ive been reading into the torsion bar crank. id like to level out my truck and be able to clear 35s. i already have the truck sitting on 33s bone stock. keys have not been cranked. the truck still has the "beautiful" rake. i was just wandering if i could clear 35s and not have them look shoved in the wheel well.

i do not want a body lift. ive done a few body lifts to other peoples trucks and i just dont like them. i dont have to have 35s but i think id be nice to have them.

 

You can fit 35's without a body lift and just cranking the T bars, but they will look stuffed and they will rub. A couple guys are running this set up.

 

anyone wanna chime in who has pics of this set up? do they rub at flex? turning lock to lock?

 

probably both, rubbing at full lock, and rub at minor flex + minor turn

 

You might want to try and run a search. I know there's pics, but not many guys run that set up.

 

Basically, the only way to fit 35x12.50's on a stock 97-03 4x4 is to use the oem wheels. They will fit but they will look stuffed. They will also rub the frame slightly at full steering lock.

 

Since you dont like the fact of a 3" body lift.. for unknown reasons...

Ur next best bet would be a 4" or 6" suspension lift, id personally go with the 6" because the pricing isnt much more and Fabtech makes the BEST lift for the 97-03 F150 which is 6".

RCD is also another great kit thats 5", you can clear 35's with either of these lifts!

 

i am just curious to know what you dont like about the body lift. your model truck is the absolute best truck to put the body lift on. PA has done and wonderful job, use gap guards and heck you cant even tell it has a body lift.

 

I agree. Our trucks look great with body lifts. If done correctly, 99% of people do not even notice it's a body lift.

 

I have my T-bars fully cranked and Rough Country AAL in the rear and running 305/70/17 Buckshots and they barely rub the frame at full lock usually when it's flexed a little...so with that said I would think 35's would rub too much on my setup. I won't go any bigger.

 

alright, thanks guys. guess ill have to wait a little longer to get that lift. i dont know why but i keep going back and forth between lifting and not lifting.

for a while ill want to lift and then ill come out of a store or something and look at my truck and say "you know, i dont really need a lift. truck looks good as it sits." then ill go on a spending binge buying other things for my truck.

ill try and stick to plans of lifting this time. i will most likely be doing the t-bar crank. front suspension actually seems kinda mushy to me.

i dont really know why i dont like body lifts. they just dont appeal to me. i did my friends 97 and it actually looked pretty good. he had 2wd and with 3" and 33s he sat a little taller than mine.

damn it. now yall have got me thinking and debating again.

 

It'll look even better lifted. Go for it. I've had my truck since 2001 and have never once regretted lifting it.

 

just did the torsion crank. did 2 full turns and from what i can gather got around an inch or so. i got under there and noticed that from the bottom of the key to the top of the bolt was only a half inch so i didnt really want to go to much further thinking they were nearly maxed out.

guess the previous owner had messed with it a bit.

 

check out this thread. I posted some pics of members running the 35 setup with just TB crank. try contacting those members with your questions.

 

however, if he does any offroading at all, the tires will probably hit the fenders due to flexing... something else to consider.