Looking to purchase a F350 Crew 4X4 shortbox FX4 (loaded)(gave up on 1978 crew). Now here is the question as many of you are fimiliar with the Hulst Customs "Striker" F350 that is "slammed" of course it is a 4X2. I would like information (as I have sent them an email yet to respond)on lowering 4X4 (needed to pull out of boat slips) not that low but at least four to five inches. Just trying to achieve a slightly lowered 4x2 but still allow for a 4x4. Thanks for any help

 

"Not low, 4-5"s"............Get the flame suit on buddy!!!




My opinion, no 4x4 anywhere at any time should be lowered, ever. Lifted, hell yeah!!!!!


Good luck with your search.

 

Hmmmmmmm well thanks but since you typed it let me ask. To what advantage does lifting your truck do. I mean for the average person who uses the truck on the road what real advantage is there? Higher center of gravity so you have an unsafe truck. Burns more gas because it is more in the wind plus no doubt you put bigger tires and springs and shocks all add weight. You can't park in a parking garage or the normal home garage and on and on and on. Now the lowered truck, all is better. I am not speaking of slammed low in the weeds as that corny saying goes but just taking the gap out of wheel opening. The tire aspect ratio is kept to keep the ground clearance (ground to bottom of diff) the same. For what I will be using the truck a lowered 4X4 is just perfect. But again thanks all the same.
Low the way to go...high, why?

 

lower a truck? buy a ranger? and if i were in the market for a low truck i woudlnt buy one that was lifted. id just buy one that is stock

 

Lifted truck on the road, I'll be honest (heck there's one in my driveway right now) not any advantage on the raod except for maybe a vision advantage, and freeway intimidation, hehe. Unsafe? Any vehicle can be unsafe, it depends on the driver.

Lifting a 4x is just the way I've always seen any ride height changes to a 4x. I've read alot of mags and seen a lot of trucks, I just don't recall ever seeing anyone drop a 4 wheel drive truck. Either that or I never paid enough attention.

Maybe buy a Chevy/Gmc they already start life pretty low (in more ways than one).

If you want to lower a truck (any truck) your much better off starting with a two wheel drive truck since you don't have to deal with the front drive axle. I know you want the use of 4wd and to be lowered but getting the drive shaft angle and caster, etc all in a usable range could be a problem since you'd be trying to do something to a truck that's going to have probably no (I could be wrong) aftermarket support.

I would say if your heart is set on lowering an Sduty get a 2wheeler, it'll have (correct me if I'm wrong here some one, I don't think I've ever seen one hear in ND ) the twin I-beam front end and people have been lowering those for a long time. Need to get up that slippery boat ramp, maybe a selectable ARB locker in the back would do the trick?

 

Thanks for the idea of a "locker" for the rear. Have been searching info and nope no one has anything to lower a 4X4. It is an odd order. I have contacted Hulst Customs and it appears they are going to attempt to lower a new F350 4X4 for the 2009 SEMA show. Yeah a lot of work will need to take place for drive train angles and issues (same as a lifted truck when it all start many moons ago). Someone must think its okay...heck DJM makes a kit for the F150 4X4 so how about it. NOT everyone needs to be in the air about a 4X4.

 

I'm sure I saw a lowered 4x4 in a magazine a year or two ago. I think it was diesel power mag. The guy lowered it for highway towing, and used the 4x4 for slick boat ramps, just like you are planning.

I don't have a link to the article.

 

Your biggest problems with trying to lower a Superduty 4x4 will be the clearance between the front axle housing and the crossmember and framerails.

When you are dealing with a solid front axle there is not much room to lower it and still have any suspension that works. The F-150 doesn't have a solid front axle so it can lowered even if it is a 4x4.

 

Well the idea seems simple enough and I understand the problems with getting this done. I think I will venture a guess that the locker will be a viable option. Or just wait it out to see what shows up at the SEMA 2009 show if Hulst Custom gets one together. Thanks for all of the comments. So lets move on to the locker thing or should this be picked up in another thread?

 

4x4 can only be lowered 2 to 3 inches in the front, max. I had a local shop that was going to do that for me.

I decided against buying the low pro alcoa's, and went with the 22.5 setup. Put your money into a 255, 70 22.5 alcoa set up, and you don't need to lower it to fill the fender gap, and it looks frigging awesome.