New suspension lift
- Thread starter rkduff99
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
ZuluBravoTango
Full Access Members
I like the looks of it! If anyone has it let us know!!!
ZuluBravoTango
Full Access Members
Booyahhh. Found it for $1404.77 with free shipping. Its the F4403. http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/details/QQFordQQExpeditionQQTrailmasterQQSuspension_Lift_KitQQ19972002QQT54F4403.html
I believe the F4403SSV is the model with shocks.
Here are the install instructions!
http://www.trailmastersuspension.com/instructions/F4403.pdf
I believe the F4403SSV is the model with shocks.
Here are the install instructions!
http://www.trailmastersuspension.com/instructions/F4403.pdf
Last edited:
Thermo
technical advisor
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2011
- Posts
- 1,404
- Reaction score
- 65
rkduff99, when I was researching the lift for my truck (keep in mind that this was 10 years ago), I looked at the Trailmaster kit (back then it was only a 4" lift) but I quickly ruled that lift out even though it was significantly cheaper. That was the problem (atleast back then). They used inferior materials in their kits. Specifically, where the Fabtech and Rancho kits I looked at were 1/4" plate steel welded together to make everything, the Trailmaster kit was basically 1/8" plate bent to shape. While I am sure it would have worked for a street machine, that is not what I was building at the time and I am sure I would have tweaked that setup in a heartbeat.
I would ask to see if the shop can get one in (or if they have one in their shop) and to let you look at the kit. If you see a lot of 1/8" plate, save up your money and get a real lift kit unless all you are planning on doing is driving around on the streets. If the Trailmaster kit has 1/4" plate now, then by all means get it and it will probably do what you are after and be able to take a little bit of play.
I do not mean to put this kit down, but I am only going off of what I saw and my reasons for not buying the kit when I had it in my hands.
I would ask to see if the shop can get one in (or if they have one in their shop) and to let you look at the kit. If you see a lot of 1/8" plate, save up your money and get a real lift kit unless all you are planning on doing is driving around on the streets. If the Trailmaster kit has 1/4" plate now, then by all means get it and it will probably do what you are after and be able to take a little bit of play.
I do not mean to put this kit down, but I am only going off of what I saw and my reasons for not buying the kit when I had it in my hands.
Thermo
technical advisor
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2011
- Posts
- 1,404
- Reaction score
- 65
2 things I notice about this kit that I am not fond of is:
1) the lift parts for the rear are lacking. The kit is expecting you to reuse your factory arms. This is going to put them at a decent angle and it is going to lead to a lot more abuse of the factory parts. Ideally the rear arms should be about parallel with the ground to maintain the best suspension geometry. Will it work, sure. Kinda like the drop bracket for the 5th member (the bar that runs from the driver's side frame rail to the passenger side axle mount), the brackets for them are missing support for handling side loading. If you saw the bracket for the Rancho kit and then you saw this, you would be laughing.
2) the long bars you see that have the ends 90 degrees from each other are there to tie the drop bracket for the lower a-arms to the drop bracket for the tranny mount. This is all fine and dandy, but that is a weak point in the kit. As you load up the front axle with hitting bumps, ruts and who knows what all else, the lower a-arms are going to be pushing back on the drop bracket pretty good and those arms are going to see a lot of force. You are trusting that to a few small bolts. The Rancho and Fabtech kits use a welded 2" bar on each side to tie these two points together. Again, get the kits in your hands and just looking at the parts, you can see how and why there is such a price difference between the kits.
1) the lift parts for the rear are lacking. The kit is expecting you to reuse your factory arms. This is going to put them at a decent angle and it is going to lead to a lot more abuse of the factory parts. Ideally the rear arms should be about parallel with the ground to maintain the best suspension geometry. Will it work, sure. Kinda like the drop bracket for the 5th member (the bar that runs from the driver's side frame rail to the passenger side axle mount), the brackets for them are missing support for handling side loading. If you saw the bracket for the Rancho kit and then you saw this, you would be laughing.
2) the long bars you see that have the ends 90 degrees from each other are there to tie the drop bracket for the lower a-arms to the drop bracket for the tranny mount. This is all fine and dandy, but that is a weak point in the kit. As you load up the front axle with hitting bumps, ruts and who knows what all else, the lower a-arms are going to be pushing back on the drop bracket pretty good and those arms are going to see a lot of force. You are trusting that to a few small bolts. The Rancho and Fabtech kits use a welded 2" bar on each side to tie these two points together. Again, get the kits in your hands and just looking at the parts, you can see how and why there is such a price difference between the kits.
K5rnt
Full Access Members
Look into the kit that Zone Offroad offers. I just put one on my 97 f150 and it is very well built. The new cross members are all 1/4" welded plate and the price is good. My f150 kit was just a little over 1300 shipped. I think the Expy kit is around 1600.
Thanks for the info guys. I guess I will save up and buy the Fabtech kit. Overall I think that would be far superior to any other lift. I really appreciate all the great info the members provide here. Hope I can contribute as well one day.
Keith
Keith
Canadian Expy
Full Access Members
You can get the Fabtech kit for $1800 off the guy I got mine. EBAY
http://myworld.ebay.com/fabrides/?_trksid=p4340.l2559
http://myworld.ebay.com/fabrides/?_trksid=p4340.l2559
Canadian Expy
Full Access Members
The Zone kit looks real good up close, there at Bloomsburg every year. The rear setup is nice
ZuluBravoTango
Full Access Members
Wow great info guys...
walnuts4x4
Full Access Members
+1 for fabtech.... and if I didn't have it already I would be getting the Zone one... was a solid kit when I saw it at the jamboree in PA
