How do you beef up the F150 Suspension?

andrewlail76

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Location
Hickory, NC
My stock F150...I don't want to lift it, but I was curious how to beef upthe suspension. I think I can pull the real leaf springs and put in 1 ton ones can't I? I put new shocks on it already...

Also, when I take off and it spins, the rear axle bounces something fierce...other than traction bars, what can I do?

There were some $36 traction bars in the last Summit Racing catalog I got but I think they might be better suited to my '68 mustang than the 91 truck...
 
You will hate the ride of a relatively light F 150 on 1 ton springs. Your kidneys will never forgive you.

The traction bars you are talking about will definitely hamper travel, something very important off road.
You can use an anti-wrap bar, but without a lift and bigger tires, I can't see you needing it.
A locker will help too, the tires won't spin as easy ( both will be driving, instead of one).
 
I'm with uglyjeepoffroad on the one-ton springs, don't do it. You will feel every little bump like a bat up yer ass. As for the rear axle bouncing, keep your foot off the skinny pedal and save that for your mustang...problem solved. Kidding aside, I don't think there's anything other than trac bars that will solve your problem.
 
and beefing up the front is pointless. sway bars should be on there front and rear if it has the tow package, but if not, that could be a good upgrade to the rear but would kill offroad performance. locker would pretty much eliminate or decrease the wheel hop. fullsizebronco.com has a ton of good f-150/bronco info.
 
johnski said:
Kidding aside, I don't think there's anything other than trac bars that will solve your problem.
Click to expand...

A more precise application of the english language is in order.

A "track" bar is also known as a panhard bar. It is responsible for locating the axle left-right under the vehicle. It has little relevance to the discussion at hand.

A "traction" bar is (I believe) what you intended to suggest. It includes any number of devices designed to reduce or control rotational deflection of the axle housing due to spring wrap.

HTH
 
If it was my truck I was planning on taking offroad, I would remove both sway bars and probably pull a leaf out of the rear pack to soften it up. If the rear axle hops badly when off road, then I would build a traction bar. I took both sway bars off my Bronco when I put the lift on, and it drove fine.

DK
 
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