How to add eight additional inches of pure 4x4 pleasure to the 2006 Ford F-250 pickup truck.
Lifting coil-sprung Ford 4x4s has been challenging ever since the early Bronco bit the Blue Oval bullet in 1977.
C-bushings and radius-arm brackets seem simple compared to the TTB trucks, which can be difficult to align after lifting.
The new-model Super Duty's have their own lifting quirks. However, factory ride
and overall drivability don’t have to compromised if
camber is properly addressed during the lift: Raising the truck causes the
radius arms to rotate the axle forward. Therefore, higher lift means more axle
rotation which equals less camber.
Caster
Considerations
Instead of being first to market with 2005-06 Super
Duty lift kits, Superlift assessed all of the ramifications while engineering
its systems. For example, the new Super Duty loses three-degrees of caster at
about 2-inches of lift if the radius arms remain in their factory mounts.
Steering self-centering and shimmy increase, and the truck tends to dart and
wander. Adding cargo or trailer tongue weight subtracts even more caster when
the rear ride height drops and items such as heavy snowplows augment the
problem.
|
The most-obvious solution is to lower the radius arm frame mounts with brackets.
However, the OE mounts are riveted to the frame and difficult to remove, making
drop brackets a viable approach. Superlift’s R&D showed that the bracket
drop has to equal the lift height to maintain proper caster. So, 8-inch drop
brackets would be required for an 8-inch lift kit. Ground-clearance compromises
and odd appearance undermine this approach.
Superlift’s ultimate solution
is drop brackets for milder lifts and exclusive Caster Brackets
for other kits. Caster Brackets bolt to the front of the factory radius arms and fully restore caster without
using balljoint cam bushings.
|
The result is correct caster angle and no axleshaft misalignment. Caster Brackets
are the cornerstones of Superlift’s two and 2.5-inch kits for 2005-06 Super
Dutys, and the 8-inch kit shown here combines these brackets with 4-inch drop
radius-arm rear frame mounts. (The 4-inch and 6-inch kits include some of the
8-inch system’s components, sized as necessary, and use rear drop
brackets.)
The standard Superlift 8-inch kit contains additional front
components to optimize steering and handling. For one, a track bar relocation
bracket keeps the axle centered, preventing “roll and yaw” and steering-wheel
kick. A dropped Pitman Arm reduces draglink angle, and Superlift even includes a
bracket that restores the factory steering stabilizer’s OE geometry. The system
also contains front anti-swaybar extensions that thread onto the stock units –
no cutting or welding required.
|
To create a ride that most consumer's rear ends will assess as better than stock,
Superlift uses engine-specific front coils. Diesel and V-10 applications have a
slightly stiffer spring rate than the V-8s models. Two rear-lifting options are
offered, each with its own advantages:
|
Tapered blocks with add-a-leafs
The most cost-effective, this method increases cargo capacity
while retaining the factory overload leaf. However, the ride is stiffer, and
axle-wrap increases under heavy acceleration. Superlift’s optional Torque Max
traction bars control the wrap.
Replacement springsThe more
expensive option, Superlift’s leafpacks are engineered to ride softer than
stock. This option combines new springs with a unique hollow-rubber
compression-travel control/load-assist system to prevent the springs from
over-compressing under load.
For its 8-inch system, Superlift recommends
a maximum tire size of 38.5x13.50 on 10-wide Wheels
having 5.75-inch backspacing.
Other OptionsIn addition to the
Torque Max traction bars mentioned above, Superlift offers other ups and extras
for its new Super Duty systems. Shock-wise, each kit includes standard Superide
cylinders: gas-charged fronts and hydraulic rears. Two available upgrades are
Select Series (SS) monotube gas shocks by Bilstein and SSR
remote-reservoir monotubes (shown here). Front multi-shock mounts are also
available.
Up front, dual and even quad steering-stabilizer kits can be ordered with standard brackets or
Superlift’s laser-cut “3-D” brackets. Stainless-bodied stabilizers are another
option. An available brushed stainless-steel Skidplate is emblazoned with a
laser-cut “flaming” logo, a theme that carries over to the optional Radius Armor
and Torque Max SS dress-up plates. Additionally, extended-length Bulletproof braided-steel brake
hoses with Kevlar linings are offered, as are eXtreme Ring diff cover protectors
and the TruSpeed speed sensor recalibrator. All Superlift products are backed by
a limited lifetime warranty.
InstallationPDC Motorsports’ Jay
Parodi and Ryan Johnson spent a leisurely day and a half installing the
Superlift 8-inch kit shown here with all of the various upgrades on a 2005
F-250. Because the Caster Brackets
require cutting, Superlift recommends professional installation for this kit.
The photos and captions depict highlights of the job. After all was said
and done, the Super Duty now rolls on 38-inch Toyo Open Country M/T tires. Its
steering and handling are comparable to stock, and the road ride is actually
softer than factory. Superlift’s multitude of performance and appearance options
makes the truck much higher and mightier than run-of-the-mill new Super
Dutys.
