Lift options? 05 ST

[Tombstones81]

I would do some searching on here, but I have 3 crazy kids & a motormouth wife going nuts & its even distracting the hell out of me to even accurately type~!
2005 ST 4x4.
Already have the Shackles to lift the rear.

Read the lift kits are pretty much non existent anymore. (wouldnt spend that much anyway, unless my truck was pre 100K miles)

Would this be a good option for a suspension lift? (link is just an example)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Leveling...040711?hash=item1cd2391587:g:0RMAAOSwDclc7y0V
So it would be Shackles, added Leaf, & Torsion Key.

& then whats a Good 3" Body Lift kit?

Wife still talking......................

Off Topic.
Where can I get those style Fender Flares?

 

[Johnny O]

That kit is re-indexed keys that will max out the suspension travel. I wouldn't use it. All you are doing is adjusting the suspension downward and there is only so much travel. Turn the bars up 1.5" and add the Performance Accessories body lift. Summit Racing has it last I looked, a little over $200. Because it relocates the bumpers you will either have to leave the tow hooks off, cut some ugly notches in the front valence, or use Chevy S-10 tow hooks which someone found would work a while ago without cutting the bumper.

 

[curtis james]

i did a 4 inch on my 04 back in 04 but i had to wait for super lift to make one as they are different then 03 and prior if i remember it was they added stabilizer in rear, i contacted super lift couple years back to buy another for my stock 04 but they quit production and he said they have parts for warranty so you could piece one together. but back in the day i met a guy who trimmed the fenders on a new 05 and was running 33s and his looked same as mine, i think he used flares for a blazer but not sure. i will look for the pic i took of mine next to his and post it, but i have 2 04s and i am going that route on my stock one, you will ruin the fenders by cutting but cheaper to buy a whole body then what i spent to lift mine. he retained his stock ride other then upgrading his shocks and said it rode nice.

 

[Tombstones81]

Yeah I am not looking for a whole kit for a truck with 162K miles & read about them being discontinued.

What options are there for suspension lifts?
& it would be easier to just trim the fenders, get bigger tires (I assume bigger then stock rims?) & fender flares???

My previous 01 ST, I cranked the torsion up & the entire front end was bouncing around VERY dangerously!
Obviously I turned it back down & it went back to normal.
So I assume a different torsion key would just do the same thing or worse?

The wife is getting her own truck this year, so now I can do what I want with my ST.
She refuses to get an ST because of all of the BS with my 05 (gauges sent to be fixed & PAT problems)

First time customizing anything other then motorcycles.
So im totally in the dark, but not ignorant to working on vehicles.

 

[curtis james]

hey tombstone, i agree with ya on the cost factor, i am doing the trim fenders and doing 33s, thats what i have on my lifted trac, perfect hieght for me, i ran 35s for a while but did not care for extra couple inches, i have intake ,programmer exhaust and with 12.50 x 33s on 20s i got good power. as soon as it warms up i will be doing the other trac and if ya do yours let me know what flares ya used, i am going to start by looking at ranger flares, i wished i could remember what flares the guy used for his but been a few years but his looked way clean but more squared then my flares.

 

[Tombstones81]

Cool~!
Yeah, I've never customized Anything with 4 wheels, so its going to take a lot of research for me.
Which I assume would be figuring out the measurements of the ST flares, how much I need to cut on my trucks fenders, & then add that amount to the ST flare measurement & find which truck has flares that size.
Sound about right? hahaha

Would I have to get bigger rims tho?
Switched rims with my 01 before junking it (same as yours in the background)
& Really want to keep them & polish the hell out of them~!!
Seen an ST otw to work with those on & polished & they look Sweet~!

Heres mine, just waiting for the wife to get her truck & my next bike to fiddle with before I polish the rims. (is when I plan to buy the buffing pads & polish)

 

[Tombstones81]

Figured out what I plan to do now.

Browsing dodge trucks for the wife.
Seen a Dakota with a 3 inch body lift, 35's, & a little bit trimmed around the wheel & thats all. (pic below)
(listing mentioned 33's would be better as the 35s are slightly rubbing)

Since they are the same size trucks "at a glance" (neighbor has one)
Totally happy with the height & look of that truck.
Again, I am only referring to the "Look" of that dodge, I know the actual measurements are not the same.

So I will do the same to mine.
3 inch body lift, 33 or 35" tires, then see if I need to trim & how much.
Will measure to see if the rear sits lower then the front & if it does, install the rear shackles to lift it up a little.

(edit)
What is the best Body Lift kit to get?

 

[Tombstones81]

If I do a 3 inch body lift.
Am I still able to put a full front metal guard on it?

I'm thinking no.
Because it mounts to the front tow hooks & those dont move with a body lift.

 

[Tombstones81]

Tire size question now.

Using the stock 16" rims.
What sizes are able to be used?

Actual tire size numbers, not just... oh 33's or 35's etc
Obviously I myself have never changed tires sizes in such a big way where I would have to learn & know specifics.

Max width?

