I use my truck, 03 FX4 extended cab short bed, to tow a car trailer and some other trailers, but mainly a car trailer with my buggy on it. I towed a 4Runner a couple of weeks ago and noticed my truck was sagging alot, almost like I had the truck at the tongue of the trailer, but the runner was very far back on the trailer.

In thinking, I think an add a leaf setup to handle the load a little better, but it would lift the truck some. Thats not a problem, I would crank the torsion bars to compensate for the extra lift in the back. However, going up about 2 inches, my current 265/70R17s would look small, even a 285 would look rather tiny. If it was stock, a 285 would look fine.

My question is, is anyone running the same setup as I am thinking, what tire are you running? Is there another setup that would work just as well, if not better, that I have overlooked? Any other opinions, thoughts, comments, ideas, concerns, what have you that may help or something to look out for?

Thanks in Advance guys
Cameron

 

Ohh, I would like to keep the 17s too, right now I am using money for my buggy, not to spend a lot on wheels for my truck.

 

You can run a 305/70/17 or a 285/70/17. I have my torsion bars cranked 3/4 of the way and im running 285/75/16's they dont look tiny at all. with your torsion bars cranked to max and a add a leaf in the rear you can run a 35" tire on stock wheels. You will have to trim alittle off the front valance!

you could run a 315/70/17 which is a 34.6" tire that would work with an add-a-leaf and torsion bars cranked all the way

 

Would it be worth it to get new keys so I dont have the bars cranked all the way? I know in cranking the bars, you lose some ride quality.

Now, I know its a truck, not a cadilac, but I dont want it to ride like its on wood wheels, ya know?

 

No. The aftermarket keys do the same thing as cranking up your torsion bars with the oem adjustment keys. Both increase preload on the torsion bars.

 

Just an update on what Im plotstigatin - I picked up an add a leaf and I will install it, but remove the blocks. I will crank the torsion bars to help level it out and throw some 285s and call it a day. Hoping to start when I get my front shocks (on order now, should be in sometime next week) I have new rear shocks as well.

 

even w/ the torsion bars cranked all the way, the ride isn't that bad. it just makes every bump that is hard feel HARD.
why not spend the little bit extra for a body lift and some 35's?

 

Any updates? I ran 285/75/16's on my truck with the T-bars cranked and it didnt look bad. Then i ran the same tires on my truck after i installed a body lift ($300 including some stuff i had to buy) and the 285's didnt look bad kinda looked like a mini F250.

Now im rolling on 36's

 

I would love to do that, and seriously considered it. However, I am not a huge fan of bady lifts (even though I was thinking hard on them), but I use this truck as a DD and for towing, which kind of ruled both of those out. The reason for the add-a-leaf is to take up some more load and get rid of the blocks. I hate lift blocks. When I load up my trailer, even with little tongue weight, my truck sags worse than grandma without a bra on (bad picture, but you know what I mean).

For 35s, I would want to do new wheels so I wouldnt have to trim much if any, and push it out some for a little more off roady look. 35s plus, say new 20s (at my price) isnt cheap. I am building a buggy and could use that money on that.


I got the parts, except for the front shocks. I need new u-bolts and will spend one night at work doing it up. Then I will do the 285s and the torsion bars when I can align it again.

I have the 36s on my buggy and 40s soon, but they are on 15s. 17s and I would plot

 

yeah i tow every now and then.. but i only tow a flats boat which isnt much the body lift doesnt mind it (even thou your not supposed to tow from the bumper after the BL) Oh well i had no choice i wanted to go fishin and i havent got my hitch yet... im being lazy.

 

trimble, i guess our next project for your truck is to install a reese hitch then, lol.

 

yeah im geussing so! as soon as i buy one! check your PM's i sent you one!

 

cameron, keep in mind that the 6'' susp and 3'' body is the only way to go BIG on this gen F-150 while keeping the IFS. i've seen plenty of guys drive their trucks hard w/ the body lifts, tow over their weight rating, and load the crap out of the bed. they all have held up fine. as long as you don't tow heavy w/ the bumper, and put the crush blocks under the bed, you will be fine.

trimble: i sent you a reply. sorry i couldn't get back to you sooner, didn't even realize you sent me one.

 

Money has become an issue since I first posted this (still building a buggy, but have some other stuff that came up as well). I got all the stuff I need for a steal with a hookup at 4WP.

Im not trying to go big, in fact all I will end up doing is lifting the front about 1 inch with the torsion bar crank (aal but remove the block, should even out). Should help with a little beefiness with the tires all done up and should still ride decent (read above, not needing caddy ride but not horse and carriage either) and handle the load of a car on the trailer behind me too.