Hey folks, I dont really ask to many questions here but I do like to read a lot as suspension issues is not my strongpoint. SO i have been using the search function to learn about answers to my questions. My question is about my truck a 1995 f150 extended cab 4x4 and I want to do a suspension lift. Its completely stock and I know that I dont want to do a body lift. The most offroading it will see is sand as I live close to the beach other than that it may see an occasional hunting trail but due to time with my job that will be very occasional. So with that said i understand that these trucks have TTB and some folks really hate this setup. Others dont like rough country or tough country( is there a difference?) due to reliability. Others dont like tt b due to alignment issues. So if i didnt want to spend more than say 1200$ on a kit what should i go with and how could i prevent as much as possible alignment issues. I want to eventually get some BFG all terrains so I dont want to eat tires. I also dont want to put blocks in the rear and I am strongly considering the extended radius arms instead of drop brackets just for reliability. I have seen a couple of kits from rancho and bds and one from extreme suspensions or something like that. BDS would be a bit much and I couldnt get a price off of rancho. So what do I have available? Swapping out axles is also out of the question as i want to keep what i have. Would a rough or tough country be ok? Thanks a lot and hopefully soon I can get pictures of my ride up here.

 

also it has the 5.8. forgot to mention that.

 

If you do a suspensuion lift you're going to have to use drop brackets for the front. With the extended radius arms you just won't have to drop that bracket.

 

understand about the drop brackets compared to the extended arms but I was planning on the extended arms due to reliability and the possible weakness in the welds for the brackets and then the stress points going into the frame. If I do this I want to do it right the first time to last a long time. However im not in the market to blow away my life savings. That is why im trying to get as much info as possible. So does anyone have any suggestions to give? Thanks a lot

 

The radius arm brackets aren't welded to the frame, the I-beam ones will be. There's no way around it, you need the drop brackets for the I-beams. Or swap in a solid axle.

 

ok. gotcha. i thought you were talking about radius brackets. I know they arent welded on however i have heard of folks doing that for extra strength. So are there any kits out there that can help prevent abnormal wear and tear on tires? Due to the lack of beating this truck will take i would like to lean towards rough country but am concerned about the tire wear and alignment problems. thats what i am after. all the reading that I have done I havent gotten a warm and fuzzy over the rough country or tough country whatever the difference is. Some folks have good experiences with them others not even though there are many variables to play into it. But if there is a kit out there that can take abuse but not put abuse on the wallet then that would be the one i would be interested in. Thank you for your help. Any other experiences that you or anyone else can share would be appreciated?

 

how big of a lift, and what size tires are you trying to run? i have a superlift with the super runner steering system and am really pleased with it. the steering system makes it handle alot better so it doesn't road walk and takes corners better. it's surprising how much of a difference it makes. i don't know if superlift makes an extended radius arm kit but thats something i'm considering buying now also. i've got a 6" suspension and 3" body lift on mine with 38's, i wouldn't know but everyone i've heard that got a 4 wished they had gotten a 6. as for not wanting to have blocks you could probably get away with putting F250 leafs and just a small block, it's hard and expensive to find re-arched springs anymore. lifts are the same as anything else in america though, you get what you pay for.

 

You get what you pay for is exactly the fine line im on right now. If you dont mind me asking how much was your superlift? Did you install it yourself and how did that go for you? I am pretty set on a 4''. I want a lift but still want it low enough that if my wife needed to use the truck while i am gone(military) then she could still do so. I was thinking 33 or 35'' but am not settled on that yet. I was wondering about swapping over a set of springs from another model. How do you figure out how big of a block you would need if you got springs from a f250 to make it level with a 4inch lift?

 

ok with all the folks with lifts out there i know someone has some answers with this. help me out here.

 

250 springs make most trucks look lifted about 6 inches in the rear.