Go with 4" springs for the rear and the longer shackles. Unless you are REALLY going for a level sitting look to the truck - which I think looks almost as bad as butt high...

 

ChaseTruck754 will back me up on this, the really high trucks do NOT work well at speed. We spend a lot of time figuring out how to get the Trophy Truck as low as possible.
Also, you must have adequate droop in the suspension travel to maintain grip and allow the shocks to work. IMHO, the shocks are the most important component in the suspension, leave $ for good, tuneable reservoir shocks and maybe some nice bumpstops. Call Fox and tell them what you've got in mind and then LISTEN to them.
The plusher the suspension, the more grip you'll have.

BTW, enjoy the 1000 ChaseTruck754, I have to sit this one out with 12 broken ribs, 9 fractured vertibrae and a AC separation.

 

I had a old 76 F150 I use to go run some sand with, it was all on the cheap, I mean real cheap. All I did was jam some 80-96 TTB 4x4 4 inch lift coils in the front and left it like that. The *** set low and the front high. Dam thing saw some good air and road smooth as hell.

 

Well put and exactly right. Funny thing is most people who are not into this type of deal cringe at spending $50 or so per shock, when the reality of it is they could probably skip a bunch of the "lift" stuff and throw the $$ at adding GOOD shocks to a stock suspension and they could handle a TON of the terrain out there at speed!

While I got my shocks at what I consider to be a "deal" I have about $500 per shock going and am doing 2 shocks per corner on the supercab. Well - 1 in the rear until I get around to 4 linking it. Anyways - spend the $$ on real shocks and you will be happy.

If you need to maintain a budget the 5100 series bilsteins are nice, and then the FOAs are decent for the $$. If you really want to do things the right way you'll go broke getting the right shocks...

And rickf - sounds like a bike injury keeping you home? All I've got gonig right now is a few bruised ribs from sparring at the gym last week (mixed martial arts type stuff) and even those bring a tear to my eye if I have to sneeze! Good luck and wishin you a quick recovery!

 

Nah, my daughter's Ranger fell on me when I was underneath.
Good to have neighbors that can run fast and work a floorjack (now),

 

Jack stands? Rick





Ok for shocks I was thinking Pro Comps long travel with a resy. I seen some with 14" of travel but I don't have any Idea what kind of travel I could see with the fabtech front beams and coils, I am also gonna extend my radius arms to about 5' and use hyme joints on the ends, install traction bars with hyme joints on the frame end in the rear, and probably 6" springs on the back with 2"lowering shackles in the rear (would I get any more travel out of that set up than 4" springs by themselves?)

I do want the truck to sit level I cant stand that socal but dragging look but I love the way the trucks run.....desert guys build a lot better truck than us mud lov'n rednecks in the midwest....(yes I am a redneck)


And what about the drive train, what Im getting at is the drive shaft do I have to wory about braking any yokes or any thing from the travel? What about the shaft pulling out of the back of the tranny or worse busting the tail shaft off the tranny when fully compressed....( I really have no Idea on this long travel stuff all Ive done is big lifts little travel monster tires on trucks before..)

And one more thing what about sway bars. Do you eliminate the front and put one on the rear? IDK?

 

Not good! You got lucky with the neighbors. I try not to think about things like this as I sit alone in my shop and work late nights and weekends. I'd be screwed if something like that happened and no one woulf ind me for a few days I bet...


I haven't heard much about the pro comps as guys out here all spring for SAW's, Foxes, Kings, Bilsteins or Radflo's - maybe FOAs.
14-16" shocks are the length of coil overs most people run when they do these things. You can run them with a coil setup but you'd have to make a custom hoop. This is more $$ but a great way to go. Look at autofab coil buckets if you have the $$.
With the old fabtech dual shock coil buckets they sold with their beams a long time ago I'm pretty sure they ran 10" stroke shocks.
As for the radius arms - did you mean 5 INCHES - not 5 FEET? If so - extend the radius arms about 12" or so. Incorporate the radius arm cross member into a tranny mount as well. Let me know if you want pics of this stuff.


I am redneck by So. Cal. standards but I HATE the look of a perfectly level truck. An **** high truck is slightly worse though. Man they make me cringe...
Anyways - it is your truck and your choice for how it will look so if you are going for level see if you can find a 6" rear spring (not sure who makes um) and run it. Personally I'd run Deavers and I don't think they make a 6" spring for that truck but maybe they do... Ride heigh can be adjusted by playing with shackle hanger and shackle length. This can get time consuming though. See my build thread in the 73-79 section to see how long I played with the deavers in the rear of my supercab. Even then I quit early...



