F450 Lift - Diesel Forum

atrice · 08-01-2006, 12:39 PM

Has anyone found a lift kit for an 88 F450 or lifted one? I am also looking to see if anyone has converted one to 4X4.
Aaron

Mr_Roboto · 08-01-2006, 01:43 PM

I doubt there is a specific kit. How much lift are you looking for?

I believe the F-Superduty had front leaf springs, right?

You could put a couple add-a-leafs front and rear to get a couple inches.

Provided you have front leaf springs, you could use a F350 front axle and transfer case, although you would have to deal with 8 lug front wheels and (maybe) a weaker front axle. I don't believe the 1.5 ton Ford was available in factory 4x4 until the 99 model year, but I could be wrong about that.

atrice · 08-01-2006, 02:02 PM

I am only looking for an inch or or two and it does have front leafs. I don't think that they made these in a 4x4 originally but I was just wondering if it could be done or has been done.

Aaron

cwatanabe · 08-01-2006, 04:51 PM

Anything is possible, but since you already have front leave it makes life a bit easier. Depending on how much cash you want to drop for this, get a front end off of a wreck, newer f-450, then its ten lug. Throw a couple leaves in the works and hammer down like cudder brown.

Mr_Roboto · 08-01-2006, 05:12 PM

An F-450 (99 up) bolt pattern is metric, the F-Superduty bolt pattern is inch dimension. Plus the F-450 uses 19.5" wheels where the F-Superduty uses 16".

That is why I stress the difference between F-Superduty and F-450. They are totally different trucks that happen to have similar load capacities.

cwatanabe · 08-01-2006, 05:38 PM

well I learned something new today, but after I read that i went and looked at that f superduty that I have and your totally right about the wheel size, never thought of that. And I would have never guessed that they changed the lug pattern on a 10 lug.

Mr_Roboto · 08-01-2006, 07:46 PM

The pickup truck patterns were changed to metric when the body styles were changed. 97? for the F150 and 99 for the F250 up.

Econoline hasn't been redesigned and is still inch dimension. Although I am not absolutely certain about E450 and above.

Maintain · 08-01-2006, 08:42 PM

I'd still think just use whatever axle you can find, use 2 different wheels or go aftermarket since you're lifting it. I'm sure there might be hub systems out there that will change your bolt pattern.

Also, maybe switch both of the axles out from a newer F4/550?

dontstop · 08-01-2006, 09:58 PM

There were aftermarket conversions of F-superduty's to 4x4. I've seen a couple driving around and for sale in the TruckTrader. As a matter of fact just within the last month i've seen a '97 f-450 4x4 in the trader. The ones I've seen sat up pretty high with the springs they put on them. Seemed quite top heavy since the ones I saw had buckets on them to do electric line work in sandy areas. Not sure what the front axle was, but it was not a D-60, much bigger.
Interesting because I thought they used a "Super" Dana 60 on the current 4x4 f-550s, whatever a "Super" d-60 is.

Also, the spring spacing is different front and rear between our frames and the newer f550 axles, already checked on that one because I was thinking of upfitting my '89 CC dually to 550 axles the better to tow my 40' 5ver. Not sure about the steering linkage since the spring spacing was off, didn't pay attention to that part. Going back to plan A to get F-Superduty axles and springs to up the GVW.

dontstop · 08-01-2006, 10:05 PM

Oh yeah, as far as a lift, wouldn't any springs from a f-350 4x4 lift work? From what I've seen the leaf spring set up (hangers, location of hangers) on F-supers are the same as the 4x4 f-350, they just used a drop I beam for the 450 and solid drive axle for the 350 4x4. So I would assume that the leafs would fit. You would lose load carrying cap. I would imagine, but if you're lifting it anyway that doesn't sound like a concern for you.

Jrod13 · 08-01-2006, 10:58 PM

The old F-superdutys used a I beam front axle, with the srpings under the beam.. so putting a 60 under it, would mean putting the axle UNDER the springs, this alone, should give around 4-5" of lift.

Also, I'm pretty sure the 88-97 superduties used 19.5" tires, like like the 99+ 450 and 550.

Mr_Roboto · 08-01-2006, 11:02 PM

Well here's a pre-99 that's a 4x4. So I was wrong about the first year. http://p223.ezboard.com/ftow411frm85...icID=148.topic

daniel45 · 08-02-2006, 06:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]

Also, I'm pretty sure the 88-97 superduties used 19.5" tires, like like the 99+ 450 and 550.

[/ QUOTE ]

Got a '90 and a '88 donor and both have 16" wheels. Gotta wonder why anyone would want to lift these critters. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

atrice · 08-02-2006, 10:14 AM

Great thanks for all of your help. I will have to put some thought into converting because I do sometimes tow a 16,000+ LB trailer.