I am currently weighing all the options for either...

1.) Leveling the Flareside,
2.) 2" lift with stock 31x10.50's
3.) 4" lift with 33x12.50's.

My fear is that I'll get the job done (for any of the above) and HATE the ride... and wished I'd left well enough alone.

Boulevard cruiser 85% of the time, Beach cruiser for the balance (but nothing to drastic).

 

I regret lifting my crewcab as high as it is. It was planed to be 4" but it turned into 8". i will be lowering it to 4".

i dont like my 86 w 6" either. That will be getting lowered to 3"

 

Not a damn bit. I'm 19 so I can handle the ride, the lift isn't high enough to where I can't make it work, plus it brings in alot of poon so I'm pretty content with my decision

 

lol I remember those days.....but after 4 kids and 2 wives my poon days are long gone- now I just want a comfortable ride in a classic vehicle.

 

I've never needed a lift kit for "poon." That sucks man.

 

Only when I get in it and once I get my retractable steps than no.

 

I don't regret it at all. I went 4" front and nothing in the back but is still pretty close to level. Rides nice and is actually more comfortable with the stock bench seat sense you can't recline them!

 

mine had a 4 inch lift when i got it and the only thing i dont like is having to buy 33-35 inch tires lol looks good, rides a little rougher but im young so i dont mind as much..id personally do the leveling kit and run 31 or 32 inch tires..ive heard the leveling kits dont effect the ride too awefully much and you get a cooler stance..

 

Cool story bro

 

Haha, can't say I've ever needed a pickup of any sort.

I'm interested in this as well. Anyone lift with offroad intentions and then regret it?
Being in Laramie with all the WyoTech diesels running around with double digit lifts I hear that they don't do all that well out on the trails. Maybe that's just because they're massive though?

 

I tried to lift mine once and it really did a number on my back! I sure regretted it!
I just got an 89 F250 4x4 with stock suspension and stock tires. I like the way it looks as is. I already have a little trouble getting in it. Well, not really "trouble", but getting in it with ease. I think my stock 235/85/16 tire comes out to about 31" high, but skinnier than a 31x10.5. I don't mind that at all. I can't imagine having much more than stock height. It wouldn't be very usable for me.

As far as "poon", I've rolled some pretty nice rides; like a Porsche and a Mercedes. But I purposely don't let the ladies I'm interested in see me in them. They see me in junk, like the 92 Metro wagon I had with brush on paint and a knock in the motor. I want them to want me for me. That being said, I don't suppose that I would have turned it down if it was offered based on my ride. Actually, I have turned it down, but I regret it. Just like I regretted trying to lift my truck!

 

you just had to go there?

 

I think anything larger than 4 inches with 35's is borderline stupid. If your gonna go higher you should just build an offroad only truck.

 

I'm running a 2.5" suspension lift on my 96 F150 with 32s, it's perfect for a daily driver/ occasional wheeler IMO. It has plenty of clearance for most of my off road jaunts, and stills rolls down the freeway comfortably at 75 mph.
For any other wheeling trip I take my 79 Bronco... it has 6" of lift, cut out fenders, and 37s. It's a fun truck to go cruising around town and down by the beach in the summer time. Although with 4.88s, 37s, no overdrive, and a VERY THIRSTY 460 the ol Bronc isn't much of a freeway cruiser! In my opinion a good quality 4" suspension lift (superlift or skyjacker) and a set of 33" all terrain tires would give you a capable off road truck with decent highway manners. The cheaper lift kits (rough country, tuff country...) seem to come with stiffer springs, when it comes to lift kits; you get what you pay for. Another option would be to go with a 2" or 3" body lift, just a 2" lift would provide plenty of clearance for 33s. The plus side to a body lift is they are conciderably less expensive compared to a suspension lift, not to mention the factory ride quality is not effected as much. I have no regrets lifting any of my trucks, I'm still pretty young at the age of 28.

 

I don't regret it a bit, but I have gone stupid high with mine, yet... Currently working on a D44 soild axle swap and 35s since its still not high enough for me.

It all depends on how and where you drive. I threw a set of 31X10.50s on my 94 F150 as it sat stock, didn't notice a whole lotta difference other then it sitting a little higher. It still stopped and accelerated the same. My former 31X10.50 BFG ATs on stock rims cleared everything just fine on stock suspension

I eventually leveled the front 2 inches to get rid of the "raked" look. When the time came to retire my 31s I replaced them with 32X11.50 BFG ATs. Other then a slight bit of rub on the radius arms at full lock I noticed no difference between 31s and 32s in terms of ride quality, braking, or acceleration.

Still wanting to go bigger I eventually retired the 32s in favor of 33X12.50 BFG ATs. On stock rims they rubbed a bit on the radius arms starting at about 5/6s of the way to full lock. They would also catch on the edge of the bumper if I hit a good bump while turning, some washers stacked behind the bumper on the bolts took care of that, moved the bumper out about a 1/4 inch.

With the 33s I noticed a difference in braking and acceleration, the truck would also wonder a bit at highway speeds although installing a steering stabilizer took care of that problem. I eventually lifted the ttb front end 4 inches and added 2 inch blocks to the rear. I like the way it looks with that setup on 33s. With my stock 302 and stock gears 33s were pushing it, the truck was really bogged down and noticeably slower. If you plan to go with 33s or bigger regearing your differentials is a good idea, I went with 4.10s and noticed a hell of a difference. If you go that high you'll also want to address the brakes. My stock brakes SUCKED with 33s, I upgraded to a slotted rotors and a set of EBC yellow stuff pads. I think the truck stops better now then my 2wd 96 F150 on stock brakes and tires.

Through all its various stages of lift evolution I haven't ever noticed a terrible ride with the truck, nothing my 25 year old back cant handle, it wasn't the greatest riding thing in stock form I don't think its got any worse. If you dont intend to ever do any serious wheeling you should stick with a close to stock tread all terrain tire. I think most grips people have with the ride of lifted trucks can be traced back to the knarly looking mud terrain tires cloping around under them. I have a set of 34x10.50 Interco LTBs I use on mine when playing in the mud, it absolutely rides like garbage on those, they thunder down the road shaking the truck like crazy and pulling the steering wheel every which way. My BFGs on the other hand ride really quiet and nicely.

Another issue with lifting em high is added strain on yourself and others while trying to get in the damn thing or loading it. I'm 6'3 so the truck sitting 5-6 inches higher then stock is fine with me, I get in and out just fine and no more bending over to pick stuff up out of the back of it. my gf on the other hand is about 5'6 so its funny watching her trying to get in and out, especially since I refuse to install side steps.

Oh and by the way I've got more "pune" in my beat to hell 99 Escort then I have in any of my trucks