I have a 2000 f-150 SC 4x4. It does not have the factory off-road package. I noticed that the ride height is much lower than trucks I see with the factory "off road" package. I also noticed that my rear shocks are both in back of the rear axle,(( street truck style )) and the passenger side rear shock lower mount is made so I can put the shock in front of the axle....so one is in front of the axle and one is behind it...just like the off-road packaged trucks.

So, here is my problem. I want to increase the ride height to match that of the factory " off road" trucks without using a lift kit. Can I just order some longer shocks (( the length of the "off road" packaged trucks)) and bolt them up the way I decribed above??? Are the crappy little shocks on my truck the only difference between my truck and the "off road" trucks?? besides the skid plates?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I think that there is an extra leaf added with the off road package along with "heavier duty shocks" (the OEM shocks suck though) and skidplates. Shocks do not determine the ride height in these trucks. I have the off road package and I have 4 leafs in the rear. Check to see how many you have. Also, your torsion bars cold be worn out (dont know if you drive your truck hard). Perhaps cranking them up a bit would bring your truck back to the orginal height??

BTW..if you have front tow hooks. Mine are about 19-20" inches off the ground.

2001 F150 5.4 Supercab Lariet w/ ORP

Rich

 

Almost forgot...the off road package also comes with 17" inch rims and P265/70 tires. This also raise the height of the truck.

 

I have 4 leafs in the rear....my front tow hooks are 16.5 inches off the ground....but I only have the 16 inch wheels with 255/70 mudders on them....that is definatly part of the problem......what about the way my rear shocks are mounted both behind the rear axle ?? ((street truck style))

WTF did the factory do that for, when I have the optional rear shock mount on the rear passenger side??

 

I have the shocks towards the rear as well. I am not sure what this is. I have seen them facing forward on some trucks as well as one facing forward and 1 facing rearward. Sorry my measurements maybe off a bit for the fron tow hooks. I have MT Baja MTX in 33x12.50x17 which is about a P295 or 305. Plus I have cranked the torsion bars to get an extra 1/2 -3/4...so I am probably about 1 3/4" inches higher than stock.

Rich

 

Hello TYSTYX,

The suspension with an off-road package is exactly the same as a regular 4x4, the only difference is the shocks are more heavy duty but that will not effect the height of your truck. The off-road package does come with taller 17" tires, that's what you are noticing, see below. If you upgrade to a 265/75-16 size tire it will be the same height as a truck with the off-road package.

(Regular 4x4 tires)
255/70-16 - 30" tires outside diameter
265/75-16 - 31.6" tires outside diameter (my recommended size)

(Off-Road Package tires)
265/70-17 - 31.6" tires outside diameter

 

so what about the rear shock set up?? I see "off road packaged" trucks with one shock forward and one rearward....mine are both rearward, but I have an optional mount on the rear passenger side to mount one shock forward.



?

 

So do I, they make all the frames the same no matter if the truck will have the off road package or not. I do not know what the advantage of having one shock forward and another rearward. Anyone else??

 

Not all ORP trucks have the shocks mounted 1 front / 1 rear. My 99 did not, both on same side. I believe it was just a model year change (00-01) where Ford decided it was better for 1/1. All I know is that the FX4 package rides much worse on road than the old ORP. ORP and towing package used different shocks than base 4x4 trucks.

As rkjerue said, all 4x4 F-150's 97-03 have the same springs and torsion bars. Shocks do not hold a vehicle up, so it matters not how they are mounted.

If you want a little more height, adjust your torsion bar.

 

I've had both ORP and FX4 package equipped trucks. The only difference between those trucks - from a ride height standpoint - was from two things. First, the OPR / FX4 packages come with 17" wheels & tires. That adds a bit. Second, if you get the 5.4 liter motor, you get a bigger rear axle - which actually adds more height. (I personally verified this one at a dealer with two otherwise identical trucks, one with a 4.6 and one with a 5.4. The 5.4 was a bit over an inch higher.)

As for the shock positions, when they went with the fake Rancho shocks, they moved them both behind the axle. (Maybe so they looked better?) The supposed benefit of staggered shocks is less wheel hop on hard acceleration. I didn't notice any difference in wheel hop with shock position. I did notice (like APT) that the FX4 rides like crap compared with the ORP.