i have a 1981/84 short box f100 i converted to 4x4 and swapped in a I6. I am only a kid and im new to lifting,

i have a few questions i hope someone can answer

im looking for a 3 or 4 inch lift, a little something to purk up the beast

body or suspension lift?

i know a suspension lift is better but im not going for crazy height

if i get a 3 or 4 lift would i have to changed out the front independent axle for a strait?

the truck already has a low gear ratio and it has the granny 1st four speed manual all being drivin by the invicible I6 so the the drive train is fairly tough. The truck used to plow snow.

would i need to get new axles for the front end because they are not long enough and would my drive shaft be two short?

anything elce i might run into?

any and all help is apreated

 

3-4" is 3-4", so it's not like you're going to get any crazy height just because you go with a suspension lift. Body lifts only allow you to make room for bigger meats and sometimes that extra room between the frame and the body helps make some room for repairs. You wouldn't have to swap out the TTB front axle (the early version kinda of IFS). However, repairs and lifts are generally more expensive for TTB's and are generally weaker than straight axles. So if you ever plan on going bigger than 37" tires or doing hard core wheeling, I'd advise stepping up to a straight axle, if not you'll be fine. It does sound like you have a pretty good start to the drivetrain, but I have to ask, what exactly is your gear ratio, and what size tire are you planning on going with. The reason I ask is because if you go with too big of a tire your truck will become extremely sluggish because the overall effective ratio has been lowered. If you have 4.10's and stick to a tire under 35's you'll be good. At 4" your d-shafts should be fine unless you're planning on extreme twists and travel. You are probably going to want to extend linkages and lines so they still have some slack. Hope this helped.

 

If you plan pushing snow after the lift.... Then i suggest to sas... Very popular amongst the plow guys...

 

i really have know idea what the ratio is. when i put together the 9 inch, i noticed the unit i pulled out was very week, it looked as though for every 3 teeth there were on the f100s gears, there was one tooth on the unit i put in

max speed for 3rd gear is about 40 km/h and top speed in 4th is around 90 if i push it hard i dont know if this helps finding out the ratio(with 31 inch tires).

as for a solid front axle i would love to put one in, i could be very soon be putting a h.o. couger engin in a f150 i might steal the 351w in it and put it in my truck, but i love the I6 and the winsor... so i dont know about that, i thought i should put a soild axle in while i was swapping the engine.

wouldent that be sweet soild axle I6 4speed and a 9inch(i might throw a locker at it wile im at it) and some 33-35 inch tires, that truck could live to see the end of the world and more!(its a short box btw)

im not going to be driving to toronto or driving up mountains with it but i will be bombing around the contry side rippin through mudd holes and blazing trails

thanks very much for the help

 

ya your driveline is fine with 4" but like stated you are probably gonna want to extend you lines better to have too much then too little...33-35s are alright to put on TTB unless your crawling over boulders the size of your house or mud over the hood

here is a good site plug in some numbers and find your axle ratio or anything else for that matter
Gear Calculator

 

If your just a kid and your new to lifting, then your new to 4x4ing most likely.

So quit planning for the future, it will come...in the future. Throw a 3" body lift in it, add some 33s and go have some fun and see what you like before you spend a bunch of money on your truck.
You should be able to find a set of used 33s for a couple hundred bucks and body lifts are cheap.

 

i might be a kid but im not new to off roading. i have all ready gone through that stage and i found in my adventures that i need more ground clearance i cant put any bigger size tires than 31 on it stock or ill ripp and rubb them into nothing. After looking around this fourm and asking people who know what there doing, i have relised what i should do. so ill spend altile more money and time to build somthing that will last forever rather than waisting it on some tires that wont fit and lift that wont give me clearance.

thanks for the help everyone i now know what im going to do

 

im not intending to insult you man dont take it wrong...and dont think Im praising body lifts as the holy grail to lifted trucks lol. I was just throwing and idea out there to help you get out baggin through the bush.


Good luck with your truck.

 

oh and BTW my '80 bronco, back in the day...ran 33s on stock suspension and the only time i banged the fender with em was when I was cranked right to the lock and hit a bump.

 

Well im glad you have done your research!
Any more questions you might like covered?

 

Also im running 37"s on my ttb... While i have been told that is about as much as it is gunna take, it has stood up so far... I do have an sas along with some "other" things planned for it in the near future...

But just for reference my ttb has held up to my lead foot and 37"s....

 

one last question what brand of lift kit would you guys recomend?
Tuff country Rough country Skyjaker? any others?

 

skyjacker....

Or you could go with shackle flip rear and reversal? in the front....
should net about 3-4" search sky manufacturing for their website...

 

depends what youre looking to spend, and do again...

rough country are cheap, and not so sturdy but they will get it up for you...so thats at the bottom of the list.
One at the top of the list will have a full new rear leaf pack and extended radius arms, but will cost much much more.

I would reccomend flipping the shackle on the rear, its not complicated at all and will get the back up enough to level it out with whatever you use for the front.
Find a kit that offers new pivot brackets for the front, some kits just offer a plate to bolt your old pivot to, to drop it down.

 

coil sprung front cant get a shackle reversal.