lookin at lift kits

[Terrell460]

Im lookin at lift kits and i was wonderin how much they effect your fuel economy and how much of a difference there is between 4 and 6 inch lifts. i imagine theres a little because of the extra drag from wind resistance on the taller stance. Anyone have experience with them?

 

[optikalillushun]

honestly, if ur worried about fuel economy then dont lift it. the difference between a 4 and 6 inch kit is minimal, but there will be more of a drag from the larger, wider and heavier tires.

with that said, i have 315/75/16 tires on my 88 F-350 (stock suspension) and i can still get 16-17 mpg around town. I do have a diesel, 5 speed and 3L55 gears.

 

[Terrell460]

yeah i knew no matter what i was gonna lose something especialy since my trucks built like a cinder block. i guess thinkin about it, mileage is realy unimportant cuz i got a jelly bean car for that. i just would like to still hit the hills with it if i got the lift.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

Is your truck 4WD?

 

[Alvin in AZ]

I just bought some 2+1/2" "lift parts" and didn't like the way they fit and
didn't like their little 1/2" bolts either, because there's 9/16" slitted hole in
the parts. :/ YMMV

I also didn't like Tuff Country's slotted axle pivot adjustment! :/
YMMV on that one too.

-------------------------

Tuff Country's SupensionConnection was going to let me return the stuff
and not charge me a re-stocking fee of ~$40 but I told them I'd split the
difference with them since they won't be able to sell the stuff as-new.

They are good people, I just didn't like the product.
I also have -no- idea how Rough Country's stuff and people compare.

-------------------------

I bought two bags of 10 bolts and one bag of 25 nuts from McMaster-Carr...
http://www.mcmaster.com/library/20050201/92620A778L.GIF
http://www.mcmaster.com/library/20100119/92501A445L.GIF
(use the part numbers to get better information)
...and made a point of using -no!- washers of any kind, which is something
I fiNgured out maintaining railroad switch points. Stuff like washers and
especially those dangged split-ring "un!" lock washers only introduced more
places for looseness to creep into the system. Double nutting tho, was the
chicken-coup-of-grass that'd allow the bolts to last as long as the switch
point.

After doing the bolts and nuts that way the "gov't required cotter pin" was
just there for looks. LOL Told others about what I'd fiNgured out and no
one was interested, not even the supervision.

Most "good ol' 'merican workers" only really care about quitting time, I'm sorry
to say.

-----------------

Anyway, I used my new fine thread bolts and lock nuts to put the stock stuff
back on. LOL

From the hardware store I got a couple 4" long 9/16" fine-thread grade-8
bolts for the axle pivot through-bolt and two regular grade-8 nuts and will
double nut those two bolts. The inner nut might have to be drilled out a
little to allow for the bolt's un-threaded section will stick though a little bit.
You might want to go with a 3+1/2" bolt? (no 3+3/4" grade-8 in 9/16")

Too bad but I couldn't find anyone that has flanged nuts and bolts in 9/16".

---------------------

One of the things that bothered me about the lift kit was how they tell you
to recheck the torque on on their fasteners every 3000 miles.

Well heck yeah!

...you'd friggin better, if you use their bolts and all them stinkin' washers they
supply (because the holes are too big for their bolts!).

What I learned working on dune buggies is, the engineers can get away with
stuff we can't! LOL You go to redesigning something you need to go an
extra step or two to get the same results in "longevity" they get. No kidding.

Do it up-front or do it later in the mountains ...take your pick.

Nuttier than you thought in AZ

 

[Terrell460]

Is your truck 4WD?

Yes its a 4x4

 

[Terrell460]

I just bought some 2+1/2" "lift parts" and didn't like the way they fit and
didn't like their little 1/2" bolts either, because there's 9/16" slitted hole in
the parts. :/ YMMV

I also didn't like Tuff Country's slotted axle pivot adjustment! :/
YMMV on that one too.

-------------------------

Tuff Country's SupensionConnection was going to let me return the stuff
and not charge me a re-stocking fee of ~$40 but I told them I'd split the
difference with them since they won't be able to sell the stuff as-new.

They are good people, I just didn't like the product.
I also have -no- idea how Rough Country's stuff and people compare.

-------------------------

I bought two bags of 10 bolts and one bag of 25 nuts from McMaster-Carr...
http://www.mcmaster.com/library/20050201/92620A778L.GIF
http://www.mcmaster.com/library/20100119/92501A445L.GIF
(use the part numbers to get better information)
...and made a point of using -no!- washers of any kind, which is something
I fiNgured out maintaining railroad switch points. Stuff like washers and
especially those dangged split-ring "un!" lock washers only introduced more
places for looseness to creep into the system. Double nutting tho, was the
chicken-coup-of-grass that'd allow the bolts to last as long as the switch
point.

After doing the bolts and nuts that way the "gov't required cotter pin" was
just there for looks. LOL Told others about what I'd fiNgured out and no
one was interested, not even the supervision.

Most "good ol' 'merican workers" only really care about quitting time, I'm sorry
to say.

