Why didn't Ford build it from the factory with the shackles the other way?

 

Probably did not know. Then got it from us back yard mechanics and mud boggers. Stuff like that dose happen. Just look what happened to Harley Davidson.

 

mine was great off road smoother and when it junped it landed softer. it was great.

 

crash1, you have good tastes, not only do you have a psd but I believe I spy a J-series p/u in the background of your pic!!

 

I'm sorry everyone has there probs. lol ... no but thats gone now.

 

i said i wasnt sure about the offroad advice, i remembered reading somewhere that there is some front end conversion that isnt recomended because of slip yokes in the shaft but i said i wasnt sure if it was the rsk or not.

as for the ride and actual offroad performance i cant see how a stock superduty spring will perform at the same level offroad as an actual lift kit would. you only have 2 leaves there, it cant give the same ride and flex that a lift kit spring would. they werent designed for it. the old body style trucks are incredible offroad. i took my old truck to all the places that the built up jeep guys went except the rock creek, i had no spare tires and didnt want to risk a blowout. i went everywhere they did at a serious offroad park with pictures and video to prove that these trucks are mean offroad machines. My old truck also ran stock springs front and rear with sway bars front and rear. it had no give in it at all but with nothing more then a 3 inch body lift and 35 inch bfg mt's it was unstoppable........until i had mud and water over the hood.......that was the only time.....you've seen the flex i can get from my springs and still keep 3 tires on flat ground only using 2wd. when i see a rsk kit do that then i will be a believer, until then i stand my ground on performance offroad.

i am not arguing that the on road ride wont be improved, i am sure that it is, the concept is there. i am saying that if you want a better ride and a lift then go with an actual lift kit. it isnt that much more money then all the components in an rsk mod and i feel that the lift kit is a better choice, but now we get into opinions.....lol

 

Im kind of confused, so you had stock leafs on this older truck,with a 3 inch body lift. After you installed the body lift the stock springs could flex more? I don't see what the difference is between a RSK and a body lift in that your still using the stock springs.

I can understand what you are saying about the super duty springs, but when I stared this thread I thought you had to use SD springs for the RSK to work, now that I know you don't have to, I think I would stick to the stockers. Im young, I don't need a good ride.

 

sorry for the confusion, my old truck was bone stock with a 3 inch bodylift and 35 inch tires. it had NO flex but i could take it everywhere the modified jeep's went. my point was to show that the OBS trucks were good offroad vehicles. that truck has nothing to do with the rsk kits, i brought it up in response to the quote that obs springs are no good in hardcore offroad. the lack of flex lead to lots of creeks and pops and many times i had one tire way off the ground but i never had to get pulled out of anything and i went on all of the advanced trails and mudpits right with the jeep crews. they were all impressed with the truck as was i.

even using the stock springs with an rsk you will get a better ride since the pivot point is moved to behind the axle. i have never actually put one on a truck so i cant speak for install and parts used. Yes, they will ride better with the rsk but its my opinion that if you are going to spend the money then buy a lift kit. but again thats only my opinion.

 

Coon I am sure you have a lot more experience with off roading than me but listen to what I am saying. With the shackle up front hitting a large bump will cause a opposing force because the spring must move forward as it compresses. The spring compresses, moves forward along with the axle and tire. Not a good thing for the tire to move forward when it is hitting a big bump.
It is better for the tire to move backward and up as it hits a large bump hence the rsk. Now the front drive shaft that is two piece was set up to have the axle move forward so with a rsk you have to make sure that when the axle moves back things don't bind. It looks to me that the RSK was made with off road in mind and with a good set of lift springs I am sure that combination cant be beat.

 

how much lift does an rsk give with no other mods? and i never said having an rsk with a lift wouldnt be better, but we are talking soley about doing the rsk with stock springs, whether its stock obs or stock superduty,

 

and also how do you account for the twin traction setup on the 250's?

 

You never said it wouldn't be better but you and rubberduck said you would ditch the rsk and stock spring for just lift springs without mentioning the added benefit of the rsk. A very important thing IMO for off Roading. And IMO RSK was not ment for lift but you do get some because of the mod

Can you elaborate on that remark?

 

So what do you think of it around here.Great hu. A simple question and you wind up with a wealth of information and opinions to draw on. O yea if you do the rsk you can add lift springs latter and bigger tires. What gears do you have in your axle? And one more thing, Welcome to the club!!

 

I know you and I don't agree on this but DITCH IT! Its junk! RSK isn't an option for the TTB unless you do pivot brackets.

On a stock 350 you see about 2-3 inches of lift when doing the RSK. Another advantage to the RSK that Scatgo talked about is that you can still put lift springs on it you just use SD lift springs.

 

Sorry, but TTB? Are you talking about the dana 44 and 50? TTB?