Like 255/85r16 are coming up as 33.5 inches

Height isnt really a problem figuring out (2nd numbers)
The Width on stock rims is not something I want to chance,
Rather get numbers directly from the horses mouth. (you guys)

 

[Tombstones81]

Well, grabbed some Fender Flares.
Cheap AF compared to the Bushwacker ones!!!!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H4HHR5R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
NOT listed for fitting the Sport Trac.. I Know
Went out & measured the width of my wheel well & they will fit that.

Any other issues, I will take care of & modify as needed.
Have no problems trimming, or mounting them any way I can.
If I have to drill mounting holes in the truck fenders, I will & properly seal them.
& if I need to lengthen then, I'll just buy another set & piece them together.

Heres the same ones with pics on the reviews.
Swear these didnt say Smooth Black, which is why I bought the other ones.
Oh well.

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Flare...41f95&pd_rd_wg=7fQHR&pd_rd_i=B07CZBFKVV&psc=1

 

[curtis james]

i like those flares , let me know how they fit or what ya had to trim, and thats a cheap price compared to bush wackers, only 85 bucks. a lot more rugged look then smoothe, i got mine way back in the days and they were 200 bucks so thats a sweet deal.

 

[Tombstones81]

Still waiting on the flares, should be here tomorrow.

New front & rear lights came tho

Think thats the most I ever spent on cosmetics for something with 4 wheels..... hahaha
$1200 exhaust system for a motorcycle is a no brainer.
Anything with 4 wheels tho, im just like Meh nah!

This truck got me itchin tho!

Too much snow to attempt anything but a dry fit when the flares come.
Fixing a few things to get my car road legal takes priority tho, as soon as the snow melts, as its buried in the yard.

 

[curtis james]

yea i here that, just moved up to eastern panhandle of wv and soooo cold, now there saying more snow but my truck likes it and my wife hates it so a win win for me.

 

[Tombstones81]

Fender flares arrived

Never did any body work on anything but a motorcycle.
So I dont know how different or the same the measurements are in the wheel opening of the fender of trucks collectively
But I am Well pleased with the size of these!

They fit Perfectly around the wheel well~!
But...
They are WAY too long!

So now its only a matter of looking at how the correct ST flares mount.
If they stop at where the body meets the skirts, or stop at the skirt & then another piece mounts to the skirt.

Im typing this before looking up some pics again, or else I would already know. haha

& this also arrived today.
Its a truck... you Gotta give it its own set of balls!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Truck-Nuts...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
I honestly just find them Hilarious when I see them on a truck, as they are not common around here.

(edit)
looked up some pics & this will be Easy, even for a first timer like me.

All I have to do is trim the excess length off & then see if the L shaped lip will go between the fender & skirt.
If it does, cut it off the bottom & reattach it to the section going on the truck.

They look exactly like they do in this photo, but black.
Going to keep mine black as I will be painting the skirts & bumpers black.

(edit again)

Sorry for possibly sounding stupid in thinking there was a Lot more detail & steps when installing fender flares.
or at least these ones.

As I found a video of the same ones going on the specific F150 they are supposed to go on.
Being my first time, I honestly did not know the outer/top bolts were merely cosmetic
& its mounted entirely & quite easily on the inside of the wheel well.



Now I guess the only hard part will be trimming them down & make them look like they were designed for the ST

 

[Tombstones81]

Just grabbed the 3" body lift kit

Wife just got an 03 dodge 1500 too.
4 door & Huge compared to the ST.... for now

Snow finally starting to melt~!
Going to put the body lift kit on first.
Then the fender flares once I am close to buying new bigger tires for it.

https://performancelifts.com/performance-accessories-ford-sport-trac-3-body-lift-kit-70023.html
(edit)
drove the wifes new truck home as she never drove anything bigger then my ST.
The ST looks 100XXX better with those new style headlights in the rear view!

 

[RR-sport trac]

Hey Nice set of posts. Were you able to get the fender flares installed? If so any pictures? I bought a set of similar ones for my 2002 ST but they did not fit and no way of modifing them to fit - thinking about buying the ones you said could be modified to fit

Thanks

 

[Tombstones81]

Hey Nice set of posts. Were you able to get the fender flares installed? If so any pictures? I bought a set of similar ones for my 2002 ST but they did not fit and no way of modifing them to fit - thinking about buying the ones you said could be modified to fit

Thanks

Have not gotten to installing them or even the dang body lift.....
2 places I inquired about having the body lift kit installed wanted at Least $800 to install.
Quoted over 10 hours to install at $80+ an hour. (FK that!)
Then my neighbor moved that was going to help me install it.

The fender flares fit the wheel well shape perfectly, they are just a little long & need to be trimmed on the ends.

Was waiting to install the body lift, get bigger tires, & then install the flares.
Just didnt pan out "yet".

Also got preoccupied with a more passionate hobby soon after this plan.
88 honda magna for $1500 that sat for 6+ years in a garage & garage kept its entire life.
Refreshing everything, upgrades, etc etc ate $$$ that could have went towards the truck.

 

[RR-sport trac]

Looks good