Im not to sure where to start...

But i will first start with what I have... then what im doing... then to the question.

I have a 1999 Ford F-250 SD Extended Cab V10 Automatic trany.

What im doing is putting on a lift, at first i thought this would be an easy thing.
Im putting on a fabtech 8" lift and then putting on 38" tires. With that i was told to put on a better power steering unit and so that im doing. A shop is putting this stuff on for me.

The shop has offered this oppinion... With the larger tires there will be a loss of percieved power. And to combat this the suggestions have been, to add maybe a intake and exhaust upgrade, a computer chip control thing a ma bob, change out the rear gears.

Also they have suggested on handling options to think about are steering stabilizers, multi shocks per wheel.

Now after that they told me of an approx price to change the gears would be about 2000 bucks, so before i spent that i was wondering what the benefits would be and what gears i should go for.

The shop has suggested to go from the 3.73 im currently using to 4.56... I mentioned this in my local chaper forum and another oppinion came up to use is 5.13 or even 5.38 so im kinda wondering what the general oppinion here would be to use?

And also what the pros and cons are?
Like will it give me more torque, quicker starts, higher top end, lower top end, kinda what will this be doing for me.

This is my first attempt at vehicle alterations so im kinda blind, i know how to fix what breaks, just not knowing what effects the changes have.

And also are all these upgrades necessary to make a good all around rig or can i still use my truck with out doing these, or which one should be done first.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.

Dave

 

Going to that size tire you will need to regear or your off the line acceleration would be terrable! Acceleration alone would suck, so depending on how much off road use you do, and how much interstate driving you do I'd say 4.88 gears would be the best inbetween choice, but if you tell me how much hwy or off road use you do, then you might even want to get the 4.56 or 5.13s, but no lower or higher.

A exhaust and intake would help alittle, but not a whole lot. IF you want to do one or the other, the exhaust would be more worth it.

A programer or a chip like the edge or somthing similar would help, b/c you could also reset the speedo with it to correct the tire size change to give you a accurate speed so the cops don't get ya.

A steering stabalizer might be worth it, but more than one shock per wheel is just a scam. They will actually start to make the ride rougher the more you put.

A bigger power steering unit could help, but it might not be needed, but you could do a cross over steering to take some of the strain off off the power steering, and if you wanted you could put a (the name skips my mind right now), small radiator for the power steering( basically a power steering cooler like a transmission cooler which is also somthing to consider if the truck doesn't already have one, but it isn't needed either). IF you get a edge it will show you transmission temps and if you feel they get to high then the tranny cooler should be considered.

Good luck, and try not to go broke doing it.