Hey everyone, I'm a first time poster/first time lifter and I need ya'lls expert advice. I've got an 03 f150 4x4 straight stock with the 5.4L and 3.73 gearing (except for an AEM brute force intake, flowmaster 50 series cat back exhaust and a edge evolution programmer). I really want to do the 6" fabtech lift on my truck, but I've got a bunch of questions.

First, I've done a lot of work on motorcycles (mostly engines, but some fab work also) but I've never done anything other than the 3 upgrades above to any of my trucks/cars. Given a full shop (I'm in the military and have access to anything and everything on base) can I do this with the help of a couple good buddies? I would consider myself very mechanically inclined, but totally untrained on car/truck suspensions.

Also, with this lift what happens with the torsions bars and do they put up a fight when you're installing this kit?

Fabtech says you can run 350x1250x16's with this lift, but I wanted to go with 31x10.5-17 Mickey Thompson's baja belted tires. If I do am I going to look like the guy with the huge truck rolling around on rollerskate tires?

For wheels, how much backspacing will I need to clear the stock fender wells?

Finally, should I re-gear with those 31's? this has to be my daily driver, so fuel economy is a concern, but I live in Oregon, and we've got tons of hills and I definately spend most of my weekends out fishing and hunting and camping in the mountains, and I want my truck to be more off road capable so I can keep up a bit better with my buddie's CJ's.

Thanks for your help.

 

31" came stock on the 03 4x4 you would look very funny with a 6" lift and 31" i recomend 35" 12.5 on a 10" rim with the proper backspacingor at the very least a 33" 12.5 and these would look small, yes you can do the lift yourself at the milatary hobbyshop it will take you a day or two to finish the install, the torsion bars are easy to remove to answer your ? for the gearing look on your door and it will tell us your current gearing but you would be fine with 33" with the 35" i would suggest a 4.10 at the least and 4.56 the most

 

ok, I checked my door and didn't see anything like the gearing ratio there. I also checked my tires, which are still the factory rubber, and they're 265/75R17, which I thought were 26.5", but like I said, I'm new to the truck thing. I just saw some 35's, though, and they looked awesome. I'm into the looks, for sure, but I'm mostly concerned with the driveablilty/off road capability. Are the Mickey's a good way to go or is there something else that I should be looking at? I want a tire that'll be a good compromise between on and off road performance. Also, what's required to slap on some traction bars? I've read posts by other people here and all I hear is that they're good stuff about adding them. As far as backspacing goes, what is the proper amount for a set of 35x12.5's with the 6"lift? One last question, are 17" rims too big? I've noticed that most seem to be 16".

Edit: What's involved in re-gearing? Is it anything I could do myself (I've built/rebuit motorcycle transmissions before) or is it best left to the professionals?

 

The tires you currently have on your truck are roughly 32.65 x 10.4. 31's would be smaller than your current tires. 33's would be about the same size, but most likely wider.

 

i have done alot of gears and if you dont know what you are doing it is something you should pay to get done if you dont have the money it is pretty time consuming and technical when it comes to getting the correct baclash and shim depth but if you are a pretty decent mech you should be able to do it you will need acess to a bearing press and a micromiter and a backlash indicator, now with the tires if you want to get the best offroad tires in my opinion get the baya claw radials that i have i have had alot of offroad tires and these are by far the best in all offroading sitaitions, the down do to well on wet pavement but that is all mud tires, they are alittle noisy on the street but like i said all mud tires are just about, i like to put a 16 on mine because the more sidewall flex you have the better grip and floatation you will have offroading so for offroading a smaller wider rim is more desired

 

I agree.

 

I would highly reccomend not going with a 31" tire. I had the same truck as you and with this lift i would not go with anything under a 35. 35's are the perfect fit for this lift and it looks great. I will try to post some pics in the near future but it hink it iwll be what you are looking for.

 

From the sounds of it you want a off-road capable street machine. May I make a suggestion: Try a 4" suspension lift with 33's. You get the same look as a 6" with 35's only not quite so hogh off the ground. Then you will not have to worry about regearing or the extra wear and tear that is put on a daily driver from the 35's. If you do a search in the galleries you should be able to come up with some pics. of similar rigs. 4" lifts are also easier to install, at least thats my opinion.