The time when i will be Buying either a 6" Lift or 8" Lift is Near...

My Truck is a '91 F-150 4x4 with a 351w, The front Axle is a Stock 44ifs and the rear is an 8.8, With the 6" Lift i would be Running 36" Tires, Probably Hawgs, If i went with the 8" Lift i would be getting 37"-38" Hawgs. Ive been told the little old 44ifs cant take the 38's that Well but this truck will Only see mild Off roading which will include Tiny Mud Bog's and just throwing Roosts.. Nothing like Climbing or anything that most people will do with 36-38" Tires. Mostly the Lift and Tires will be "Piece of mind" knowing i can Hop off road into Mild mud and get back all right w/o needing a Tow Strap.

I would no Doubt get an 8" Lift and 2" body to fit 40's but if some say that the 44 wont take even little old 38's then i wouldnt even think of 40's (It would be great though).... The Axle is the only thing holding me back from going with the 38's..

My 351 has 186,000 on original Everything, Yet its not totally Tired, Its able to smoke almost anyother truck on the highway & alot of cars. Its running a Highflow Y cat with a 2.5" Pipe out the Side and its loud, I can feel the truck has Great Power for its Age, Yet im wondering if the engine will take the 38's?

I know its always been my Dream to fix this Truck up like this, The tallest 150 we have locally is Sitting on a 6" & 2" running 37 or 38" Boggers with the stock 44 IFS. Now im not worried about Gas Mileage, So will i want to switch out Gears really soon? If i will be driveing alot on the highway will i want to keep the stock Gears and just drop the tranny into 2nd when im off Road?

I know, Alot of Questions but i need to make sure im doing the Right thing..

 

I would think the axle would handle 38's put I would baby it because those spindles are pretty light. I wouldn't do anything stupid on the asphalt though. Those 4 wheel burnouts are hard on parts

 

>The time when i will be Buying either a 6" Lift or 8" Lift
>is Near...


there is such a thing as overkill. don't let me stop you from doing what you want, but you can go anywhere with a 6 in lift that you could with an 8, esp. since you're only doing occaisional off roading. i totally understand wanted to one-up the other guy, but be practical. driving skill is more impressive than truck height.

>My Truck is a '91 F-150 4x4 with a 351w, The front Axle is a
>Stock 44ifs and the rear is an 8.8, With the 6" Lift i would
>be Running 36" Tires, Probably Hawgs, If i went with the 8"
>Lift i would be getting 37"-38" Hawgs. Ive been told the
>little old 44ifs cant take the 38's that Well

my d-44 handled 38's just fine. keep in mind 36's are much more easy to find and easier on the pocketbook. also, you'll have trouble finding a shop to mount anything bigger than a 35" unless you go somewhere dealing w/agri. or semis.

>but this truck
>will Only see mild Off roading which will include Tiny Mud
>Bog's and just throwing Roosts.. Nothing like Climbing or
>anything that most people will do with 36-38" Tires. Mostly
>the Lift and Tires will be "Piece of mind" knowing i can Hop
>off road into Mild mud and get back all right w/o needing a
>Tow Strap.
>
>I would no Doubt get an 8" Lift and 2" body to fit 40's but
>if some say that the 44 wont take even little old 38's then
>i wouldnt even think of 40's (It would be great though)....
>The Axle is the only thing holding me back from going with
>the 38's..

the axle 'should' be fine. buying radial tires will improve handling and will perform about the same. they also last a lot longer, naturally. 36's would treat your axle better, but if you break it, that only means you get to work on it, and what's wrong w/that?

>My 351 has 186,000 on original Everything, Yet its not
>totally Tired, Its able to smoke almost anyother truck on
>the highway & alot of cars. Its running a Highflow Y cat
>with a 2.5" Pipe out the Side and its loud, I can feel the
>truck has Great Power for its Age, Yet im wondering if the
>engine will take the 38's?

with that amount of miles and the fun you're anticipating, keep an eye on the papers for another truck. i know it's a ford, but all good things come to an end....and then we rebuild them
>
>I know its always been my Dream to fix this Truck up like
>this, The tallest 150 we have locally is Sitting on a 6" &
>2" running 37 or 38" Boggers with the stock 44 IFS. Now im
>not worried about Gas Mileage, So will i want to switch out
>Gears really soon? If i will be driveing alot on the highway
>will i want to keep the stock Gears and just drop the tranny
>into 2nd when im off Road?

first of all, a body lift will do nothing but raise your center of gravity and make turning that much more dangerous. your axle will still be the same distance off the ground, and to my knowledge that's what matters. gears...be gentle to them on the road is all i can say, i have no experience and i still don't understand ratios yet. there are lots of other posts about that stuff. 2nd gear is good for offroad, i learned that from the 4x4 guide that came w/my bronco...how cool is ford for that??
>
>I know, Alot of Questions but i need to make sure im doing
>the Right thing..

I hear you there. don't be afeerd to ask, we love talkin trucks.

 

i dont know about building a truck that big (but dont lisdten to me i build off road racing trucks), but what i will say is build it as big as you whant and then drive it till it breaks! I would just be tempted to have a Dana 50 and a 9" axles on stand by in case you start busting axles, but one thing to consider, in my exp. the rear axles are alsmost more prone to breakage than the front, especially whith ifs becouse they are not load bearing so most the stress will be transfered to the frame. But i realy dont think youll run into problems whith the D44, its a stout enough axle what i would be worried about is that 8.8" rear.

 

Thanks...

Ive decided to go with a 6" and maby some 36" Tires, Mainly because the 8" Lift only comes with Radius arm drop brackets and not all new Arms like i thought it came with..

Later

 

77fromheaven

I wasnt going for overkill, (well maby) but ive read all the posts from people on the sight saying that they went back after buying the 4" and got the 6" then a Body lift and all that Crap... I figured i would get the biggest a can the First time so i wouldnt have to do it bigger in the near Future..

Thanks

 

Hi-

ANY kind of lift raises your center of gravity.

Tires are the ONLY thing that will get your axles higher off the ground.

 

IMO you're better off with a 6" suspension and 2-3" body lift. The 8" kit on an IFS worries me. Those axle pivot brackets have to be pretty long and the longer they are the weaker they are. I havn't talking to anyone with the 8" kit but it worries me. Also, a little D44 is rated for a maximum of a 35" tire. Past that and you'll break parts, who wants to take it easy????


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Check out my Gallery for a look-see.


Justin - One Happy FTE Member

 

Ive broken Parts with my 32" BFG AT's & will always Break parts no Matter what size tires im Running. I Decided to go with 6" over the 8" because like i said the kit only Comes with Radius Arm Drop brackets but my Radius arms are already bent after alittle offroad adventure last week so i really have to have new radius arms, When i found out the kit comes with No radius arms it was taken off the list... Considering its $100 More and it only comes with Drop brackets plus i have to get a New drive shaft... Its just not worth it. I myself will never mess with a Body lift unless i would happen to not like the way the 36" Tires look under the 6" Lift but the Body lift is the last thing i will ever do for clearance..

Later