Well, ive got it all figured out, im putting a 4" lift and 33" tires on my truck. In fact i just went and ordered wheels and tires at my local tire shop and they will be here tuesday. now, before i can put them on, im gonna need that lift. after dropping $1200 for the tires and wheels ive got to go with a cheap lift. Now the thing that concerns me is the brake lines and sway bars. some kits ive looked at say i need new brake lines and sway bar drop brackets, ive seen plenty of rigs ridin around with stock brake hoses, but i dont know about the sway bar. im putting the lift on myself, has anybody else ever done this? I imagine it will be a good weekend project.

Im so excited right now, my truck could end up being cool after all. ive been getting some comments about how "it must be hot in there with the tinted windows up" duh, i have the bomb AC. people dont think old trucks have AC i guess.

 

The first thing you'll hear is people saying you need to buy new brake lines, longer driveshafts, etc. The truth is it will depend on your particular truck. If you take a quick glance at your brake lines you should be able to tell if you need longer ones or not. I can tell you this though, 99% of the trucks out there have brake lines long enough for full flex with a 4" suspension lift. For the sway bar, the trick that most people do is to turn the shackles upside down and switch them onto the opposite side. This now places your bar above the attaching points rather than below. It also cost nothing except for some forcing. Mine didn't go easy. With all this said, I wouldn't recommend you going with a cheap lift. It can either make, or break your rig. I know people that swear up and down they will never get another lifted truck in their life because of problems. I have had mine in for just about 2 years now and its just like the day I put it in. Grab a skyjacker or superlift and you wont be dissapointed.

 

what makes a lift "cheap", the drop down brackets? I dont plan on doing any real serious four wheeling, and Ive got a welder if anything breaks. do the drop down brackets need to be welded on or does it depend on the kit? Im probably going to get a tuff country kit. TF has one, and says its OK.

 

another question- I have front quad shocks, do i have to order that option with the kit? I think that my truck would ride better with single shocks. if i could just order the single shocks now and give it a try, if i like it great. if i dont, can i just get the 2 extra shocks later?

 

Some things I recommend:

You must order an extra set of shocks for the front, otherwise they will only come with one pair for the front. Also, I HIGHLY recommend getting extended radius arms. They improve your alignments, allow for wider tires, and tighten your turning radius while improving the structural integrity of your suspension. They also make the alignments cheaper and less frequent. I also recommend staying away from rear blocks and preferable getting a new rear leaf pack, or at the very least an add-a-leaf for the rear. These options also improve the structural integrity of your suspension. As for the sway bars, the kit should include the drop down brackets for the front, and the rears are unaffected by the lift. And just because the front sway bar is drop down doesn't make it a "cheap" lift. I've done some pretty harsh things to my truck since I've gotten my lift 2 1/2 years ago and it's holding up just fine. I have no complaints about the Tuff Country lifts. The company was started by a former head honcho at Rancho who took the latest and greatest technology there and applied it to the products at Tuff Country. Just make sure the installation is done right and you shouldn't have any problems.

 

That pretty much sums up what I was gonna say

 

I agree with everything gamehunter and tf said. I have had a Superlift on my truck for about 2 years now and i am very happy with it. All the Superlift brackets are about twice as thick as my trucks frame so i know they won't break. All the parts came powdercoated, they are just now starting to develop some rust spots after lots of driving which included heavily salted winter roads.

The brackets have a lot of stress on them because of the new suspension geometry, some of the cheaper brackets will flex and make the truck want to wander around. I would definitely get one of the more expensive kits.

-Jon

 

I got my tires and wheels today. I wasnt going to put them on because everyone said they wouldnt fit without the lift. Well, i figured i would put them on and hold it up with a jack or two to see what it was going to look like. but i let it off the jack and be damned if they dont fit. I can turn lock to lock with no rubbing. im sure if i hit a big bump they would rub on the fenders, but im not worried, and im not going to be driving it anyway. I sure like them! hopefully the lift will be done this weekend!

 

this thread is worthless with out pictures! hehehe

im looking into getting an f150 and wanna lift it, i really dont know much about trucks im a mustang person but im 6'3 and the mustang is just too small i need something big and tough. Ive been looking into a 4.6l crew cab (02) would anyone liek to fill me on wat i would need for a good 4 inch lift and some big tires? i honestly know nothing about trucks...... but im tired of lowerd sport cars tho,

 

might wanna check over on the other forums for an '02, the pre 97 suspension is waaaaay different.

 

heres a befor shot

 

heres after

 

It'll look great man! Pics are in my gallery, but it's 6" and 35's. I'd also recommend gettin the extended radius arms if ya can swing the extra $$, just a thought. Hope it all works out great for ya, can't wait to see it lifted .

 

guess i never said it in this thread, but it IS lifted. here is a shot with the 33s with no lift.

 

Are those centerline brand wheels? Could you post the part #

Thanks