Hot Duck

You know, there are times when even the Police wish they were driving trucks. Like this time....got stuck in the median shooting radar. He didn't realize he was stuck until he went to go after somebody! CLASSIC!!

Of course, since we work with these guys quite a bit I felt sorry for him and stopped to help him, but he already had a tow truck on the way. Besides, I just had to have pictures of this for the firehouse!

mcollinstn

There's no way to engineer around the physics of the situation. The higher you lift a truck, the higher its center of gravity is. The higher its CG is, the more prone to rollover it becomes.

Width (track) is also a significant factor. When you make something wider, it changes the leverage ratio, requiring more force to cause a rollover.

Most lifted trucks also gain some track width due to additional positive wheel offset. It usually isn't enough width to make up the difference in the higher CG, though.

So we get to WHY do we lift em?
1) To get the sheetmetal clear of the big tires we want to run.
2) To get additional suspension travel (in some cases) to better articulate over uneven (rock crawling) terrain.
3) To get additional rocker panel clearance to keep from getting hung up on the tops of hills.
4) To be able to drive around in creeks.

These are the reasons that have to do with FUNCTION.

Then comes the LOOK part of it. Much of the lifting is strictly aesthetic.

No matter how you do it, or whose kit you buy, there is no way to deny that raising it causes compromises in many areas.

I've driven lifted trucks that DRIVE BETTER than the stockers. This doesn't mean that they are "safer" by any means. It is a modification, and like most of them, are aimed at improving some aspects of the vehicle's abilities or behavior often at the expense of some other aspect.

I like big ole jacked up trucks. But I treat them just like any other modified vehicle. You have to know what areas have been compromised and which ones have been improved.

Is a Z06 vette safer than a standard Vette? I say no. I say it is easier to get into trouble with a Z06. But you know it going in and you treat it that way. If you want to argue tht a Z06 is a factory engineered vehicle, then let's compare a stocker with a Magnacharged one. Same deal.

mc

StraightJacket

Hey I say to each their own. I have done both ridiculous lifts and minor lifts for people. Personally I like the minor lifts, for the best stance and function. But then again I usually slam all my $hit on the ground. People say the same stuff and I drive them in all types of weather

berns29scarab

i have a 1999 F-250 Xtra Cab 4x4 with a powerstroke and 100k miles, i intially want to just do a leveling kit to the front after adding a set of 33" tires on 20" wheels, when i priced the kits...for a few hundred more if you did the entire kit, you got new shocks front and rear AND new leaf springs...was a no brainer for me. now shes on a 5 1/2" Fabtec lift kit and rides just as good as she did stock and tracks better

TeamSaris

My first truck will have a lift kit.

2112

My two cents;

For every inch of lift I add one inch of track/tire width.

Tires rated "D" minimum "E" if available.

Top quality components including shocks. Currently running Blisteins.

Top notch hitch receiver with a Steel stinger that has been designed for a lifted truck (&tongue weight) and keeps the trailer level.

I always match the gears to the taller tires. Rear LSD a must.

Currently I have a 06 F350 powerstroke. 6 inch superlift with 36x15.5 mickeys and 4:56 gears. Tires clear the fenders and it tows very well. Yes wide tires float on snow and mud but are great on slimy ramps.

Game On

It just looks so much cooler when you do this to a buddies driveway....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...+burnout&hl=en

Chris Sunkin

That guy definitely has a small wiener!

kennyo

I'd whip his azz if I wuz you Matt!

kennyo

Got any pictures bent over that?