one of the local kids stopped by with his "new" truck
96 F-150 4X4 shortbed.
it has a skyjacker lift on it, and a 3 inch body lift. 35X14.5X15 micky thompson tires.
i have a few questions for you F-150 guys.
my recommendations so far:
the body lift is going.
the front bumper is getting trimmed.
the tires are going for a set of 34X11.5 X15's.
i have a question on the lift. it seems to me like the radius arms are 2 inches too short. what do you think?


the springs should be straight up and down, rite? these are kicked back around 2 inches.


the shocks should not be touching the sway bar links, rite? if i move the axle forward 2 inches, they will clear, rite?



on edit:
just thinking about this, is it possible the radius arm drop brackets were put on the wrong sides?
it seems like they are facing back and if flipped to the other side they would face forward, moving the axle forward.

 

I would think it need's to go forward atleast 2-3" but i see what your saying with the radius arm's... try it!

 

Looks like the radius arms are at least 2-3" too short and appear to be ghetto fab-ulous.

It also looks like this truck was intended to have either a sway bar or dual shocks, not both. Id ditch the forward shock as its completely unnecessary.

Take those screw in spring spacers out.

 

the brackets are the same way as the truck i just picked up is....

 

Take the sway bars off while you're at it. They're for sissies.

 

I'd try flipping the radius arm drop brackets around. Although I don't know how well that's gonna work cos the frame bends up right there.

P4, you run stuff without sway bars? I been thinking about ditching my front, keeping my rear for towing

 

that's not Toms little buddies problem

Yup.

What model truck?

 

I thought he was saying that there were aftermarket radius arm brackets on there. My b

Its a '78 F250 4x4, front add-a-leaf

 

You don't need sway bars on that truck front or rear

 

LOL good to know

 

i am assuming they are aftermarket radius arm brackets, they are bolted in and look like they are set up for the drop of the lift.

but i know nothing about coil spring trucks, so that is the reason for asking.

 

Tom,

Move radius drop brackets forward. Use front bottom frame hole in rear hole on the bracket n drill new ones.

Move sway bar mount forward.


And swap the end links side to side n flip upside down so not drop brackets needed on the sway bar mounts.




And like said, I think the front shocks could go in the trash.

 

hey Larry, can you crawl under your new 150 and measure the radius arm from drop bracket to axle for me?
you do not have to use aftermarket arms with a lift, rite? the stock arms will work with a lift?

 

Ill go grab some measurement's and picture's in a few minutes

 

Measure's 21" from backside of the Radius arm bracket to the backside of the axle tube.

Pic:



Driver side bracket:



Passenger side bracket:



Passenger side Spring: