OK I drive a 2008 F150XLT 4X4 4 door. This will be the first time I will be lifting a truck so as you can imagine I'm having a tough time deciding. I currently have a 2.5" real steel leveling kit and 35x1250x17 mickey thompson mtzs. I want to put a suspension lift on my truck, but I want to start with tires first then go pick out a lift to go with them. I want the tires to stick out past the truck as far as possible and i want at least a 36 inch tire, if not a 37. I dont want to harm my bearings in the process with too wide of a rim or offset. I want to hear them roar and get good tread life out of them. Please help with this decision I'm having a tough time. Thank you.

 

LOL Let me guess, you want to do all of this on a $100 budget too?
Seriously, I'd stick with the tires you have and then install a 6 inch lift. If you want a 36 or 37 inch tire, you probably want to go with a lift that includes new adjustable coilover shocks that you can crank up enough to get 8 inches of lift. I'd also stick with a 12.50 inch wide tire and go with a 9 inch wide wheel with 5 inches of backspacing.

 

Definitely keep your current tires. No need to blow another 2 grand on new ones. I've never seen someone pick a lift out to go with tires, you do the other way around. The further the wheels stick out, the smaller they have to be to prevent rubbing. So, you can have 37s with some stick-out or 35s that go way the hell out, both on at least 8" of lift. This can be reached via a 6" spacer lift with 2" Bilsteins or a 6" with the coilovers cranked. Next would be a body lift, but assuming that you aren't installing these yourself, that's another $1500.

Another thing, how far the tires stick out is 100% the job of the wheels. Do you have stock or aftermarket wheels? Factory wheels are not compatible with a lift

 

No, I'm not expecting to do this on a $1000 budget. Thanks though.

The tires that are on my truck are spent. I have been saving for a while and I am due for a new set and I want to lift it as well. I figured with a 6" suspension and my leveling kit I would be able to clear 37s.

I currently have 17"factory rims and I will be purchasing new rims when I do this because I am aware that in order to gain the stance I want it is the rim that causes this by its width, offset, or backspacing. I'm asking for suggestions as to what size rim and tire and lift to comfortably have without placing to much stress on my wheel bearings.


Thank you again for the suggestions.

 

I will not be installing these myself. However I will be doing it with a friend at his shop that way I can learn from experienced hands and it will be cheaper oobviously than going straight through a shop.

 

If you're concerned about the wheel bearings, maybe go for a 20x10 with a -12 offset and 37x13.5s. I was just pointing about about the new wheels and everything cause you didn't mention them and I didn't know what you know.

That said, you'll really need to regear to 4.88s to run 37s, and that's another $1600+ to do both axles. Otherwise, you're putting a lot of stress on your transmission and that's much more of a concern than wheel bearings.

Lastly, your only safe options for 8" are what I listed above. Getting a spacer lift and stacking a leveling spacer on top of it isn't the greatest idea. And I also would prefer to only have a 1.5-2" added on a lift because the new angles aren't always 100% like they were from factory, so between that, the big tires, and everything else, I wouldn't stress the balljoints even further with a 2.5" increase.

I have my own 2006 XLT that will be lifted and some point and I also want 8-11" and 37s that stick out a good bit, so I know what you're thinking and what you want. Stepping up to 37s with the big boys takes a good bit more money to do properly than a typical 6" with 35s.

 

Save some money for fender flares too. Tires sticking out several inches past the fenders looks like hell IMO.

 

OK then I'll just run 35s with some new wheels to get the look I want. What size rims and tires should I run with with a 6" lift and is it safe to keep the leveling kit on with it as well?

 

8.5" lift, (6"+2.5") I'd do procomp. Can get a basic lift for a little over $1700, keep your level.

36x15.5r(whatever size wheels I prefer 20s)

Id do 20x12 wheels. I'm running 10s on a leveled truck and even then I feel like they need to stick out more for the monster truck stance.

 

Uh no for the lift. He has a leveling kit so he doesn't want a basic lift. He needs one that come with the aftermarket coilovers, unless he wants to go buy a set of leveling struts in addition. Otherwise he'd be stacking spacer which could end up badly.

Still wouldn't recommend 8.5" either. Wouldn't try to go past adding 2" more for a total of 8". The drop down crossmembers don't reset the angles perfectly to stock, so it's going to help protect the ball joints, etc some if you stop at 8".

 

I already told him allllll this exactly to a tee, and then referred to it again lol. Safe lift options in post #3 and then expanded further in post #6

Hopefully it'll stick if it comes from 2 people . . .

Run 20x12s with -44 offset to stick out as far as possible, but the 20x10s with -12 are much safer on the bearings. Wheel bearings aren't that bad to replace yourself, but it's $500 a pop with labor to have someone do them. It would probably cost less than that just in parts if you do them yourself. I want to eventually run those 20x12s, but have the same concerns and don't think they'll fit without a body lift on my 2wd.

 

Sorry. Forgot to add it may be cheaper to buy struts elsewhere or buy a stage 2 kit with all the buttons. I intend on buying a stage 1 and buying struts of my choice because its more flexible. 6" spacer lift isn't that great a idea

 

There's nothing wrong with the 6" spacer lifts, it just isn't good to stack a leveling spacer on top of it. That's two spacers stuck together, no bueno. Bilsteins and a 6" spacer are fine and still about $600 cheaper than coilovers/stage 2.

 

Thank you everyone. After doing a little more digging I have made a decision as to what I will be doing. I am going to run a 6 6" fabtech lift with dirt logic coilovers a 35x1350x18 mickey thompson mtz and a 18x10 inch lrg103 rim with 5" backspacing for the stance I'm looking for. I really appreciate yalls help and I hope it comes out the way I'm visioning it.

 

Nice choices! That's the lift I'd like, I like those tires, and I had to look up the wheels, but those look nice too