-----------------

Anyway, I used my new fine thread bolts and lock nuts to put the stock stuff
back on. LOL

From the hardware store I got a couple 4" long 9/16" fine-thread grade-8
bolts for the axle pivot through-bolt and two regular grade-8 nuts and will
double nut those two bolts. The inner nut might have to be drilled out a
little to allow for the bolt's un-threaded section will stick though a little bit.
You might want to go with a 3+1/2" bolt? (no 3+3/4" grade-8 in 9/16")

Too bad but I couldn't find anyone that has flanged nuts and bolts in 9/16".

---------------------

One of the things that bothered me about the lift kit was how they tell you
to recheck the torque on on their fasteners every 3000 miles.

Well heck yeah!

...you'd friggin better, if you use their bolts and all them stinkin' washers they
supply (because the holes are too big for their bolts!).

What I learned working on dune buggies is, the engineers can get away with
stuff we can't! LOL You go to redesigning something you need to go an
extra step or two to get the same results in "longevity" they get. No kidding.

Do it up-front or do it later in the mountains ...take your pick.

Nuttier than you thought in AZ

Yeah m looking at rough country now because they have a great price for the 4 inch lift kit. thanks for giving me a heads uo on the harware theyll give me. ill be sure to make a list during disassembly so i can get it done right

 

[optikalillushun]

what is ur truck anyway?

 

[Terrell460]

what is ur truck anyway?

Its a 1990 Ford F-250 with a 460 efi, a 5 speed manual transmission and Four wheel drive.

 

[godblessmud]

You wont lose much mpg from lift itself, its the size tires that will kill your fuel economy espescially if you dont regear.

Dont waste your time on any lift kits that involve blocking the rear springs if you plan on going over 4", you wont like the axle wrap with that 460's torque

I was about 12 mpg when my truck was stock, went down to 8-10 turning the 36's with a 302, and is down to 4 turning 36's with the semi built 351w...
But then again my truck clocks the scales at almost 9k

 

[LEB Ben]

As stated, the actual lift won't kill the mileage, it's the added rolling mass from the tires. And actually, mpg's should actually improve because you've just lowered your effective gear ratio and you're turning lower rpm's. However, your foot will be on the floor more to get moving, wasting more gas. That being said, go springs all the way around, or don't bother doing it...unless it's just to look pretty. I'd also stay away from Rough Country, their name says it all...super rough and minimal flex when compared to other brands. Although, they are much cheaper than other brands. Another thing to keep in mind when trying to decide 4" vs. 6" is a 6" lift starts in on that grey area on whether or not you should extend driveshafts and other things that have limited length.

 

[godblessmud]

I got away with not having to extend driveshafts because my truck is an extended cab with a 2 peice rear shaft already so it had enough slack..in the front i did have the notch the xmember to clear to front shaft

 

[Alvin in AZ]

was about 12 mpg when my truck was stock,
went down to 8-10 turning the 36's...

Wow.
Did you compensate for the change in the odometer?
Had to add 12.8% to the miles on my '75 since ~1980.
Had to add less than that from ~1977 to ~1980.

Alvin in AZ

 

[crzybil87]

yea im at the limit with my lift at 6.5" only thing limiting me now is the pinion angle and id have to order longer driveshafts and drop the t case. But yea stay away from rough country and tuff country theyre cheap and thats just it CHEAP!! ive had nothing but bad luck with their crap breaking its all low quality I also demand a lot out of my stuff so you might be able to get away with it

 

[Terrell460]

I may be able to get away with cheap but idk. we still use the truck for hunting and anything that intails a lot of weight in the pickup box. i dont do things like muddin, towing (accept for four wheelers), and racing it like it was a prerunner or jumping it at all of course.

If i got a 6 inch id definately get the springs no matter what, six inch blocks just dont look safe or all that apealing to me.

i was thinking of getting the blocks in a four inch lift and building a traction bar system to compencate for the axel wrap. or maybe doing some kind of 4-link suspension.

Pretty soon here ill have an F150 that will probably take over the hard work so the F250 will start headin in a direction of a show off truck.

Rough country is just realy apealing to me because i dont have enough money for like skyjacker. Would the rough country atleast be able to handel going to the dump and hitting the hills without failing? or is it something you cant take off of a paved road?

 

[Terrell460]

but then again in the near future i want to rebuild the engine and put a lot into power adders so i would probably want tomething stronger. Ill probably just wait till i get an idea on what the truck will be like in the next few years.

What, in your opinions, is the best suspension lift company?

 

[crzybil87]

Rough country will probably handle what youd be doing with it, it only failed for me cause i wa into hardcore wheelin lots of power and big tires the lift kit just couldnt handle it but i als hammered it constantly and hard. As blocks go even fo a 4" id stay away from them and go with springs money permitting

 

[Terrell460]

what i may do is by blocks for now. and later by the springs when i have more cash. just the extra two springs are killer for my wallet

 

[crzybil87]

blocks would d ya fine and dandy , but you would definately notice a drastic increase in axle wrap, but if you do make up a 4 link like you said it should control it quite well. the blocks should hold ya over until you get the 2 springs you need

 

[Terrell460]

Ok and if i feel so inclined in the next 10 years or so ill get a 6 inch lift. ill be doing a body off resto some day no mater what so itll be a sinch. thanks for all the advice and tips everyone