thinking of adding a lift kit
 

Hi every one I was on the internet tonight and reading about lift kits I want to put a 4" suspension lift on my 1981 F-150 4x4 is there alot of drillling and grind involved in the job the kind I am leaning torwd is a rough country 4" kit Has anyone installed a lift kit from them or any other kit for that matter. just give me a heads up on what I am about to get in too.

one more thing is a suspenion lift better than a body lift?

A suspension lift is WAY better than a body lift. Im in the process of putting my Rough Country 4" lift kit on my 86 F150 right now. I have only put the back on now, and Im getting ready to do the front. The back was easy and there was no drilling or cutting. But the front is where the drilling and fabbing is I think. One more thing is that if you go with the upgraded shocks just because of the cool NITRO 9000 sticker, they dont make them any more.
Hope this helps
Blake

You shouldn't need to do any fabricating on the front if you got a complete kit. The lift kit includes drop down brackets for the front axle. The only thing that might need to be worked on are the radius arm brackets. If you got extended ones, then you just grind the heads off the existing rivets, punch them out and replace them with grade 8 nuts and bolts when you put the new ones on.

If rough country is anything like my skyjacker kit then all you have to do besides moving the radius arm brackets is drill a few holes in the engine cradle. I think that is what it is called. The pan that runs between the two frame rails and under the oil pan. Anyway, if you get one get the extended radius arms if it is in your budget, looks way cooler. and I got rear leafs instead of blocks. My kit has the holes in the bracket for either the 4 or 6 in lift. I think the only difference is the length of the coil spring.

[QUOTE=1980FORD]If rough country is anything like my skyjacker kit then all you have to do besides moving the radius arm brackets is drill a few holes in the engine cradle. I think that is what it is called. The pan that runs between the two frame rails and under the oil pan. [QUOTE]

That'd be the engine crossmember. It ties the frame together.

Cool thanks. Wasn't sure about that. Didn't know how else to explain it.

so what your saying is it is a easy kit to install because I never installed one before. and about the extended radious arms do you get those from rouch country or can you get those at your local auto parts store?and about the drilling is it self explanitory about where to drill like in stall hold up and drill where the holes are or what?

ford1980 did you get pics of your truck yet I would really like to see the truck.
here is my e-mail www.sckootter578@zoominternet.net

Pretty much. I never installed one before and I found it to be easy. It is a little intimidating because you have to drop the whole front axle but rest easy my friend. Not at all difficult. All I did to drill the holes I needed was clamp the bracket on and center punch where the holes needed to be and drilled away. The extended radius arms come with most stage 2 kits and as far as I know you can not get them at a parts store. I will take some pics of what my stuff all looks like but don't laugh because it is a work in progress. Send them to you via email either tonight or tomorrow.

sent those pics, but let me know if you got them. They were a little dark but the best I could do tonight. Truck has no motor or trans in it right now so cant be moved out in the sunshine.

yeah I got those pics nice ride