I'm at a point with my truck that i need to make a decision. It's not terribly useful currently, and no, i'm not selling it.

Option A:
Keep the current height (4" lift), replacing both front and rear springs with lift springs, therefore eliminating the blocks (front and rear)
Use a massive drop with my dads trailer (6'') and a really massive drop to pull our single axle at work (10" drop)
Deal with the gooseneck being too short and leaning backwards (havent even made a hitch yet)
Deal with the height of the bed concerning loading things in it
Add a method of controlling the axle wrap
Keep the good looks and good MPG (16-18, N/A for now)

Option B:
Go back to stock height (for a 4x4), replacing the drop brackets for the TTB (one is cracked anyway)
Buy new tires (4, already have stock wheels)
Lose the insane axle wrap/hop
Use a straight shank for most trailers (and i would use a W/D hitch again) and small drop for the mower trailer
Don't need to do anything fancy for a gooseneck trailer
Lose MPG (dunno how much)
Buy a new stock speedo gear

Option C:
??? Make a suggestion ???




Way i see it, I have to spend money either way. And have to try and locate stock parts. I would probably try to use some 235/85's with option B.

A has some perks with looks and MPG, but i lose towing power with my (corrected to) 3.08 ratio and need a massive drop to pull a trailer (6" with my dad's, probably 8" with most other tandems). Not real sure as to the cost.

B has some perks with easier loading, better suited for trailers, get my 3.55 ratio back. I wont have to buy new springs, just find some factory rear blocks (2"??). Beg/trade/steal some front TTB brackets... Buy new tires (that's gonna hurt... )



So what say you? I don't think i've got any parts worth trading or selling so i'd have to buy everything...

 

If you do alot of towing, I would drop it back down. Most of the parts you need can be had at the local yards pretty cheap. You could keep the tires by doing a 4" body lift on it like mine. I made the blocks and bolts for mine for about $40. It will keep your hitch lower but still give you wheel clearance. It also makes a lot of room behind the engine for custom turbo mounting lol.

 

Might help with the future downpipe, but isn't a 4" body lift a little dangerous??

I don't do any towing cause between bad brakes and no hitch i'm not ready for it. I do like to tow though.

 

If you do any towing I'd drop it down as well. A truck that high raises the center of gravity and make the truck highly unstable (pun intended). I'd set your truck up so its useful(not that it isn't now but you know what I mean), set her up so you can work her safely, 4inch lifts are for show not for work. So I'd be leaning more on B.

 

If i elect for Option B, anyone want to buy my wheels/tires?

If money wasn't such a big deal id take her up to 6" (the right way) and get a crew duallie (I'm dying for one...) for towing...

 

My truck gets worked (plowing snow, pulling trailers etc.) and does just fine. The body lift allows you to keep the engine trans and axles low but still get the bigger tires on. I used 2 1/2" sch 40 steel pipe with plates welded in on both ends for my lift and grade 8 1/2 bolts to hold it all down. I live in a part of the country with a lot of hills and curves and the truck never feels top heavy at all. But then again I don't drive her like a crazy kid either lol.

 

Well I can help you out a lot with the parts for the stock drop. I got the same year F-250 6.9l. I have all the stock rims, stock springs, and 4 brand new tires that are already on the rims.

Benefits of loosing the lift: Stability, towing, gooseneck hitch, power, no axle wrap and cheaper tires.
Downfalls of loosing the lift: MPG, Looks, and everything else you listed.

I am in favor of dropping it down, this is just me but i personally dont care for the look of lifted trucks in general, i prefer the savings on towing and it makes it a more marketable truck for working on in the future, if your going to do something, body lift it for a nifty turbo setup from a PSD XD! So im x3 on loosing the lift.

 

option c, do a clean 6" lift OR 5" sky shackle reversal kit, ditch the rear blocks for the flip kit.

 

I don't think a 4" lift is that bad on a work truck, I see guys all the time (farmers mostly) with a truck taller than mine towing a gooseneck.

