Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Lift kits ?

Your money, do what you want but lift kits are generally useless and cause far more trouble than they are worth. I've installed more than one and aligned more than I care to remember. If you need to keep the back end up install some simple airbags, you can do it yourself.

There are a few people out there who can actually make use of a lift kit, the other 90% paid good money to project an image, with the added bonus of compromising their vehicle.

Leveling kit for the front end and airbags for the fifth wheel. It will drive better.

I would be cautious about lifting it, unless it's truly needed. Air bags are wonderful for hauling heavy 5th wheels like yours. It improves your braking ability if trailer and pickup are level.

Dick Rupp told me he loves lifted trucks. He said they bring him a lot of repair business.

Whatever you do I hope it works well for you.

The instructions for my airbags say to keep 5lb of air in them all the time. Measure the height of the bed above the axle when empty. After loading it up, add air until it comes up to the same height. That keeps the u-joints at the right angle. Ride height is more important than air pressure.

I would not lift a tow rig. If you want to replace the suspension,look at stock ride height springs with airbags in the rear.

Stock size, 10 ply tires will be your huckleberry for power and economy.

^^^This^^^

you need a lift kit like a 2nd buthole, get proper tires

I have leveled my last three trucks with zero issues. Current Tundra is up 2 1/2" in the front. It also has a switch that allows me to adjust the headlights as needed. I do it to gain some entry clearance given that the EPA has required mnfr's to keep the front end six inches from the turf.

Had one truck with a lift - never again. Unless I was doing something like a long travel kit from Camburg and that wouldn't be on a tow rig but a play toy.

Gonna go with a leveling, and rear bags.

Lift kits were originally intended for ground clearance in off-road applications, and the well designed kits featured longer travel springs to allow for better off-road performance. Today many of them are just fricken spacer blocks, either for the suspension or for the body - and they're worth about 10% of what's charged for them.

On a tow vehicle that runs on-road most of the time you'll probably get the best aerodynamics and fuel economy with the front a little lower than the rear.

Yup. Why smoke your ball joints and tie rod ends just to make your truck look better?

I think people with lift kits on their pickups are making up for other areas where they are lacking in size. They are trying to make up for it. Just say in.

I own nearly that same truck. 02 F350 Crew Short bed 4x4.

I hate the way it sat stock. I put on a 4" kit which basically leveled the front to the back and raised the back end barely. I'd do it again but wouldn't buy anything with the name Full Traction attached to it. (long story but trust me)

This allows 305's with no issues at all. I actually have 315's on it now but cant drive through a ditch without rubbing. I put air bags for towing the 40' toyhauler we had. It has a cold air intake, big exhaust from the turbo back, and it's chipped. The axles have 4:10's not 3:73's that are the most common and mines a manual six speed. Towing the fifth wheel wasn't an issue other than I hurt my turning radius a bit when I put an electric locking front diff in it.

I love this truck, it goes everywhere it should and some places it shouldn't. If you want to trade some info back and forth I'd be willing to give more details.

LMFAO!!! Who chews your food?!?!? LOL

I installed a 4" spring hanger kit for ICON Vehicle Dynamics (formally Donahoe Racing) on my 2002 Ford F250.

I highly recommend just installing the hanger kits which basically just relocates the factory springs lower (which raises the vehicle) and provides the same ride quality. 4" or less will not negatively effect the steering geometry.

I have 35" tires on mine and wished now I had just used a 3" lift and the 285/75R16 tire like you plan to use. It would have saved the money I spent on a gear change (456's) and would be much easier to get in and out of. A 3" hanger kit for the front and 2" blocks in the rear with those tires will give you the little added offroad performance you will need, with plenty of room for chains if needed. A gear change would most likely not be required with the 285 series tires unless you plan on towing heavy loads often.

ICON Vehicle Dynamics are the best at lift kits for Ford Trucks!

Yeah... okay ATSE.....
If you read into it, my wife suggested the lift and tires.
But that's okay too.
Neither, she, nor I, are attempting to make up for anything.
I think you need to move out your parents basement, and get out on your own finally. It will open your eyes, at what fun a person can have, without having to ask mom.

If i was to lift a Ford it would be a Carli pin top kit. Best unit to maintain factory geometry and improved ride quality.

I have had Icon prior and its good but the Carli flat smokes it.

For your uses a quality leveling kit with Camber shims and good shocks with air bags would be best

ill be the first to call you a dumbass for towing a 42' fiver with 4 slides with a fuggin SRW ford that has less tow rating than my 2015 max tow half ton chevy....

That truck will fit 285/75s with no problem without a lift. I know because that's how mine is set up right now. If I was going to be towing a good bit of the time I'd skip the 285s and go 255/85/16s. They are the same height but narrower. They drive way better and offer better traction in everything other than maybe sand and aren't as hard on front end components to boot. Narrower tires generally mean better fuel mileage as well.