1972 f-150 lift kit ?????

[junior3382]

That second one has 44" tires already!!!! LOL... I know it is hard to tell since it is totally rediculous in height... but just wanted to point that out.... And I was trying to illustrate that 2 feet of lift may not be nescesary to accomplish what you were looking for because it is the tires that really give the ground clearence.... thats all. So ya, all kidding aside... what tire size are you looking to run?

inorder to pull this off, you will need to be able to do all the work yourself... especially the fabbing. If you can weld and have a good sense of what is involved, then some basic steel components, some longer shocks, skill and some serious blood sweat and beers... you could do for less then most. The tires though, there is the big key, you get into those large large mudders like 40" and bigger, you are talking $$$.... so all kidding aside, you say the truck runs, I assume because it is an F-250? you have at least a D50 front axle... TTB? anyways.... It will not look the prettiest but fabing your own supports and crossmembers will also allow you to know better what and how to fix things you are going to break off road. OOOO and do not forget the drive shafts need to be lengthened too....very important. 75K30 can offer more advice then myself on this since he has done it himself... but i hope I answered some questions for ya.

[mason12345]

im looking to run 54s or as close to that as i can get...
btw the tires will be used tires(it cuts the price down a bit)

[junior3382]

have you alread found them? I wouldn't even know where to start looking for used 54" tires! LOL...

[75K30]

Gonna take a bunch of money to create a vehicle that large.
Tires of that size will require a drivetrain that can survive, and this is gonna take a ton of cash.
The truck pictured is running Rockwell axles that are, or were found under military 6x6's.
This will require your ability to create, and fabricate a multi link suspension system, and use a coil, or coilover type spring. Leafs probably will not work because they will have to be shaped like a crazy u shape.
Once you get the drivetrain under control, you have to have brakes large enough to stop.
If you use an axle like the Rockwell, it is only available with one gear ratio (6.72:1) and drum brakes. Pinion brakes are available, and there are disc brake kits for these, but they cost a few bucks.
You will have to have wheels made for these axles, and will have to decide if you plan on running the stock 6 lug hubs, or have some custom 8 lug units made. This will determine what type of wheel you decide to run.
There is nothing under a stock 1/2 ton truck that will survive under the loads that will be encountered when running such large tires.
I read that you want to run 53" tires, and assume that you are probably gonna try to run a 53" Michelin. These military tires are flat heavy, and even 1 ton drivetrain will not survive.

[Steve g.]

I don't know if you understnad the cost of lifting a truck 2 feet - it's not just a lift kit you need.... and 54's are something you get at your local yard sale.

In all seriousness, what exactly is your budget? 2k? 10k?

[Lonesome7.3]

I do not mean this as an insult so please do not take it as such. But it sounds as though you do not have a lot of experience with big trucks. I seriously suggest you come down from the clouds and make this build a little more realistic. As 75K30 touched on there is more to building a big truck than just lift. You go big, you go big on everything. You have a **** fine foundation for a strong starter truck. You build it right, not cheap and you will go places the big trucks cannot. I am assuming you plan to run agricultural style tires. That’s cool; I have built some trucks like that myself. But you WILL NOT run that half ton running gear. Well, not for very long anyway. You will certainly have to get something stronger than one ton running gear and the suspension will require good fabrication skills. You said you do not want to spend a lot of money, well then stay home or sit on the side and watch. Even a beat up well built truck is going to cost you. If you cut corners you will be left in the hole with broken parts. Not to mention the huge safety risks. I am sick of seeing those inbred idiots doing stupid stuff to their truck just to get them in the air. Don’t be one of those morons. Take your time, and plan your build. Never rush something like this and never take the idiot cheap way out.

If you want to build a truck like that you can save money by using scrap steel. As long as you know how to use it and find the right kind of scrap that is. My first few big trucks (very similar to your photograph) were built over time using what ever I could find. But they were built strong and other than drive train components I broke nothing. My frame and suspension stayed it tact even when twisting the big tiaras with a 600 horse Ford big block. It is possible to go that big with leaves, but you better know how to set them up. I have seen guys use U shaped leaves to get that kind of height and it did not work out well for them. Some type of multi-link system would be ideal, but again, you better know how to work a welder and be good at math. Seriously, like I said in your other thread slow down and start of small. Get more familiar with what you are working with. Build your skill before you build your truck.

[mudseeker]

^^^^^^^^couldn't have said it better myself.^^^^^^^
EDIT:
i have merged the two threads in to one to limit confusion and to keep all the info together

[75K30]

Here is an example of a slightly later truck than your half ton, and while they are similar, you can see just how much is involved in suspension design.
This is a pretty simple and basic truck, but you need to see just how large everything has to be to keep components under the truck when the skinny pedal drops.
These tires weigh a ton, and turning them is often very difficult to do.
As you can see, this truck runs a full hydraulic steering design, and this is not street legal, and really very difficult to drive on the street since these orbital valve designs do not return to the center like conventional mechanical systems.
With this much lift, there is no way a drag link os going to fit anyway, so the hydro system is about the only option.
You can also see that the hubs have no brakes. These axles would have had ginat heavy drums, and we all know how effective they are in the med.
Disc brakes are an option, but are pretty spendy. A happy medium would be pinion brakes, but while the pinion brakes spin at over 6 times the wheel speed, they burn up rotors, and calipers often.
Anyway, builds like this cost big bucks, and even of you are doing it yourself, there are just soime things that you have to buy.
Shocks are not cheap, and those super large spherical rod ends can make a few of us guys broke in a hurry.
Doing something like this on the cheap is probably going to cost more than what you might be expecting.

[junior3382]

Is that one of yours 75? or you just found a pic to illustrate?

[mudseeker]

truck looks to be in Florida, due to the moss on the trees.