Looking for opinions on Fabtech lifts. I'm thinking about putting the 8" radius arm on my 2005 HD. How's the ride? Thanks.

 

Anybody have a fabtech lift??

 

I can tell you one thing do not go with Pro Crap It don't fit with out a big fight to making it fit, and the ride is not the best.

But one thing I can tell you go with Blistine shocks you can not go wrong
I found the best price is on e-bay just punch in bilstine there is a fatory direct store there about half price of other stores.

I heared good thing so far about Fabtech, I also have ran Skyjacker I was very happy with Skyjacker.


Good luck

 

I have the Fabtech 8" radius arm. The only thing i've noticed is that there is much more play in the steering now. That could be a general thing with some lifted trucks though. I dont know what would help that problem either. Its actually not that bad, just took a couple days to get used to it. Very nice looking kit though.

 

I recently drove a Fabtech lifted 4-link truck and there was enough play in the steering to make me reconsider lifting mine. Do all lifted trucks do this?

 

Change the stock steering Stabilizer out thats the free play you mite be feeling I running A free cheep one that thay include in the lift kit it helps a lot.

I am running Pro Crap 6.5 inch lift running 35 BFG'S after getting eveything modified to fit it's works ok the main complant.

When I make tight turns the track bar makes a popping noise I have done just about everything I can next is to replace the stock track bar with a after market one I think the stock one under to much preload I had to load the stock track bar it was about 1 inch to short.

(The after market track bar drop bracket bolt holes don't line up I have to longate the holes to get it to fit,and had to winch the stock track bar in to place to get the holes to line up ) the ride is ok had better.
After doing all this fighting you not going to want to take it back off.

And Pro Comp uses the same Front spring for the V-8, V-10 and I think the Diesel also, Crew Cab, Super Cab And Reg Cab all these trucks have diffrent front weights on the front axe due to the engine and Cab comb you have If you like me running a Reg Cab And 5.4 Engine It has a ruffer ride than someone that running a crew cab a the heavy Diesel Engine, If you start looking at the other maufacfactures thay make diffrent springs for the diffrent set ups.

Don't make the same mistake I did I was going with Skyjacker at first untill the salesman taked me in to go with Pro Crap to save a couple hundred bucks I should spent the extra cash on a lift kit that I know works and have great ride to it.

I also am running Blistein Shocks I like them there a little bit pricey but they are worth it the best price I found is a factory direct thought e-bay just put in (bilstien ford) I come out about $60.00 a shock. Better than some places I looked at that are charging $90.00 per shock look at the add the one I order from had no shipping cost and e-bay has no tax save that cash it took a weekk for UPS to get them to me.

The way I look at it go with a shock manufacture that all they make is high perfomace shock rather than going with let say Pro Comp, Fab Tech, Ect that farms this portion out and just puts a sticker with name on them you could be getting good shock or POS with ther name on it but they will swear it good stuff.

I don't have any free play in the front end I have a better ride than stock but like I said You will have to play with the track bracket during Install to get it to fit the leaf springs dropped right in.



As for the rear end I have run Add a leaf I did not like it first It forces you'r stock springs to rearc whice can not be good for them it give you a ruff ride, I went with the blocks at least you keep the nice ride but you axle rap up can be worse unless you bonsi bob you should not ever feel the diffrence replacing the complete rear leaf is the way to go at least that what they say after I save some more cash I mite change my rear leafs out my self.

This is a 4 to 7 hour job most of ti is the front end about 1 hour fro the rear and have air tools makes life much easyer I did it in my driveway by my self I have put other lift kits on in the past the best one I have installed is Skyjacker and I know they have a nice ride to them this was in a Powere wagon, I aslo put in a Rough Country in a Toyota I had a very bad ride to it then again it's was my own fault It had multi shocks system on that light of a mini truck it had no give it beat you to death you know young and dumb and wanted the most heavy duty lift kit I could get at the time.

 

Hey blown88cpe,

Go to galleries, select 05, then F-350, then 4x4, click on lifted 05, the white one, there are two with that title. That is a Fabtech 8 inch 4 link. I have no problems with play in the steering.

 

Lots of my friends have had problems with their track bar on 05 models. Shake the steering wheel from side to side pretty hard, with the engine off. If you feel a bumping in the steering wheel, get the longest break over bar you can find, then really get down on the track bar bolt. Factory specs are not tight enough. This has solved all the play in the steering on my friends trucks.

 

I don't have any complaints on the 2005 Fabtech Radius Arm Kit 8" I did have a bit of steering play but it was resolved because the arm pitman was a bit loose. The play is non existent. As for quality ride. I have dual shock hoops with bilsteins. It's mostly for asethics but If you want a smoother ride, I suggest a single good shock, ie. bilstein,king,fox.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...=78910&width=2
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...=78909&width=2
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...=78908&width=2

 

nice truck

 

Ducster, how do you post your pictures? I can't "git 'r done"

 

Thanks Cur, nice looking truck. What do you have for the rear? Springs or blocks?

What about the 8" radius arm with the 4" Dirt Logic coil overs? Not really looking to do any extreme off roading.

 

I have the Fabtech 8" radius arm. I want to get some Bilsteins 'cause the Fabtech shocks I have are lousy. What size should I get or how do I know which ones to get? I wanna do that search on Ebay (Ford Bilstein)...But What should I look for? THX

 

I ran a 4" pro comp lift on my 99 superduty and had no installation problems or ride problems. Well I did have a ride problem due to a blown shocks so they helped me out and I upgraded to the mx-6 shocks with duals up front. everything was very nice. I also lifted my bros f-350 cc lb witht the same exact lift with absolutely no problems. I recently sold my 99 and bought a 05 cc lb deisel and already bought the pro-comp lift with mx-6 racing rezzie shocks. I hope it was as perfect as my last one. No steering wheel play in any of the lifts. My buddy has a 2001 cc sb with the v-10 and a fabtech 6" lift. Steering play and a rough ride he has it all. And thats with a single shock!! The only difference I have heard between pro-comp and fabtech is that the fabtech is a little lighter, but have no experience installing them so I cant compare in that category.

 

05 Diesel and the Procomp lift - I had the 4" Procomp on my 2000 diesel and loved it. I put the 5" Procomp Stage II system with MX6 shocks on my 2005 diesel and had a list of problems to long to possible fit on this thread. 4 wheel parts has agreed to put everything back to stock and drop it off at the dealer to have them verify that the truck is back to stock and that there will be no warranty issues. They are issuing a full refund. I am going with the Fabtech 4.0 dirt logics with radius arms ($$$$) or the Skyjacker. This will be the last time I will make that mistake again. Also, when you start doing some research and working with the tech's at Profab, you will learn that many of the parts are the same regardless if they are for a 7" or 5" kit.