Driveline stuff depends on the amount of travel you get. I don't think you'll pull enough to worry about too much driveshaft plunge or pinion angle change to where you'd tweak your U-joints. Cycle the suspension as you mock it up and watch your pinion angle and driveshaft plunge through the cycle. Most people don't even bother with this, but the guys who know what they are doing to. Most of the more built trucks will switched to a fixed yoke tailshaft of the tranny and put the slip in the driveshaft itself that way the driveshaft plunge doesn't mess up and seals or tear anythnig up on the tranny. This can get expensive though and you most likely won't have enough plunge to worry about it.

Now for the sway bars - most people just take them off. They guys you see running rear sway bars typically have a 4 link rear suspension with softer springs and therefore a lot of body roll. I wouldn't worry about this a ton with leafs in the rear.

 

Chase you are a great help... I was thinking 5 feet but from the I beam to the hyme joint..... is that too long?

and as far as pinion angle I have always had to change pitch on my 4x4 so I thought I might as well do it on this.

So no sway bar!.....HUH....never thought about that

With the ford steering I dont have to worry about any thing but the steering arm. Correct?

as far as fabbing up some shock hoops or bumpers, and light bars my Dad and I are pretty good at that so all I have to do is buy the pipe.

 

You are more than welcome to load this thing up with pictures thats how I understand the best....LOL....

 

I'd have to look at what the stock length arms are but 5' seems longer than most run. Not that it is really bad... Most guys just extend to where they can do a tranny x-member with the rad arm mounts and that will allow for enough suspension movement and less caster change through the cycle. I seem to remember this being a 12-14" extension.

Check the pinion angle through the cycle, but I think the most you'd have to change it would be a degree or 2. It's good that you are planning to at least look at it though - many guys don't.

For the steering - with a 4" lift or so you should be ok. The stock steering isn't the greatest and a single swing setup would reduce a bit of the bumpsteer, but for what you are doing stock is most likely fine.

No for the PIPE - buy tubing - not pipe. Pipe is typically a bit more brittle and is meanf for moving fluids - not building structures...

Oh - and there's a bunch of good radius arm/tranny cross member pics in here
http://www.dezertrangers.com/vb/fab-shop/105882.htm

 

dirtdobberoffroad , you are getting some solid advice. If you really want a solid handling truck blow the budget on shocks! I'd say Bilstein 5100s would be a bare minimum, much better to have something tuneable and re-buildable though. Fox has great support and will gladly start you on the right set-up.

And yes, I've heard of jackstands. (I probably have more equipment than most of the guys on the forum) The truck was on ramps made of 10X10 timbers. (It rolled off, long story) I took a shortcut I wouldn't have allowed anyone on the team to do and I'm paying the price. Seemed like an okay idea at the time, stoopid in retrospect.

I think you're on your way to having a truck that will handle waaaay better than the rest of what's out there. Don't forget to budget for some safety items.

 

chase I ment tubing, I have seen some stock car cages made out of pipe and they explode like ceramic tile when t-boned.

and rick as far as saftey Im debating just a roll bar(a real one not a light bar) in the bed, but I would like to build a cage on the inside eventually. What else was you thinking. Oh and the jack stand thing I was just pick'n on ya.

 

what would you guys do for bump stops?
and what could I expect to spend for air stops (nitrogen I suppose)

And chase not to sound like a tard but what do you mean by single swing steering?

 

Seriously consider the inside cage first, it's the one that can save your life. It's really more labor than cost. You can do the old-school thru the cab 'H' bar in the bed to stiffen things up, really cheap.
Suspension seats and at least four-point harnesses.
You can find a lot of this used at race-dezert dot com.
Belts especially expire but are probably still good for awhile longer for recreational use.
The usual; fire extinguishers, first aid kit (super-glue for wound closure and feminine pads for wound dressings), space blanket, flares, cell phone charger, GPS, etc. You'd be surprised how many guys don't have these basic items and it all will set you back less than $100.00.

Carry a decent amount of spares, fluids, tools and jack. I've handed out more fluids in Baja than I can count. (Thank goodness for Lucas sponsorship!) I also carry tubeless tire repair kit and a CO2 bottle.

We all carry SPOT trackers when riding or chasing. Work just about anywhere in the world.
I have personally be helo'd out from the dez (Calfornia) to a trauma unit in February 09. My cost? $0.00.

All of this stuff is really cheap and you'll have the satisfaction of watching the same guys who bagged on you for carrying this stuff come slinking back needing to borrow something! I love it.

 

Daystar Stinger bumpstops will work just fine for your use and they don't leak.