I have been trying to find out, through both Ford customer service AND my dealership, the part numbers necessary for giving my '91 F-150 the "handling package."

Ford has been unwilling to help me personally, and will not provide answers to my dealership, either.

What good are they if they cannot even tell the dealer the part numbers that gave some trucks the "handling package?" I believe the package only consisted of front and rear stabilizer bars, heavy duty front springs, and heavy duty front & rear shocks. Why should it be so tough for Ford to give the dealer those part numbers?

What other resources do I have? I had envisioned giving my standard '91 Lariat the handling package so that I can pull over 3500 pounds safely.

Any help is appreciated. I made it clear to my dealer that if Ford can't help its loyal customers (this is my fourth Ford truck), then I will not hesistate to jump ship in favor of GM. Ford has thumbed its nose at me every time I have tried to get to the bottom of warranty issues or questions such as these, and I'm tired of it.

Thanks,

Mike

 

It's called liability. Ford built your particular truck with the suspension it intended. They will not suggest modifications that may in some way create a liability problem for them. Best thing you can do is go to an aftermarket shop that does that sort of thing on a daily basis and can tell you if your setup can be upgraded safely. Such a modification may involve more than just springs and shocks. Some frame strengthening may be involved.

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99 XLT 4X4 Reg Cab, Sport Package, 4.2 with 5 speed, 265/70/17 tires, 3.55 axle, 4 wheel discs and 4 wheel ABS, K&N air filter, a Dynamax Race Magnum muffler, Redine synthetic lubricants in motor and trans and a Kenwood CD stereo system.

 

Thanks for your reply. Guess in today's society everyone has to do more than enough CYA....

Will call around and see if any suspension shop knows how to go about this...

-Mike

 

Part of the problem might be that your truck is a 1991 model. Maybe Ford just doesn't keep definitions of "option" packages around. Also, what's in a particular option package seems to change from the beginning of the model year to the end of the model year. i.e. If most people order a particular option, it becomes "standard" (with an appropriate mark-up in price) and Ford builds them all like that because it's cheaper for Ford to build them with more similarities.
Remember when you could get any color you wanted - as long as it was Black?

 

Mike
Is your truck a 2wd or 4wd? If it is a 2wd you might be able to get a sway bar and shocks that were designed for the 93 lightning.The lightnings used different I beams, and pitman arm, and also different rear springs. They came with Gabriel shocks.

 

This guy's a 2wd. I was thinking about Monroe air shocks. Stabilizer bars shouldn't be too hard to find. That leaves me searching for heavier duty springs...

-Mike