I have a '99 F-150 Supercab 4X4. I have replaced my stock 2" rear blocks with some 4" with the angle cut in, so in effect I have only added 2" of lift in the rear. I have cranked my front torsion bars pretty much all the way and have gained maybe 1"-1.5" of lift up front. Question, I'm thinking about the Edelbrock IAS or maybe the RS9000X Ranchos, Edelbrock comes in stock length or 4.5" lift length. Which do I go with? I rarely go off road and if I do its not hardcore. So I'm thinking that the stock length will suffice? I still have the stock shocks on now (70,000 miles) and haven't had any travel problems that I know of. I realize that I do have the potential to over extend the shock if I get too aggressive off roading. Any info/advice will be greatly appreciated.
BTW, I got behind a new '04 F-150 the other day and was looking at the rear of the vehicle and all I could think of was Chevy Avalange! IMO Ford let me down on the looks of the new 150. Not to mebtion the new Harley truck. What an eyesore.

 

When you crank the torsion bars in front, you in effect have not changed the geometry of the suspension. Doing that doesn't increase the distance between the shock mounts or change the amount of travel the suspension has. That's why the factory shocks work. As for the rear, that's different. When you changed to a taller block, you changed the geometry in that you increased the distance between the shock mount on the frame and the axle. Now you technically need a longer shock. Granted you're only talking 2" but still. Odds are you will never see full travel on road driving but the posibility is still there that if it ever hapened, you would fully extend the shock and limit your travel by the shock, which I think I don't have to tell you that's not what's it designed to do. Other problem is, I don't know of anyone that makes a shock for a 2" lift. Getting a shock for a 4" lift will create a problem on the other side. On compression of the suspension, the shock will bottom out before the axle does. Also not good. You need a custom length shock ($$$) if you don't want to lift it 4" like most popular applications. There's also the posibility you could never have a problem if you never really flex your rear axle...Good luck.

 

Hey, thanks for the reply. I belive I will just stick with stock length for nor since I really don't do any serious off roading. Just can't decide between the edelbroks or ranchos. Of course since I pre-loaded my front end by tightning the bars, its got a stiffer ride to it, I wonder if I got the RX9000's and set them soft, could I get back closer to the stock ride? I'm pondering that point for a day or two. I guess that either way, I'll be getting excellent shocks!
Take care and thanks again!

 

Kieth, I really don't mean any flames or to upset you but my opinion is you are going about this the wrong way. You are going to get a little stiffer ride from raising torsion bars. It's just physics, and a fact of life. Doing that to get the lift and then trying to offset it with softer shocks is not the best approach. Shocks are usually engineered to match the spring rate of a given vehicle. What you mentioned may work but you are still not going to have a factory soft ride you are trying to achieve and your handling charasterics may even suffer more. If you want lift but the factory ride, you need to save up and purchase a lift kit and do it right. Leave the bars at the factory setting and get a 4" Rancho lift. It's not too much. Then you can get the proper shocks and use them for there intended, true potential. As for the rear, that lift would fix that problem as well because you could get the correct shocks for that before you break something, like a perfectly good shock or a shock mount. Slow down and do things correctly and you will be very satisfied. Just trying to help out.