I recently purchased a 2001 Ford F-150 Extended cab truck from a young man. He has lowered the truck it seems by putting a 3" block on the rear leaf springs. The front however i think he might have lowered it using the torsion bars. I had a Nissan truck before this one that i rescued from being lowered and they had told me that it was lowered using the same method. I want to do all the work on this truck myself (as much as possible anyway) so my question is does anyone have any specs on this? Like the ratio on turns to inch? And is the old saying true about it that more than 2 turns you have to get an alignment? Any visual aids or how to type answers would be appreciated.

Thanks alot in advance,

Devante

 

Yes, its always best to get an alignment after you adjust your torsion bars.
You usually will gain about and inch and and inch and a half of lift from after adjusting the torsion bars from the stock postion. So when I cranked mine up there was about an inch of bolt sticking out. Usually as long as the bolt is, is about how much gain you will get.

Now for the rear I dont really understand your question. If Im correct an f150 factory block and bump stop combo is about 2 inches tall so if he added a 3 inch block I dont understand why it would be lower then.

 

ANytime you adjust the preload on the torsion bars you need to have the alignment checked. Also, adding a block to our trucks will raise the rear, not lower it. Also, the 4x4's come stock with a 2 inch lift block.

 

unless he added a flip kit, which I doubt.

 

Well there are lowering blocks also. The blocks actually change where the axle sits in relation to the rear springs. It moves the axle up, brining the wheels closer to the bed, and keeping the shocks at the same travel distance because the springs and shock mounting plate actually stay in the same place that they would be in stock form. Hence the trucks rear end lowers. So maybe i can just take these out and install them basically in reverse causing the truck to go back up to its orignal height.

The blocks are a cheaper alternative to lowering springs.

But back to my situation if i raise the back then hopefully i can get that much back out of the front. Thank god he didn't cut the springs in the front.

 

The F-150's have the rear axle installed below the leaf spring packs. Therefore, installing blocks will raise the rear end, not lower it. If your axle is sitting on top of your spring packs, the previous owner installed a flip kit.
Also, you ask about torsion bars and now you mention that the front springs havn't been trimmed. Do you have a 4x4 or 4x2? The 97-03 4x4's have torsion bars but the 4x2's have coilsprings.

 

I have a 4 X 2. I know how the setup is for the rear axles on the fords for this year. The leaf springs being below the rear axle. Here is the setup i have.
There is a the axle, below the axle sits a 3" block, beneath the 3" block sits 3 leaf springs. Now i know the fords came with a 2" block standard or am i wrong on that one? Also the coil springs are still intact in the front so is it possible that they just cranked down the springs? Like i said i am new to Fords. The old Nissan i had was an '87 model extended cab and they had taken out a few leaf springs and inserted the 3" block on the Nissan to lower the rear of it. On the front they had did nothing more than cranking down the torsion bars and it was a two wheel drive.

So i guess i need to know the answer to the following questions......

1. Are you sure that the 4 x 4 models are the only ones that have the torsion
bar system?

2. In 2001 on the extended cab 4 x 2 F-150 how many leaf springs did it come
stock with?

3. Is it possible that they did crank down the coil springs in the front? There
seems to be no "cutting" of the springs on the front of it :s

Anyone that can help out with this i would appreciate the help.

 

Answers:

1. Yes ONLY 4x4 models have the torsions bars! (Ford models)
You are totally confused on what you are talking about sorry!

A. 97-03 4x4 models do NOT have coil springs on the front.

B. A torsion bar is a long cylindrical rod tht runs from your front A arm suspension to the middle of your frame to the torsion keys. where you can adjust them from there.

2.It should have either 3 or 4 leafs.

3. First of all you Cannot "Crank" down coil springs (someone correct me if Im wrong) Because you would have to have a torsion bar system to crank the front end up or down but you do not because you have a 4x2 model.

A. If the guy lowered the front he probably installed shorter coils in turn lowering the front. You dont always have to just cut the springs.

B.So that means you need new front springs to bring it back up to stock height.

Also, The rear end of your truck HAS been lowered! because the previous owner as you described did put a flip kit on. On your old Nissan pickup. Those midsize trucks like that come stock with the leaf springs under the axle, i.e so the axle on on top.
But on 4x2 and 4x4 f150s the leaf springs sit on top of the axle.

So the guy did put a larger block on so the truck wouldnt sit too low, but to achieve the stock height again you must flip the axle back and install the factory 2 inch block.

 

RedRider150 thanks man that is the answers i was looking for.

The leaf springs do sit under the axle on this one. The coil springs haven't been cut. And i am on my way to switchin them back around to achieve the stock height again.

 

Hey man no prob!!

Good Luck with the swap!

Dont hesitate to ask anymore questions!