Leaf Spring TTB 6" Lift
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Joined: Dec 2010
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From: Galvin, WA
Hey, im going to be doing a 4 inch lift on my 86' F-250. I'm currently in Afgan right now but i have all the parts do do the lift at my house. I would be happy for you to inform me about all the skeletons lol. Thanks
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The parts I used for this truck were mostly from Jack-It (in Utah). They assemble their kits from pieces made by various manufacturerers, so you get the best of various worlds. The people there are great to deal with; and they are pretty sharp.
One of the most important parts in this lift are the adjustable pivot drop brackets. This truck is the third TTB lift I have done (first leaf spring TTB) and proper alignment can be difficult to get to. If your kit has drops with single, non-adjustable holes it is worth the extra cost to scrap them and get some adjustable ones. If you are making your own drops, be prepared to fabricate a few sets until you see how the truck is going to sit. The adjustable drops give you an additional place to change the camber, in case you need the ball joint shims to get the caster right. I prefer to get the alignment dialed in (in the ball-park) with stock size tires before the serious rubber goes on.
I've got Skyjacker springs on this truck; they are tall and stiff so you will need to dis-assemble the leaf pack and compress them to install. Because of the geometry of the TTB, the suspension can be extremely "bound up" until you get the weight of the truck on it. This is a little spooky if you are used to the coil-spring Bronco / F-150 suspension. The 6" springs will need to be jacked sideways to align with the axle spring perch; this is not so bad with rubber bushings, but it gets hairy with hard polyurethane bushings.
Don't go cheapskate on the pitman arm; steering linkage alignment is a big deal on these trucks if you are planning to drive on the road at all. Dropped pitman arm is fine for 4" or 6" lift; any taller than that and you will have to get serious.
One of the most important parts in this lift are the adjustable pivot drop brackets. This truck is the third TTB lift I have done (first leaf spring TTB) and proper alignment can be difficult to get to. If your kit has drops with single, non-adjustable holes it is worth the extra cost to scrap them and get some adjustable ones. If you are making your own drops, be prepared to fabricate a few sets until you see how the truck is going to sit. The adjustable drops give you an additional place to change the camber, in case you need the ball joint shims to get the caster right. I prefer to get the alignment dialed in (in the ball-park) with stock size tires before the serious rubber goes on.
I've got Skyjacker springs on this truck; they are tall and stiff so you will need to dis-assemble the leaf pack and compress them to install. Because of the geometry of the TTB, the suspension can be extremely "bound up" until you get the weight of the truck on it. This is a little spooky if you are used to the coil-spring Bronco / F-150 suspension. The 6" springs will need to be jacked sideways to align with the axle spring perch; this is not so bad with rubber bushings, but it gets hairy with hard polyurethane bushings.
Don't go cheapskate on the pitman arm; steering linkage alignment is a big deal on these trucks if you are planning to drive on the road at all. Dropped pitman arm is fine for 4" or 6" lift; any taller than that and you will have to get serious.
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tsheriff
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Nov 19, 2003 10:21 PM
