Solid Axle
Dodge+Ford = always ready
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,376
Likes: 112
From: Montana
i think the only time a solid axle is "better" is if you offroad alot or want an insane amount of lift. my TTB in my fords have been great to me and iv had no weird tire wear. my ram1500 has a solid axle and rides really rough off road. (nothing compared to my 250 lol)
November 2011 TOTM Winner
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 75
From: Dallas area
They are getting 5.5 to 8 inches of lift with the sas. A softer coil is needed to better the ride. Spring buckets and cups are changed out to accommodate the spring. Longer radius arms are good but not necessary. A longer arm will assist in getting better amounts of articulation.with the longer arm a new frame mount is needed, sometimes causing the trans mount to be modified. Then there's the track bar issue. An upper track bar mount will need to be added. The track bar runs from driver side frame to passenger side axle. Depending on positioning the cross member may need to be trimmed for clearance. The lift is needed to allow the pumpkin to clear the cross member. This then gets You into steering geometry with a requirements to change out TREs, drag link and tie rod to accommodate and beef up due to the lift. Don't forget brakelines and longer shocks and mounts.
It is a substantial mod requiring good fabrication skills ... Although James duff sells a kit. It is not cheap. This kit combined with overhauling the axle will get you into no less the 3k to do it right. SAS is not for the faint of heart.
What you get is a better type of lift then frame brackets TTB uses. It is much more beefy and able to handle the rigors of serious rock climbing. You will have better articulation with longer arms. The articulation is forced which aids in traction. The solid axle can better handle a locker as well which gives even better traction. Also your alignment technicalities are eliminated.
Finally, now you have all this lift up front. Guess what? It becomes necessary to move to the back.
Gentlemen the sky is the limit where this mod is concerned with custom springs, chromo axles, driveshaft mods and OX joints, selectable lockers, rear disk brakes. You name it guys have done it, and its a job keeping cost down. Good luck if you decide to go through it.
It is a substantial mod requiring good fabrication skills ... Although James duff sells a kit. It is not cheap. This kit combined with overhauling the axle will get you into no less the 3k to do it right. SAS is not for the faint of heart.
What you get is a better type of lift then frame brackets TTB uses. It is much more beefy and able to handle the rigors of serious rock climbing. You will have better articulation with longer arms. The articulation is forced which aids in traction. The solid axle can better handle a locker as well which gives even better traction. Also your alignment technicalities are eliminated.
Finally, now you have all this lift up front. Guess what? It becomes necessary to move to the back.
Gentlemen the sky is the limit where this mod is concerned with custom springs, chromo axles, driveshaft mods and OX joints, selectable lockers, rear disk brakes. You name it guys have done it, and its a job keeping cost down. Good luck if you decide to go through it.
Last edited by 5Rangers; Jun 11, 2012 at 08:31 PM.
this guy
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
From: Tucson Arizona
Originally Posted by 5Rangers
They are getting 5.5 to 8 inches of lift with the sas. A softer coil is needed to better the ride. Spring buckets and cups are changed out to accommodate the spring. Longer radius arms are good but not necessary. A longer arm will assist in getting better amounts of articulation.with the longer arm a new frame mount is needed, sometimes causing the trans mount to be modified. Then there's the track bar issue. An upper track bar mount will need to be added. The track bar runs from driver side frame to passenger side axle. Depending on positioning the cross member may need to be trimmed for clearance. The lift is needed to allow the pumpkin to clear the cross member. This then gets You into steering geometry with a requirements to change out TREs, drag link and tie rod to accommodate and beef up due to the lift. Don't forget brakelines and longer shocks and mounts.
It is a substantial mod requiring good fabrication skills ... Although James duff sells a kit. It is not cheap. This kit combined with overhauling the axle will get you into no less the 3k to do it right. SAS is not for the faint of heart.
What you get is a better type of lift then frame brackets TTB uses. It is much more beefy and able to handle the rigors of serious rock climbing. You will have better articulation with longer arms. The articulation is forced which aids in traction. The solid axle can better handle a locker as well which gives even better traction. Also your alignment technicalities are eliminated.
Finally, now you have all this lift up front. Guess what? It becomes necessary to move to the back.
Gentlemen the sky is the limit where this mod is concerned with custom springs, chromo axles, driveshaft mods and OX joints, selectable lockers, rear disk brakes. You name it guys have done it, and its a job keeping cost down. Good luck if you decide to go through it.
It is a substantial mod requiring good fabrication skills ... Although James duff sells a kit. It is not cheap. This kit combined with overhauling the axle will get you into no less the 3k to do it right. SAS is not for the faint of heart.
What you get is a better type of lift then frame brackets TTB uses. It is much more beefy and able to handle the rigors of serious rock climbing. You will have better articulation with longer arms. The articulation is forced which aids in traction. The solid axle can better handle a locker as well which gives even better traction. Also your alignment technicalities are eliminated.
Finally, now you have all this lift up front. Guess what? It becomes necessary to move to the back.
Gentlemen the sky is the limit where this mod is concerned with custom springs, chromo axles, driveshaft mods and OX joints, selectable lockers, rear disk brakes. You name it guys have done it, and its a job keeping cost down. Good luck if you decide to go through it.
November 2011 TOTM Winner
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 75
From: Dallas area
My understanding is that using ttb springs will result in a fairly harsh ride. In your case maybe this is mitigated by the weight of the plow?