Hey guys, my names Mike and I have a 88 F150 4x4 that I have basically taken over from my dad. Being a 16 year old male I am pumped with testorone and of course want to be the biggest baddest guy around. Problem is I am just a lanky little wimp. I'm already working on that problem, but to go along with that image I'm gonna need a jacked-to-the-sky truck. I'm sick and tired of hearing everybuddy rambling on about my buddies early 80's Chevy C20 with a (if I remember correctly) 6" suspension and 3" body lift and I want to come close to it if not top it. So here I am with a beat up plow truck and about 2g's. So here I go with my questions. What are you guys running for lift kits? How difficult was it to install? (If you don't mind me asking) how much does it retail for? Did you need to add anything to the kit? (Once again if you dont mind) how much did these extra expenses add up to? How has it worn over the years? Did it help any in your offroad experiences? And to all who respond I really appreciate it. And please just don't preach to me about the effects on alignment because I understand the effects it will play on my steering axis inclination and etc.

 

my wife has a 93 bronco with 210k miles and has been lifted for about 2 years now and it really does hurt the driveability of the truck alot but she still drives it every day to work and back it is a 6 inch rough country lift.... i will tell you for sure it is NOT the best lift available for these trucks but it has worked well for the price i guess i think it was like 5 or6 hundred bucks....but to do a whole lift you are goin to spend you 2 grand in a hurry. remember tires are super epensive when you go big and you will want to replace a few other things while you have it apart(please trust me on this) 1 radius arm bushings if you kit does not come with new radius arms and bushings and you are use your old arms get new bushings 2, check all your tierods and if you see any play (squeese them with channel locks)replace them 3, ball joints you will have it up on lift anyway so you might as well and a few other things i cant think of right now plus if you need to pay someone to do it that willbe expencive (it took me about 2 full days to do the brocno) the rear is no problem but the front it a biatch and if you do it yourself you need a pretty good assorment of tools and i welded mine on plus the bolts, i just didnt trust them..and also get a complete kit or know every thing you are goig to need like brake lines shocks sway bar hardware pitman arm etc...lemme know if you have more ????

 

oh and i forgot...... if you want to compete with the blazer you will need to put a solid axle in the front of your f150 as it is a twin I beam

 

Twin I-Beam? Isn't that the 2wd versions front suspension set up? I really don't know much about the truck since the last time I worked on it was a about 2 years ago(its now sitting in the woods at one of our rental properties). I'm not worried about the work, I have a good amount of experience and I have my schools shop at my disposal (I go to a technichal school in CT). Plus I don't plan on having everthing all gathered together for about another year, I'm just begining my research.
I understand stuff adds up quick, this isn't my first vehicle. I have owned a 87 Monte SS that I began a big block chevy swap until I realized I couldn't afford the gas, insurance and maintenance on it. I now am a Volvo enthusiast and own a 93 940 turbo and a 85 240 DL(picked it up today ), which with the latter I am restoring it and will be slowly doing a performance rebuild to the formers engine to drop into the latter . Plus I have my 88 S15 that I am mounting my plow to this weekend. It's very rare that their isn't something that needs to be repaired.

 

yes sad to say but ford also used an inependant front end in the 4x4 trucks too, i think its real name is TTB (twin traction beam)

 

1) get rid of he ifs...go to a solid axle from a later truck
2) try to stay with coil spring upfron and not leafs, unless you want to be driving a front end loader
3) depending on time and money i would take it to a good 4wheel drive shop and have them do it unless you or your dad is a good fabricator

 

I used the Superlift 6" Suspension lift for many years on my 92. It rides rough, especially with the Rancho RS5000 shocks that came with it but it held up fine, everything was made out of 1/4" plate steel and grade 8 hardware. Definitely replace the balljoints while your under there. Mine were only lasting about a year at a time with the big tires and mud and water. With a truck that old (especially a former plow truck) plan on replacing everything in the front end or it will wander all over the road. Also make sure the brakes are good and adjusted properly, its not easy to haul the truck to a stop with 35" or bigger tires on it. I think i paid about $1000 for the kit. 4 decent sized tires are gonna cost you another $800 plus you'll probably need 10" wide rims so figure another $200 for those if you want just black steel wheels. It can be done in a weekend for 2 grand if nothing major is wrong with the truck.

-Jon