I have a 1978 ford F-150 4x4, it has power steering i just put a 2 inch Performance Accecories body lift on it and when i turn the wheel it binds, i can see the line from when the shaft slid out a little to all the lift, but i turn and it seems that the angles are messed up alittle. The wheel turns when you get halfway around it rises up a little and gets hard to turn and then it drops down and is easy again. any suggestions would be great!

 

Have you called Performance Accessories?

 

replace the rag joint and take the shaft out and turn it around. the rag joint on the side closest to the cab. the u-joint can take a more extreme angle than the rag joint. hope this helps. also check the u-joint and make sure its tight and all

 

Thanks for the info. on the joints i took it out and flattend i down a little. it turns like a champion again

 

FordPower,

Can you explain what you did in more detail. I just put the PA 3" body lift on my 78 4x4 w/PS and didn't notice any problems you described. I did see the mark on the steering shaft where it extended, but it doesn't seem loose or anything.

I just want to check it before i hit the trails.

Thanks!

Kevin K.

 

I am considering installing a 2" body lift on my 79 F150 4x4 reg. cab: Other than the installing the kit, what else will I have to change/fix/buy?? <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">bumper</a>s, Radiator, steering shaft?? Can I buy premade brackets to fix these problems, or do I need to have custom pieces made?
My only reason for the lift is so that I can fit cast aluminum Ford Motorsport valve covers(4 inches tall) on my <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">460 </a>engine. Currently, they will not clear the brake booster and heater motor.
Thus, if the lift will require me to spend a lot of money on steering shafts, custom made brackets, etc.., then it will not be worth it for me.
Thanks...Mudhog

 

When I did my 3", I also made a tilting front clip. So my modifications are a little different from normal. However, the things you will have to deal with are all pretty minor. The only things you might have to purchase seperately are the front & rear <a href="http://www.motorhaven.com/">bumper</a> brackets.

Things to watch are the brake lines from the master cylinder to the metering block on the chassis. The lines are usually coiled up right out of the master cyl. so those can stretch easily.

The steering shaft usually has a slip-yoke type setup so it, too can extend easily. It only extends about 1/2" or so but some have a retaining pin that has to be removed so it can slide in and out.

Depending on your setup, the throttle linkage may need to be bent. When I raised mine, the linkage hit the stock air filter housing so I bent it to clear.

The shift linkage will also have to be lengthened and the kit usually comes with a steel rod for that. You just cut the linkage and weld in the extension. On some setups, the shifter linkage had a slotted end at the bottom for adjustments. If you only go 2", you might be able to just adjust that.

The radiator will also move up with the body but the engind won't. So you'll have to drop the radiator down by drilling new mount holes in the radiator support.

The 4x4 shifter on the floor will also need to be addressed. As the floor moves up higher on the shifter, the distance the lever moves increases. For my 3" lift, they suggest removing the boot and cutting a notch in the floor to accomodate this. I didn't like that idea so I drilled a hole a little further down on the shift lever wher it connects to the shift linkage. That reduces the travel distance of the top half of the lever. Unfortunately, the boot didn't work anymore because of the increased travel of the shifter. The shifter moves further forward than it does backwards so you could bent the lever to make it more centered.

I have a steel flat bed which I didn't raise so I can't speak for mods required to lift a bed.

Hope this helps!

Kevin K.

 

I also am soon going to be putting a 3" PA body lift on my 79 F250 soon. When I looked at the steering shaft it didnt look like there was a slip joint on the shaft? Can I take the shaft off and weld an extension to it?

 

I'm not sure what your steering setup is, but on both my 78 & 79 there is one. About 8"-10" down from where the shaft comes out of the column, is slides into a slightly larger shaft of the same shape.

As for welding in an extension, if you trust your welding, I don't see why not. Personally, I'd feel safer getting a different shaft. Then you could go with a u-joint instead of a rag joint.

Kevin K.