what kind of lift would you put on an 06 f350 thats primarily for towing? Im thinking a 4" but what kind and what schould i look for!
I think this one from Donahoe is a good choice. I was gonna get theyre kit for my toyota but i just couldnt afford it at the time. But from what ive heard, they make THE BEST systems out there. http://www.wheelersoffroad.com/6-4500detail.htm John
www.keldermanairride.com Their four link suspension gives a very soft ride yet strong enough for heavy loads.
Technically, a good lift for towing is kind of an oxymoron. Basically ANY lift over about 3" or so is going to have a negative effect on towing performance. That is just the first half, what is equally hindering is the larger tires that people then go with. It's pretty hard to beat the tracking, weight capability, and smoothness of a 265 Michelin off of a factory dodge. Basically anything bigger and more aggressive won't perform as well.
Well, I'll contradict myself a little and say that you don't "have" to have E range tires. It depends on the type of pickup you've got. I have a utility body full of tools, a portable gas engine welder in the bed, along with a 16cfm air compressor, and a 65gallon diesel tank on my single rear wheel 1 ton Chevy. I tip my scale at over 8,500lbs full. Combined with pulling a farm implement or trailer and I "have" to have my E rated tires to hold up to the weight. On my Dodge I've got D rated tires. Now most D rated tires are only roughly rated for 500lbs less per tire anyway. Even with my gooseneck hooked up, I'll be hard pressed to put more than 6,000 on either axle.
The best lift for towing is no lift period. If you really feel that you want a lift then get a leveling kit or no more then say a 3". Anything more looks stupid and will make your F-350 tow like an F-150.
I my f350 I went with a leveling kit. I also took the big rims off my truck after three months of having it due to the stiffness of the ride and real bad fuel cossumption. The truck was also a pain in the a$$ to get in and out of when hooking up a gooseneck trailer.
RJF's Red Cummins and Brisk are right on. I have never had a four wheel drive that I have not lifted some and had slightly bigger rubber on. So, let's break it down to simple math, shall we? First if you lift your rig you are going to increase the height of the truck and also increase the mechanical advantage your trailer is going to have on your rig. If you are towing a goose neck or a fiver then you will need to make the hitch height shorter to keep the trailer level. This will bring the hitch closer to the bed rails and the tail gate. Making it closer will bring the trailer closer to contacting the rails when you go over a curb or an off camber approach. Also, if you increase the tire size from a 32" to a 35", lets say, then you have almost increaced the tire size by 10%. This means that your spedo and odo are off by the same 10%. This also means it is like installing a gear set that is also, numericaly, 10% lower or effectivaly giving you a higher gear set. What once was a 4.10 set is now more like a 3.69 set. And so on. If you had a 3.73 set now it is more like a 3.357 set. With the way that new diesels are it is not too difficult to gain more power making it feel like you have all the power that you had before. Problem is that with the new power and added resistance of the bigger tires and aerodynamics now suffering you will only be the rest of the truck faster. I would not tell you that you cannot haul and tow with the lift. Just be advised that it makes everything harder on the truck. If you only haul small and light then why not go for it. A small lift and 35" tires is going to be easier on the rig than say, hauling with a stock truck and 16,000 lbs. LT.
big wheels Hey there boss, I'm still kicking around the big rig wheels. I wondering if maybe I should go with the 22s with a normal load range E tire to save some of the ride. Also how does yours ride with the air bags and what kind are you running? I was going to go with Kelderman but they are so damn expensive.
Well I have to say the ride sucked with the 22.5 so I sold them off. I am currently running the stock wheels with 305/70r17 BFG ALlterrain tires. As for the bags if rides stock when empty and smooth with a load. I am running the firestone ride rites with an in cab controller. I also have an onboard air system.
