1981 lift questions
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1981 lift questions
i rcently bought a 1981 ford f150 4x4 standard cab with a inline 6...i just rebuilt the entire motor. I have a 4 speed with the granny low. im wondering if it would be wise to put a 6 inch suspension with a 3 inch body nad 38's or leave it at a 4 inch sus[ension with a 3 inch body with 38's....and will my stock gears and drive shaft lenght work with this?....please help.....i wont be using this truck for nomore then a daily driver thats sky high....im not a mudding type of guy....i have a 2003 f250...and im a diesal performance goorew...i just need help deciding if this is right for me or not.....
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Muskegon, MI (home)
You should be able to fit 38s with 4/3 lift, I think they would fit better if you had 6" suspension lift. As far as I know your stock drive shafts should be fine. You may want to do a gear swap, 38s are huge compared to what came on the truck brand new. I would bet you have 3.08s... 3.55s at best for stock gears. For 38s I would go with 4.88s or 5.13s with that 300 six set up. I am running 33s with 4.10s in my 84 with the six cylinder, it's geared a tad low for highway but has plenty of grunt for pulling and off roading. What brand of 4" lift do you have on there? Most 4" kits out there use brackets drilled for 4 and 6 inch lift. If your TTB brackets are set up that way all you need is 6" front springs and rear springs or lift blocks, and of course extended brake lines.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Billings Montana
Don't use a body lift!!!! I watched my buddy in his Jeep with a 3" body lift hit a partially buried log lying across the road and the Jeep stopped, it's just too bad the body didn't. It shifted forward about a foot when the bolts snapped and oh my, my, my, the damage it did.
Stick with the suspension lift. IIRC, with a 4" lift, you can fit up to 36's no problem and with a 6" lift, you can fit 38's. But with a 6" lift, it's a good idea to have your driveshaft modified. And Pkupman82 is right, change out the stock gears for some 4.56's or lower. Otherwise, you won't be able to leave a stop light at half the speed of smell.
Stick with the suspension lift. IIRC, with a 4" lift, you can fit up to 36's no problem and with a 6" lift, you can fit 38's. But with a 6" lift, it's a good idea to have your driveshaft modified. And Pkupman82 is right, change out the stock gears for some 4.56's or lower. Otherwise, you won't be able to leave a stop light at half the speed of smell.
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well i appreciate yall's input....i know the body lift is bad idea....but the shape the truck in...i should just go ahead and cut the front fenders cuz i have a flat bed i can modify.....and **** if i put 4:88's or 5:10's ....i can imagine the power in granny low...lol...its a cheap lift, a rough country..ill be getting the one with the rear springs....but as i said before....its jsut gonna be for a little fun...no major pulling or mudding...
