Lift Lacky
I've been reading through several articles on how 2WD pickups are becoming more popular in off-roading. A popular option with lifting some of these 2WD pickups are spindle lifts. I have a '76 Chevy heavy 1/2-ton truck with a 350 V-8, and I want to install Fabtech's long-travel kit. That's only a 4-inch lift. I'm also looking for a 3-inch spindle for it, but have had no luck. Could you tell me of any manufacturers that make a lift spindle for my truck? I'll probably end up installing a body lift, too, but I'm still looking for more height.Dustin Murrayvia e-mail
You're in a fix, my friend. Yes, it's true that a lifted 2WD trend has taken the off- road aftermarket by storm, but unfortunately the trend is directly attached to the trucks in the era of this trend. Some manufacturers make steering knuckles with offset spindles, but their offset is in the wrong direction, and these spindles will lower your truck instead of lifting it. Another way these 2WD trucks are being lifted is with the use of drop-down brackets. These brackets bolt into the stock A-arm mounts and drop the A-arm mounting location downward, thereby providing lift. Again, we don't know of any drop brackets made for your truck year, but they would not be difficult for a competent fabrication shop to build. No manufacturer is going to dish out the money to cast an expensive set of lift spindles for a 27-year-old truck unless it sees a secure demand for it. If you're not stuck on staying with a 2WD truck, we would suggest buying a 4x4, or converting your truck to a straight axle with a 4x4 donor.
Which Lift Do I Purchase?
I have a '99 Ford F-150 4x4 with a 5.4L V-8, and I'd like to lift it to run bigger tires. Which company is the best to get a lift kit from? Is there anyone who makes a straight-axle conversion for my truck? I'd like at least 5 inches of suspension lift and a 3-inch body lift. I also want to run 33- to 35-inch tires. Any information regarding lifting this truck would be greatly appreciated. I've been reading your magazine for more than a year now and I really enjoy the articles. There needs to be more articles on F-150s. This is my first 4x4 and I'm looking for ways to lift it and make it trail worthy.Chris ReddenSoddy-Daisy, Tennessee
Submerged in the pages of Off-Road magazine is a plethora of different lift kits. It can be confusing when trying to decide which is the best product. Ask yourself these important questions: Which companies stand behind its lifts? What's the most bang for the buck? The truth is, if a company can afford to advertise, it's legit. We're not saying that your quest for the best parts should end there. Call local installation and fab shops. The '99 Ford F-150 came with P235/70R16SLs on the standard package, which can be switched for a set of 305/70R16s (33 inches tall) by simply cranking up the torsion bars. Of course, the truck will ride rough. Instead of a body lift, we suggest using a 6- or 7-inch lift from any one of our advertisers. Six inches of lift on a F-150 4x4 will easily clear 35-inch tires. Some of our other advertisers sell 12- to 14-inch lift kits for 4x4s that look really cool on 39.5-inch tires. You don't even need to put a body lift on. It all depends on how far you want to take it. Take your time and shop for your purchase. As to which one is best, that's subjective and you will need to draw your own conclusion. Hopefully, the pages of Off-Road and a few phone calls will get you the answers you need to make the right choice. As far as a straight-axle conversion kit is concerned, Offroad Unlimited in Burbank, California, has a wide selection of straight-axle conversion kits for IFS trucks. We hear the company is working on a conversion kit for the F-150. Call Offroad Unlimited at (818) 563-1208.
Hula Trucks Lift Limit
Dear OFF-ROAD,I've been going off-roading since before I could walk or speak in sentences (15 years, baby). First, it was in a sky-blue '97 CJ-5, now a navy-blue '93 Bronco. I love your magazine's Worst Stuck page. I'm still rolling on the floor over Jason Beasly's pic. Most people consider four-wheeling to be a rough man's sport, but let me correct them. I'm a 15-year-old girl, and I'm telling you, I love going off-road. There's nothing like going away for a weekend with the boys and relaxing. I was practically drooling over your article about the F-350 runnin' on 42s; it's convinced me that the F-350 is for me. There's one problem - 42-inch tires are illegal here in Hawaii. What size are the stock tires? I really want 42s; if it were on 34s, it would be ugly. Help!
Heather Byrgo
Pearl City, HawaiiWe're glad to see that our readership is so diverse. There are a lot of laws restricting lifts out there, and they vary from state to state. We haven't heard of a tire-size law before.The laws we know of in Hawaii are based on vehicle weight, and relate to bumper height. For your state, if your truck's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is 4,500 pounds or less, the maximum height of your bumper is 29 inches from the ground. If the GVWR is 4,501-7,500 pounds, your max height changes to 33 inches. Finally, if your truck's GVWR is in excess of 7,500 pounds, the max bumper height is 35 inches. The grand state of Hawaii also has in place a maximum body-lift law of 3 inches. Of course, a body lift changes the bumper height, so it doesn't matter if you use suspension or body lifts; your maximum bumper height will keep you down. The F-350's GVWR is definitely above 7,500 pounds. That means if you buy a Super Duty, 35 inches is your limit.
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