I've searched this forum on 2wd lifts for my 2000 F150 and decided on a 3 - 3.5" spindle lift with a 1.5 - 2" rear lift. I still have a few questions I'd hoped someone could help with.

- Does the 3.5" Fabtech spindle move the front tires outward? If so how much and how obvious is the difference between the front and rear tracks?

- Did Fabtech do this for looks or do all spindle lifts (like Procomp) move the front tires out?

- Is the AIM spindle the same as Procomp?

thanks!..........................Scott

 

I researched this for a long time, and went with the procomp (bullseye) spindles in the front and a 3" block in the rear. The fabtechs do push the front wheels out noticably (don't know how much), and the procomps do a little (noticable, not as much as Fabtech, but looks good imo). I think that they design the spindles to help offset the wheels out for suspension clearance and to improve the turning radius. My truck turns sharper after the spindles. I was going to buy the AIM stuff, but got screwed really bad (like lots of people), long story, but STAY AWAY FROM AIM!!! They are con artists and sell a poor quality product. The Procomp spindles are made by Bullseye Industries in California, while the AIM crap is made overseas. The fabtech is a quality kit, but it will cost you. The procomp is a good product, and probably a better value than the Fabtech kit. If I did it again, I'd buy the procomp kit that comes with the shocks, spindles, and add-a-leaves, instead of piecing it together myself. You can find it for a good price from either 4Wheel Parts or Truckperformance.com. I think that the kit works out to be a little cheaper, also. Good luck, post some pics after you lift it, and tell us how much you love it .

 

Thanks 'decides'. That is the information I was looking for. The lift and tire combination looks great on your truck. Time now to order and get to work...........Scott

 

Decides-

If you went with the Procomp kit to start with, do you think you'd still add the Daystar spacers and lift blocks? Did you have any problems with alignment using the Procomp spindles? What about with the 1 1/2" spacers added? Did it still align ok? Just curious. I really like the look of your truck. I'm sitting on the fence right now trying to decide the best way to lift my truck. Any rubbing problems running the 285/75 tires?

Willum

 

Scott- I'm glad that I could help.

Willum- If I had just bought the Procomp kit, I think that I would have been happy with it alone. I have heard that the add a leaves stiffen up the ride a bit, though. I was trying to do the "best-cheapest" lift for my truck, while getting as much height as I could for the money. The reason that I used the spacers was because I would get 1.5" more of front lift for $75, as opposed to 3" more for several hundred dollars with a spring and a-arm lift. So, the way that I did mine seemed the best value of "inches per dollar". I have been lucky so far in that I still have my stock shocks on the truck and have had no problems other than the ride being a little worse than stock. This is because the shock is lower in the piston stroke than it should be. I plan on buying new shocks soon, which will put me right about the same price as the Procomp system. As for the alignment, I researched that and went ahead and intalled the cam adjustment bolts when I had the front apart. The cam bolts that I bought were Moog, and I bought them at an independent auto parts store, Napa sells their own also. I did have to adjust my tie rods after the lift so that I could drive the truck to the alignment shop, but it is perfectly aligned and drives like it did before the lift. I have no rubbing with these tires, and I'm sure that I could have gone with the BFG 295/75's without any problems too.

Thanks for the compliments guys, and if there is anything else I can answer, let me know. -David

 

Hey I was reading your thread and I was wondering if pro comp uses bullseye spindles for there lift kits then it would be Identicle to the Fabtech lift because the as well use Bullseye spindles on there lift kits.

 

Well, I know that the Procomp's are made by Bullseye because I actually talked to Bullseye Industries. I wanted to buy the spindles directly from them, but they said that I had to buy the Procomp kit. As for the Fabtech spindles, I'm about 95% sure that they are made by Fabtech. Their spindles look differently than the bullseye ones, and there is more offset to the front wheels with the Fabtech spindles.