Sources
Precision Differential & Chassis/PDC
Motorsports
570 W. Lambert Rd. Unit F
Brea, CA
92821
714-671-9752
Superlift Suspension Systems
300 Huey Lenard
Loop Rd
West Monroe, LA 71292
800-551-4955, fax 318-397-3040
With the truck on the ground, begin by disconnecting the front trac bar
at the frame.
|
Unbolt the swaybar links at the axle before jacking up and securing the
truck. This hardware is reused.
|
Remove the front shocks. The bushings will be reused.
|
Unbolt the steering stabilizer at its stem end.
|
Separate the draglink from the pitman arm using the appropriate
puller.
|
Unbolt the front brake hoses at their coil-tower mounts.
|
Unbolt the brake-hose brackets at the frame. |
Carefully lower the front axle until the front coils pop loose. The
rubber isolators will be reused. |
Note how the stock pitman arm is indexed on the sector shaft before
removing it with the appropriate puller. |
The Superlift dropped pitman arm restores the factory draglink
angle. |
Index the Superlift pitman arm on the steering box, then secure it
using copious amounts of thread-locking compound. |
Remove the factory trac bar bracket from the frame. |
Scrape any excess undercoating off the frame before mounting the
Superlift trac bar bracket. |
Five bolts securely fasten the Superlift trac-bar bracket to the
frame. |
Disconnect the ABS bracket, then unbolt the radius arms from the
|
Unbolt the radius arms from the frame and remove them. |
Trim off the radius arms’ slotted lower tabs. |
On the driver’s side arm, the nut on the upper tab is carefully removed
by grinding off the spot welds. This nut will be reused |
Place the Superlift Caster Brackets on the radius arms so that they
butt against the pinch welds. Hold in place with factory bolts. |
Using the Caster Brackets as guides, drill a ¾” hole through the radius
arms. |
Attach the Caster Brackets to the radius arms using a combination of
factory hardware and the kits’ bolts and sleeves. |
Bolt the Superlift 4” drop brackets to the OE radius-arm frame
mounts. |
Optional Radius Armor dress-up panels can be installed now or
later. |
Attach the radius arms rear-first. Don’t tighten yet. |
The axle might have to be shimmied back and forth on the floorjack to
align its radius-arm holes. |
Yank out the factory front bumpstop snubbers, then unbolt their
mounting cups. |
Use the Superlift bumpstop extension brackets as templates for marking
and drilling two additional mounting holes per side. |
Bolt the extension brackets to the truck’s frame. |
Hog out the mounting cups’ holes to 3/8”. |
The factory cups and OE snubbers bolt to the Superlift
brackets. |
The Superlift 8-inch coil (left) is pre-stressed to limit sag from
spring fatigue. These springs are almost twice as tall as stock. |
The kit’s swaybar extensions thread onto the stock links, spanning the
increased distance to the axle. |
Lower the axle if necessary to make room for the Superlift coils.
Transplant the OE rubber isolators, and make sure that the coils’ pigtails
seat in the lower buckets. Raise the axle until the isolators are secure
in the upper buckets. |
Brake line upper extension brackets bolt to the coil towers. The lower
brackets attach to the axle in their stock locations. |
Front SSR shocks and Bulletproof brake hoses are two of the available
upgrades. |
Once the vehicle is on the ground, the trac bar can be reconnected to
the Superlift drop bracket, using the kit’s notched keys. |
PDC trimmed the front air dam for extra tire clearance. |
Begin the rear lift by disconnecting the swaybar links (the hardware is
reused) and removing the existing shocks. |
Unbolt the brake line bracket from the diff so that the axle can be
lowered to remove the springs. |
Once the axle is supported with a jack, next off are the
U-bolts. |
Remove springs with the shackles attached. (Don’t overextend the vent
tube while lowering the axle away from the springs.) |
For trucks that have two-piece rear driveshafts, the Superlift
carrier-bearing drop kit is required. It spaces the bearing down to lessen
the pinion angle. |
The Superlift replacement springs (below) have more arch than stock but
lack the upper overload leafs. |
Insert the bushings and sleeves into the main leafs’ eyes. Then
transplant the stock shackles onto the Superlift springs, which are marked
to indicate the ends that face forward. |
Inspect the spring perches and repair or replace if they aren’t
perfectly flat. Otherwise, the new Superlift springs might not seat
properly on the axle. Secure the new springs to the frame and place the
kit’s blocks onto the axle. |
The kit’s U-bolt and plates secure the new springs to the axle. |
The factory brakeline bracket is bent downward to compensate for the
increase space between the frame and axle. The Superlift kit also includes
brackets to relocate the e-brake cables on the driver’s side of the
frame. |
New shocks install next. Superlift’s optional remote-reservoir SSR
models are used here. |
Superlift’s load-assist system consists of hollow-rubber springs that
mount to the U-bolt plates as well as frame brackets that replace the
factory compression travel-stops. The kit’s extended swaybar links are
also installed at this time. (Optional Torque Max SS traction bars are
visible here.) |
The standard Superlift kit includes a bracket that returns the OE
steering stabilizer to its factory angle following the lift. |
Superlift’s optional dual-stabilizer kit’s outer brackets mount to the
tie-rod and its adjuster sleeves. |
The center bracket attaches to the diff cover (optional Superlift
eXtreme Ring protector shown) and axle tube. |
The “3-D”-effect plate serves as the center attachment point for
Superlift’s optional stainless-bodied stabilizers. |
Attach the skidplate’s mounting hoop to existing frame holes rearward
of the radiator core support. |
Mark and drill the upper holes in the radiator support. Then secure the
plate to the radiator support and Superlift hoop with the included
stainless-steel hardware. |
Remove the existing diff-cover bolts. |
Slide the extreme Ring into position and secure with the kit’s
stainless steel bolts.
|
