Looking to buy an ST. Some questions.

[thewhitebeast]

I have been looking at sport tracs and it seems with the goals I want to achieve, a 2002-2005 would be the best choice as the only lift kit I have seen for the ST covers those years.

How well does the stock running gear hold up to bigger/heavier tires?

With the 4 inch lift, how big of tires can you run?

What are some of the must haves when looking for a ST?

What mileage cutoff would you not consider?

Does anyone want to trade a nice ST for a 2001 Mustang Bullitt with 330 rwhp?

 

[LONO100]

most members have run 33"s with no problems from the axles. going 35" could pose some problems but still, there are many members running 35"s on the ford 8.8.

a 4" lift will fit 33" tires no problem with some minor trimming of the wells. going any higher and you will have to do some considerable trimming.

look for job 2 sport tracs, the ones with the tranny dipstick.

mileage is a vague question. i would take 150k freeway miles over 80k city miles, meaning i would rather buy a vehicle with 150k from an old guy in a rural area over some guy living in the hills of san francisco.

sorry, no dice on a trade, i love my trac!

 

[thewhitebeast]

They're pretty spendy. What year did they get side curtain airbags?

 

[2TimingTom]

The rear axle can handle 35s all day long. The rear axle is a hulk. The IFS...... might want to take it a little easy. 33s are no problem.

 

[thewhitebeast]

I really like the 2nd gen for the v8 but doesn't seem there are too many real lift options.

 

[JohnnyO]

They're pretty spendy. What year did they get side curtain airbags?

Only Gen 2's have side curtain airbags.
I've owned both, first a Gen 1 '05 and now my Gen 2 '08.
Only two suspension lift kits for a Gen 1. The Superlift kit which costs a lot of money and Dixon Brothers, which if you think the $2 grand for Superlift is expensive then you don't want to know what Dixon Bros. costs, plus you have to add wider Hahnneman fiberglass front fenders and paint. It is a wider long-travel desert race setup that is much stronger and replaces virtually everything outwards from the front diff.
You can also get a Performance Accessories bodylift for about $200 plus installation.
Either way you can fit 33" tires, best on a 15x8 rim with 3.75" backspace.
The rear axle isn't the problem with big tires, the problem is the front axle. The wheel bearings, tie rod ends, and CV joints aren't really happy with tires bigger than 33's and wheels wider than 8".

 

[thewhitebeast]

The $2k for the superlift doesn't intimidate me in the slightest. What trim level has rear facing vents?

 

[jon99explorer]

They're pretty spendy. What year did they get side curtain airbags?

The side curtain airbags WERE an option on Gen 1.
My 04 had them, & they probably saved my life. (When I was hit on the side by someone that blew a red light, they deployed).
My 05 does not have them.

 

[JohnnyO]

The $2k for the superlift doesn't intimidate me in the slightest. What trim level has rear facing vents?

You mean heat and A/C vents?

 

[thewhitebeast]

You mean heat and A/C vents?

Yup. Like the ones in the center console. I'd really consider a 2nd gen but that would negate the reason I want a trac since it has IRS

 

[OffTrac]

What are your expectations for the truck? Why do you want to lift it?

 

[thewhitebeast]

I want a ranger but it doesn't have enough doors! I want a weekend trail toy that I can still daily drive. I would put a powertrax locker in the rear.

I want to lift it to get the added suspension travel and height to fit larger tires. My F-150 has 34" tires on stock height, but it's long and too wide for what I want to do.

Basically I need a new toy. I have a fully built mustang and I am bored with it. I'm at a stage in my life where I'd rather explore back roads than run the 1/4 mile. I have been looking at sport tracs and jeep cherokees but I am a ford guy and know that STs are a pretty capable vehicle.

 

[OffTrac]

Sounds like my truck. I drive it daily, granted less than 10 miles a day, but it is a blast to drive on trails too. Check my Registry linked below. 35s aren't necessarily needed but they are fun...and they haven't destroyed any parts in over two years as some are afraid of. A Superlift isn't necessary unless you're just religiously against body lifts.

 

[NewTrac17]

Sounds like my truck. I drive it daily, granted less than 10 miles a day, but it is a blast to drive on trails too. Check my Registry linked below. 35s aren't necessarily needed but they are fun...and they haven't destroyed any parts in over two years as some are afraid of. A Superlift isn't necessary unless you're just religiously against body lifts.

OffTrac - If you weren't thinking about doing SAS, then would you install 4.88 gears to keep up with the 35s to make it feel stock?

 

[JohnnyO]

Yup. Like the ones in the center console. I'd really consider a 2nd gen but that would negate the reason I want a trac since it has IRS

You need to get an XLT Premium, which most Gen 1's are, or the less common Adrenalin, to get the long console with the vents. My old '05 was a Base XLT with the short console and no vents. I purposely got a Base XLT because I did not want step bars. I had them on the Ranger I owned previously and they were only good for getting my pants dirty in the winter.

The short list of added XLT Premium equipment is step bars, fog lights, 255/70-16 tires, usually fancier 5 spoke wheels, and 4.10 gears. You can live with 4.10's and 33" tires although 4.56's will put the RPM vs. MPH pretty close to stock.

Also a bodylift will require that you either lose the front tow hooks or cut some ugly notches in the valence to fit them. Personally I'm not a fan of bodylifts. I did a simple torsion twist and shackle lift on my '05 with 32" tires.

 

[OffTrac]

OffTrac - If you weren't thinking about doing SAS, then would you install 4.88 gears to keep up with the 35s to make it feel stock?

Definitely. 4.10s and 35s are actually not bad for street use, IMO, but they are certainly inadequate climbing hills.

 

[OffTrac]

Also a bodylift will require that you either lose the front tow hooks or cut some ugly notches in the valence to fit them. Personally I'm not a fan of bodylifts. I did a simple torsion twist and shackle lift on my '05 with 32" tires.

I didn't consider the notches I made to be ugly but I know it's just a personal preference thing and I know the brush guard helped tie it in.

I do think 32s are the perfect size tire for the ST. That picture is with 32s but the body lift was too much for that size tire.

 

[thewhitebeast]

Not much of a body lift fan. I just imagine getting rear ended and me and the cab go scooting down the road, with my wife and little baby girl in there too.

 

[OffTrac]

I've scoured the internet for stories like that but couldn't find them. I know it's a debate that will go on though. You gotta feel safe, that's for sure.

 

[thewhitebeast]

So let's say this. If you shackle and do torsion twist, can you fit 33's and still get full articulation?