Ie: Weld points, additions ect...


How did he end up with a F-150 7700? Was this a sock option?
That seems like the way to go. I am looking forward to your reply!


Peter

 

The '97-'99 F250LD's and 7700GVWR '00-up F-150's are interchangeable. They are based on a similar frame and have the exact same body as the current F-150's. It should be a straight across swap, but some areas are beefed up (added structural members and thicker frame), but I don't see why you can take the springs, and E rated tires (16" wheels on these trucks have 7 lugs so they won't work on the 5 lug pattern) and make them work just as well. The actual front diff is the same 8.8" Ford Corporate (just a reversed cut version of the 8.8 rear found in most F-150's from the mid 80's on). The 250LD's, and later the 7700 F-150's, use a 3.73 or 4.10 (only found on 4X2's I believe) diffs. The rear is a 9.75" heavier duty axle. More strength in the larger diameter ring gear and bigger pinion, I guess. Not cheap though. I found the rear for $1300 at driveline.com. I'm guessing the spring perches might be wider to accomodate a wider spring on the heavier duty F-150's and 250LD's. The xfer cases are the same BW4406's. They only come with automatics.

The reason why I suggested the swap was because those trucks are set up from the factory as snowplow ready and certified as such...what that means beyond the frame, springs, and tires is beyond me.

The 7700 was a stock option from Ford, kind of an oddball, as I have only seen (in person) two outside of my truck that wasn't owned by the gov't or a contractor. The 7700 option took the place of the F-250 LD version. F250's would have two different body styles and that might confuse people, better to give all the trucks that look the same the same badge. I own one as well...
Mine's an A option with the 3.73LS rear, so my towing and payload are lower.

I'm not Chris's wife, but my wife got a giggle out of that.

-Kerry (yeah I'm a guy..geez )

 

Kerry,

My deepest aploligies. ROTFLMHO = Rolling on the Floor Laughing my Head Off!

I just have one question for you all. Is this a comune "ywall" live in composed of Ford junkies? Way to funny! Give my best to your wife and I am glad I was a sorce of entertainment this evening!

I got some great information from you folks and now I have some direction.

Thanks again!

Peter

Phaywood@gwi.net

 

I consider us volunteer representatives of FoMoCo's truck division...
so yeah, we're junkies:7

Hope you get the truck set up you want.

-Kerry

 

Kerry,

Glad you have a sense of humor!

I spoke with someone today and they suggested getting heavier torsion bars for my 97 F-150 XLT off road W/5.4V8. Is this an option? Do they have them for this year that are interchangeable?

Regards,
Peter

 

To catch up here!

I meant full turns, once around the clock. So I put 4 complete revolutions on mine.

Kerry pretty much has it on the f250LD and F150 7700. I had an F150 very light duty (4.2 4x4 5sp SB RegCab). Felt limited and to make long story short wanted a bigger cab so while I was at it I got the biggest F150 I could.

Only correction I can make is that my truck has a 10.25" rear. Dunno if all did or not, I have trouble telling the difference between the 9.75 and 10.25. Also, I went straight from my f150 to the 7700. So I should have paid more attention to the differences as I had them side by side at the dealership, but I was there a total of 5 hours trying to buy the newer truck, and I was ready to leave.

Based on mental pictures, I can't tell how or where the frame is beefed up. Also, I went from a reg cab, to Xcab, which isn't a straight comparo. If I had to guess I would say that the frame is taller in the front, but as it narrows towards the back is about the same.

Again, from mental comparison, I don't see why the bigger bars wouldn't work. The front end of the 7700 looks pretty much identical to the reg one. They would just be stiffer. Kerry is right, cranking up the bars IS NOT increasing the load rating. Its simply adjusting the preload on the spring, and therefore the static ride height. Its nice to have that 4100lb front axle rating when (and if) you need it. Kinda seems the 7700lb GVW is over rated if you consider the 4100lb front and 4xxx lb rear rating (can't remember exactly).

I hadn't planned on getting my 7700 when I did. I actually wanted the 7700 vs an older 250LD more for the metality that I had a Heavy Duty f150 and therefore the biggest best f150 I could get, vs a weenie f250. Talk about luck though. A dealership near me had one in red (which i had to have, my old one was red) with everything but the factory Class 3 trailer package which would have gotten me the 7 pin harness and limited slip rear ( which is ok, becaues I think I will like haveing a detriot better!).I went to test drive it to see how the ride of the heavier truck would be and was so pleased that I bought it.

I think the 7700's are far less common that F250LD's because its a weird option that most won't opt for, while an F250LD's advantage is obvious. It was made an option package on the f150 because many were confused by the obvious difference in body style between the LD and HD trucks. I guess no body could get that the LDF250 wasn't really an F150 that someone stole F250 badges and put on their truck. If you look in the F150 brochure, they make the 7700 package sound like an over glorified trailer towing package, and don't empahsise that its really a 3/4 ton truck.

Chris

 

Thanks for the update Chris,

I have so much to learn about the subtitles.

Peter

My truck is also red and that’s my Knick name for her.