If it was my truck and I was gonna set it up for working I'd get a dana60 and springs from an f350, would be like a 3" lift over a stock f250.

And to get better gearing I'd get some 33's or stock tire size.

 

And whats the cost on your option C? Cost is going to have a lot of sway in this decision....

As much as i'd like to I simply can't afford a 6" lift and gears...

I've got a banks turbo i need to put on, and i relly think i'd get more the way it is than going back stock, but that's not the point. And shipping would kill me i'm sure, even though i could get it all truck shipped to work...

Is this a parts truck? If i could get it i'd buy the whole thing off you...

I might look into this, cause not buying tires is a huge help to the budget...

Might run into a problem if i ever get a 5er hitch though... or have some crazy *** mount...

It's not necessarily the lift as much as the fact that i'd have to redo the whole lift for safety reasons (4" front blocks?? )

 

That's the best smiley I've ever seen!!!!

My vote is for Option B, then leading into Option C.
Start with Option B by bringing the chassis back down to stock level. Then transition into Option C in the form of a body lift.

If you do it right, you can slowly source out a set of Craigslist tires for your stock rims. I don't like the mention of a cracked/damaged TTB drop bracket...I'd ditch that for a stock TTB bracket. For tires, my last set was $100 for a set of 4 matching. My current set of non-matching were free because I traded work for them If you start looking now, you can find deals between now and when you get to doing the work on your truck. Keep your current tires around, because when you fit the body lift onto the truck...then you can run your bigger tires again. (this will raise the chassis a little bit over stock, but less than a 4" lift)

Another reason for lowering the truck, my truck is VERY frusturating as the hitch is also set too high for any practical use. Even with a 4" drop hitch, the tandem axle dump trailer is leaning all the way back on the rear axle.

I don't see why getting stock sized tires and losing the lift will hurt MPGs? The bigger tires are offering an overdrive basically, but they also take a decent amount of power to turn them at the same time...and the amount of rubber on the road is way more than a 235/85R16.

 

I vote drop her down to about a 2 inch lift with 33s. That way she still sits up a little bit higher, and the slightly oversized tires help with your MPGs. I plan on keeping mine stock height and running 33s....but I have an E4OD, so mpgs come easy for me :P lol

 

ive got 4 inches on my truck and i use it as a work truck every day. however i have an insane hitch that came off a straight truck that builds 7 inches of drop in....and im 6'6'' so the height isnt a problem for me. in your case i would split the diffrence and go with 2 inches if you think its a little too high right now. throw an add a leaf in the front, a small block in the rear and you should be sittin about where an f 350 would ride at.

 

Well, the way i'm looking at it, the smaller tires make the engine have to turn faster for the same road speed. Maybe i'm wrong, maybe i won't lose and fuel mileage.... I'm just assuming i will...

I really do like the way it sits now, and if i could lower the frame and still run my "fat tires" i might do that...

It will be interesting to lift the bed 4" though.... I really should lift it another 2" to get some room for the tires, but if i go back to 235/85s i guess i wouldnt need to...

You've got OD so your argument is invalid...

33's would be what... a 285/75? If i dropped it i'd likely go with the stock 235/85.

I may need to put in an AAL front and 2" block rear to clear tires... dunno yet... I do know that front block needs to get gone...

Since i'm custom building my hitch into my bumper I've already built in about 8" of drop from the top of the frame to the top of the receiver tube...Can't drop it any further...

 

Guess what your in luck, my dad and I are going to rip the engine out of her, cause we keep those...that will make 2 in the garage, and i need the steering column for mine(My tilt thing is breaking/slipping) and we are keeping the transmission and the dash cluster, its got the tach, which I want this thing looking as original as possible. Where is Terre Haute, IN from Muscatine, IA. I am making a run out thataway come september when i get home from Iraq, and I have a flatbed I can throw the old 86 on and pull it out there. If you want the whole truck send me a PM.