Well I have a 89 F-150, but I would like to start toying with it like I do all my vehicles. I have new OEM type suspension stuff, but it seems pretty weak. I think I blew the front shocks out in a month. Anyway.... its' a 2WD, and there really isn't much in the way for suspension kits for the 2WD, mostly 4x4. Is it worth it to find / buy a 4x4 setup, or just get a parts truck maybe? (If I can find one?!) What models will fit? I would imagine my axles and all would have to go?


I was also thinking of just leaving it a 2WD, but getting a leveling kit, and another leaf in the rear. Anyone have pictures of something similar? Mine is sitting awful low in the front.






I would like to see 31 or 33 inch tires on it, but not sure how much I would have to pick the front end up, to allow for enough suspension travel. My wheels look like they are 9" wide, and I wasn't sure how wide of a tire I can go either? 31x10.5x15 ? This motor runs perfect, although I'd love to put a cam in her. I beat on this truck like it owes me money, but hey its a truck right? It gets a lot of use at the jobsite hauling stuff, and I simply think I have too much weight for the stock suspension to handle.

Also, I have some ford service manuals on CD, but not 89.. The earliest year I have close to it in a 1992. How similar are the trucks between the 2 years?

 

That suspension isn't weak - it's just sensitive to worn bushings. Any '80-96 D44IFS (TTB) will swap under there & work fine, and it's easy to convert the rear to ride like factory 4WD, but it's not worth all the work - it's too cheap & easy to find a similar 4WD truck and start with THAT.

If you want that engine to KEEP running great, don't mess with it. Do good maintenance, and keep it stock. Mine has over 350Kmi & at least 2 good hard wrecks on it, and it runs better than many newer engines.

There are FAR fewer differences between your '89 & a '92 than their similarities. The differences are pretty much what you can see:
Front clip
Dash shape
Wiring connectors (but the circuits are virtually identical)
Fuel pump system

 

Well, let me ask you this. Would it sit, that low, if the only worn bushings I have left, are the ones for the radius arm's. Didn't feel like peeling the entire front end off, just to do those.. But there is definately play. The rest are poly, and my inner and outer tie rods are new, drag link.. all that is new.
If I replace those, how much higher do you think it would get. I seen another truck like mine side by side. His front is higher, but his rear is lower. And I KNOW i had more weight in it today...(had all my tools back there). His bed was empty.


Anyway, where is a good place to look for kits to raise them? Should I, or can I use the front leveling kit, WITH the susupension lift kits?

 

You don't have to "peel the entire front end off". Some people (like me) use a come-along or jack to pull the beams forward enough to get the front bushings off the radius arms. But the official procedure is to drill out the rivets & bolt the frame brackets back on.

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But bushings don't affect ride height - that's controlled by the springs. Sounds like yours are collapsed due to overloading, or maybe that's just the way your truck was built. Ford offered almost 30 configurations on the F-series chassis some years, so you can't just pull up beside another truck & expect them to sit the same - there are FAR too many variations.

You can swap your springs for some junkers off a truck with higher F- & RGAWRs (check your door sticker & those in the JY). That's how I kept mine at about stock height with all the extra weight bolted onto it. I'm using 3/4-ton front springs & X-cab rears.

There are MANY lift kits, so shop around. But what you should look for is a true lift "system" which should include everything needed for your specific truck to get it to the specific height you want. They'll be outrageously expensive and take some special tools & experience to install, so plan on paying someone almost what the kit costs to get it done.

And no matter HOW you lift it, ANY change to the front ride height will require an alignment. You can't do it yourself, and some alignment shops won't work on lifted trucks, so do that research BEFORE spending any money on a lift. If you just swap in some slightly taller stock springs, they'll won't know it's lifted.

Also: shop for "adjustable camber bushings".

 

Well.. there's part of my problem. My truck never had a sticker as long as I've owned it. So i have no idea. The model is "Custom" ? so says the plate on the side of it, so how Custom did they make these trucks back in 1989?

 

No telling. But you can order a free replacement build sheet directly from Ford thru their website. It will include the SPRING codes & F- & RGAWRs.

 

Wow really! Thats sweet as hell! I actually have a build sheet I found under the rear seat of my SHO. But I bet the guys over there at the SHOforum would love to know they could get those. That link didn't work for me.. maybe their site is just down now ?

 

Looks like they've not only reorganized the website, but possibly discontinued that service. I've fixed the link, but I can't find how to order the build sheet, so I'm e-mailing them about it.

 

Well I got a older SHO buddy, and he happens to work for the old SVT team up there in Dearborn. I remember him saying something about them doing that for the SHO's as well. Kind of like a certificate of authenticity type deal. I'd have to ask him about it more but I'll let ya know if I hear anything from him about it.