Before/after measurements for TT

[tcruarceri]

Anyone remember there before after ground to wheel well measurements when they did a torsion twist? My truck doesn't sit level and I am not certain if is just the typical lean or someone fiddled with the adjustments already. Don't want to over crank if the truck has already been lifted some... Please include your tire size as that's a factor obviously...thanks. Tried searching but wasnt finding any measurement mentioned...

 

[2TimingTom]

Every truck is different. Age. Spring rate on the torsion bars. Tire size. Tread depth on those tires. Air pressure in the tires. It's basically impossible to compare one truck to another.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

1996 5.0 4 door on 32x11.50x15 after the lift... 36 inches from the fender to the ground. Rear is 36.5 fender to ground. That's about maxed out. Anything more in the front and the ball joints and CV angles are a bit much for me as well as the sway bar starting to pitch.

Some guys might push it farther but to me the extra half inch isn't worth it. In the rear the sway bar is tightening up a bit much too and I almost couldn't get my endlinks in and just managed to get my traction bars back on with a bunch of prying. It then settled after I got it all together of course which loosened everything back up but this is about as much as I would feel comfortable doing.

On the stock tires 235/75/15 before the lift I was at 33 inches up front and 32.5 out back.

oh and FWIW tires were all inflated to proper pressure and in both cases tread was new so was 13-16/32'nd's.

Also one other note, my truck had the typical drivers side lean so I did swap my rear leafs left to right and that really evened the truck out.

 

[swshawaii]

^ 33" front and 32" to 32.5" rear is a good reference to use with stock 29" tires.
Measure on level ground and add or subtract 1/2" for each full inch of diameter.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1236063&postcount=30

Ford has two factory ride height specs. First method is linked below using several suspension measuring points from ground. Second is noted in the owners manual from the ground to the to top of the roof rack. Front height variance between different vehicles may be caused by weakened torsion bars. Safest bet would be looking at CV and LCA angles.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328290

 

[swshawaii]

OP, 4x4 and 4x2 show a 3" height difference in the owners manual. Please complete your VEHICLE profile and specs. TIA

Your Profile
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[1997XLTRollover]

OP, 4x4 and 4x2 show a 3" height difference in the owners manual. Please complete your VEHICLE profile and specs. TIA

Your Profile
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/member.php?u=106710

Thread Display Options
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions

Good point, I figured it was assumed since my truck was a V8 it was AWD. But I probably should have specified for anyone who doesn't know. All V8's are AWD. So my truck is a "4x4".

 

[Rockwood]

Good point, I figured it was assumed since my truck was a V8 it was AWD. But I probably should have specified for anyone who doesn't know. All V8's are AWD. So my truck is a "4x4".

When you say "all V8s are AWD" that's not true, some are 2WD but you are correct in one aspect, none come factory 4WD.

 

[tcruarceri]

truck is awd. does the 2wd version really ride 3 inches lower??

 

[swshawaii]

truck is awd. does the 2wd version really ride 3 inches lower??

Glad you asked. Don't know if I'd trust the owners manual because the workshop manual shows RWD and 4WD
the same. BTW, thanks for completing your vehicle profile, makes it much easier for everyone in the future.

* Height includes roof rack <--- May be the height difference? :scratch:

Owners Manual (Page 272)
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/00expog1e.pdf

Workshop Manual (Front Suspension Specs) RWD
https://www.scribd.com/doc/283129420/Front-Suspension-8212-4x2-Specifications

4WD
https://www.scribd.com/doc/283129444/Front-Suspension-8212-4x4-Specifications

 

[CDW6212R]

The body on the frame of these trucks are not square(height). Each corner may be a different distance left to right from the frame to the body.

If you set the body heights level left/right, you may be making the frame not level left to right, given the body being higher or lower versus the frame left/right.

So for best handling no matter what you height choice, make the frame level(left to right). Measure only from the front lower control arm bolt center, down to level ground. Make those the same left and right, then notice the fenders will not match. I had mine done on the alignment rack, I set mine at home to the height I wanted, and had them check the frame height and make it perfect. The lower of my two trucks is about 8.5" high to those LCA bolts. The other is around 11", both with about 29.5" tires.

 

[tcruarceri]

The body on the frame of these trucks are not square(height). Each corner may be a different distance left to right from the frame to the body.

If you set the body heights level left/right, you may be making the frame not level left to right, given the body being higher or lower versus the frame left/right.

So for best handling no matter what you height choice, make the frame level(left to right). Measure only from the front lower control arm bolt center, down to level ground. Make those the same left and right, then notice the fenders will not match. I had mine done on the alignment rack, I set mine at home to the height I wanted, and had them check the frame height and make it perfect. The lower of my two trucks is about 8.5" high to those LCA bolts. The other is around 11", both with about 29.5" tires.

thanks, will keep this in mind. also never heard of swapping the leafs left to right... interesting idea... ill see how the truck sits after the new load-adjust shocks.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

When you say "all V8s are AWD" that's not true, some are 2WD but you are correct in one aspect, none come factory 4WD.

You know, for some reason I was thinking all V8's were AWD. But I did know the 2wd V8 existed. Brain fart. Thanks for the correction.