 

Decides-

Thanks very much for the info. By adjusting the tie rods, I'm assuming that you set the toe-in after after installing the lift spacers? I guess you'd have to set the toe-in after installing the spindles too since they have to be disconnected to put the spindle on... I'm going to install the cam bolts at the same time also. Thanks again for the insights and the 'been there, done that'. BTW, I see you're from Lubbock. Do you know if Roscoe Wilson elem. school is still around? I went there in the early 60's!

-W

 

Willum-

I actually installed my coil spacers a few days before I did the spindles, and I didn't notice a difference in the toe in with just the spacers. The spindles on the other hand, threw the toe in way off, and I had to adjust the tie rods out just so I could drive the truck. I think this was because the lift spindles are offset some as opposed to the stock ones.

I'm not actually from Lubbock, I attend Texas Tech up here. But Roscoe Wilson is still here, they have their own web page-
http://www.lubbock.k12.tx.us/RoscoeWilson/index.htm

Its such a small world. Later, David

 

So I installed the ProComp spindle lift kit this weekend. I ordered online from 4WheelParts with no problems. It came with 3" lift spindles for the front, 1.5" add-a-leafs for the rear, and 4 new ES3000 shocks. (Before-after pictures are in my gallery). While it was apart, I put in new Raybestos ceramic brake pads, turned the rotors and repacked the wheel bearings. New 285/75-16 Dunlop Radial Rover tires were in order, and I added an OEM 4x4 valance with fog lights while I was at it.

The spindles came unpainted cast iron so I gave them 2 coats of Rustoleum gray. I did the install by myself and it was straight forward. Strong jack stands, a good rolling floor jack, a sturdy puller for the front-end joints, and a torque wrench are needed. Based on other thread disscussions here, I used 5 jack stands for the rear springs: 2 under the frame near the back of the cab, 1 at each end of the axle, and one under the front of the differential to keep the axle from rotating once it is loose.

The spindles were high quality and fit perfectly. The toe-in was way off after the install so I had to eyeball the adjustment just to drive down to the tire store for tires and an alignment. Only glitch was the front shocks which ProComp sent with the wrong crossbars, so I had some minor fabrication to do.

The new spindles do move the front wheels out about 1 inch but it looks good. Great new look, ride and ground clearance. ES3000 shocks work very well. Overall, the handling and ride is much better (due in some part to the shocks and wider stance). The add-a-leaf does stiffen the rear up a bit but, by no means uncomfortable.




(thanks 'Decides' for the information on the spindles!)

...................................Scott

 

Scott D,

Did the Procomp Kit come with rear blocks and an add-a-leaf? I want to use blocks only, so I think 2" blocks is what's need to level out the back with the front. Also, did the kit include a cam block kit? Thanks.

Oh, by the way...your truck looks great. The front wheels don't appear to stick out as far as trucks that use Fabtech.

Shape look.

 

Thanks Crain.

The kit came with an extra spring leaf for the rear that Procomp says raises the rear by 1.5". There were no blocks. I'd say the truck is nearly level now. My guess is that a 2" block combined with these spindles and stock rear springs would result in the rear just a slight bit higher than the front. A 1.5" block would probably level it out.

There was no camber kit for the front end alignment, but it was not needed. The new spindles did not throw off the camber much and the stock adjustment cams got it back just fine.

..........................Scott

 

Scott D,

After all the posts and inquiries I have made on this board regarding suspension vs. body lifts, I have finally went with the Procomp spindles, 2" blocks for the rear, and the cam bolt kit. I had ordered the blocks and cam bolt kit before reading your last post. The kit arrived today. I am not going to replace my shocks however. I have bilstiens all around and want to keep them...great for on and off road.

I will let you know how the install turns out and the ride afterwards.

Thanks for your input.

 

Have fun crain. One thing I did not mention is that the brake dust shields do not go back on with the new spindles.

Post and let us know how it is going.
......................Scott

 

scott i really like your truck. im planning ton doing a similiar set up, our trucks are pretty much the same but mines black