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Wanting to lift the flareside a tad, I tried the search and couldn't find what i needed. I see BDS has a lift kit and so does rough country, but can anyone tell me the difference between the 2? And shocks? are the ones that come with the kit any good or should I go Ranch RS5000x or Bilsteins? Wanting a 4 inch lift and if anyone has a level to 6 inch for reference that'll be great. Needs to look proportional with her hips but not too high, I think I settled on 4in but want ideas. She sits on 32s but wanting 33 or 35 with NO trimming don't want to mutilate her
What model number kits are you looking at? Can you give us some links? Usually the more you pay, the more you get. 4 Inch lift minimum requires longer shocks, moving the brake lines, dropped pitman arm, taller front springs, dropped radius arm brackets and blocks for the rear. Then you get into options like rear lift springs instead of blocks, longer brake lines instead of moving the brackets, etc. Some kits do not include the dropped pitman arm.
Since you have a short wheelbase truck I would not use a 6 inch lift. With a 4 inch you might need shims in the rear and some driveshaft work.
I found it pretty easy to install and it lifts the front a bit more, leveling it off. It comes with everything you need for a good price. It rides alright, didn't notice much of a difference, and very little roll IMO.
Just as a warning, I installed the back blocks overnight without any sleep, and didn't realize the slight angle on them, so when I installed them the driveshaft to pinion angle caused some growling and a lose pinion. I flipped them over and tightened my pinion nut with no more problems.
Driveshafts needed lengthening. I ordered extended front brake lines (the back shouldn't need it) but I couldn't get the old ones off without cutting them, they are probably factory. So I just unclipped them off the frame and left them to give it more slack.
They also sent me the main nuts and bolts, and they didn't match. Rough Country never even answered me back. Every project has it's setbacks, those were mine so you can avoid them. Still overall good for the price.
I've been thinking through lifts as well. In the end I'm not planning one for my truck as I want to stay with the "stock / slightly upgraded look" but here are some thoughts:
I agree with Franklin that a 6 inch lift is a bit high on our trucks if you're going for looks, capability and road-ability. I like the look of the 3 and 4 inch lifts but it's admittedly a matter of taste. Here's one of my favorite "stance" pics, this is a 3" body lift with 33s (4" suspension would be similar of course)
They don't come with rear springs... but take a look at Deaver rear leafs. They aren't for heavy load carrying but if you want compliance at speed, the desert guys run these. They have springs that will lift 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 inches for our trucks and I believe they can do special orders for whatever lift you want.
The Bilsteins are really a good shock option. I used to work in Performance Rally circles, and many of the production cars would run them.
Here is a picture of my 80 F-250 with a 4" lift on 35" tires. It's a rough country lift. Came with shocks,pitman drop arm.
did your truck come with those cabs lights or did you purchase them after market? if you bought them after market where did you get them and did they run you expensive
Back in about '99 I put about a 3" lift on my '95 F-150 SCSB. Sorry, I don't recall the brand. It included extended radius arms, drop brackets for the swing arms, springs and shocks for the front, and lift blocks and shocks for the rear. It did not include a dropped pitman arm but I ended up having to get one. I know I had to do something with the brake lines, but I don't recall if I got longer ones or relocated them. I did not have to do anything with my driveshafts.
The guy that started this thread with the shortbed red truck might have to investigate a modified Bronco driveshaft. I believe they have the double cardan joint on the Bronco shaft. My stock rear shaft works fine also with the 4 inch lift but I have a 8ft bed.
As far as ride, a lifted truck is going to ride rougher than a stock truck. On a f250/350 it's because of the stiffer lift leaf springs in the front. A f150 with the coils shouldn't ride too bad but what makes them all ride rough is the larger rims and tires. Those big tires are heavy and when they bounce over a bump it shakes the truck pretty good.
It's all about the ratio of unsprung to sprung weight. Sprung weight is the frame and body. Unsprung weight is the axles and tires/rims. A good example of this ratio is actually a pickup truck;
A unloaded pickup truck has a bad sprung to unsprung weight ratio. The rear axle and springs are heavy relative to the rear frame and empty bed. Empty pickups do not have a good ride.
A loaded pickup has a very good ratio. You have the same axle and spring weight, but with a full load of firewood, the frame and bed are much heavier than the axle and springs. A pickup with a load of wood on it has a very smooth ride.
If you look under a Lincoln Town car you will find a very heavy car with a very light suspension made of forged aluminum arms, aluminum rims, and disc brakes all around which are lighter than drum brakes.
I had a 94 F-150 with a 4" lift. The ride wasn't too bad. It was an ext cab with a short bed. The only thing I STRONGLY RECCOMMEND is to replace the pivot bearing when you add the lift. The truck developed a death wobble after several years. It wasn't replaced when the lift was done. Otherwise it will be a lifted truck, and will ride a lot different.
The cab lights were original to the truck. I've since replaced with clear lenses and green LED's
I have a standard cab short box truck like you (same truck... just a bit newer model) I put the 4" lift on this truck 16 years ago (2000) It was a Rough Country lift with shocks. Stock brake lines, as well as the stock length driveshafts. Never any problems through all these years with the lift or any components on the truck. It rides pretty decent. So as it sits in the picture... 4" lift with 31x10.5x15" tires on factory wheels. This summer I'm switching out the stock 7" (?) wheels to a 10" wide wheel.
When I had my '83, I put a 4" Pro Comp lift on it from Summit Racing. Came with EVERYTHING. Springs, shocks, pitman arm, fabbed radius arms, braided brake hoses, beam brackets, very good instructions. I knew it wasn't a top-of-the-line kit, but I was very impressed with the quality of the parts, welding, fit and finish. It went almost flawlessly (except I found out my front cross-member was bent a little). The truck rode really nice and handled great yet. For some reason that truck always rode nice and smooth. Also had 33-12.5 tires on it with absolutely no clearance issues.
I'll have to check out that Pro Comp kit, Is it better then the Jeeps kits? My dad had one on his YJ and I wasn't super impressed with it. I'm still wondering with the drive-shaft talk, is it necessary to some work on it? Still confused on that part
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