I got a 2000 2wd and I managed to fit 265/75 R16's (31.8 dia) Dura Tracs inside the wheel wells stock, but I've been looking at a spindle lift.

Fabtech?

or...

Doetsch?


They are essentially the same price, and I have seen some narly pics on this site from broken Fabtech ones. Are they really that bad? Or have they improved? Has anyone heard anything about the Doetsch ones failing? I can get the Fabtech ones locally easily with a nice warranty, but nothing with the Doetsch. For the back I'm planning on doing a small block and a Belltech 6400 shackle.


Any info would help alot guys.

 

mmm..bump?

 

Both have failed.

under both cases the trucks have been used as trucks and usually tires over 33's

 

every spindle failure ive seen on this site has had two things in common....
1)t-bar truck
2)failure on the snout

i have the doestch ones and ever since i did longer coils and uca's the top of the spindle hits on turns because the upper portion of the spindle is box shapped as opposed to round in the fabtechs

 

usually involve being punished too...

 

Ah, well this will be a 80% mall crawler, and only light trailing on logging roads and possibly the dunes. No jumping or anything like that. And the tires are staying at 265's.

Guess I'll stick with Fabtech and get a warranty. lol

Maybe I wont have the extra stress since its a coil spring and not t-bar.

 

Fabtech no longer makes the small brake spindles... oh sad news...

 

check out dezertrangers.com 's classified section and race-dezert.com

 

Nice site, but nothing in the classifieds for my year. I think I'm buying a set of rotors and the 11.25 brake spindles and calling it good.

 

Doestch all the way i love mine! They were way heavier duty then the stock ones and do great for light wheeling!

 

That's the way to go! It's a great upgrade, especially for larger tires.

 

not that I have the money for a SL or BL, I thought if I could figure out what I needed for my truck I could find it online somewhere for cheaper than usual. I have an 01 2wd supercab XLT...not edge, not sport. I've found lifts for those but not anything for a standard deal. I'm guessing my xlt has a t-bar but IDK anything about any of this stuff.

can anyone tell me a little bit about the 98-06 2wd xlt's?

 

^^^you have coil not t-bar

 

well that's good to know. So the only thing I'd be able to do would be a body lift. or would I even be able to do that?

 

You have the most options of all. You have the 3" spindle, the 2.5" coil w/ UCA and 3" body lift. Or you can combine all those or some of them.

 

thanks I'll keep that in mind and do some of the research on the write up TRS has on their 2wd suspension mods and see what I can find. I thought I'd be stuck with a BL, but I would like SL hands down.

 

StrangerRanger, what did fabtech tell you? From what I can tell in the catalog you should still be able to get everything for the 2.5" coil lift. The 3" lift is where you'd have to get 98-00 spindles. If you get the 11.25" rotors will they fit? from what I can tell with the catalog, the 98-00 have the 10.25 rotors. Let me know if I'm right/wrong about that.

As far as brands go, it looks like fabtech would be the best way to go, according to the TRS write up I posted. Blitzkrieg has 13" of travel in their kit but welding required, etc. wouldn't want that. besides thats rediculous. Justin, so here's where you were saying I have the options. I can go with the 3" spindles, 2.5" longer coils with UCA's, or their ultimate combo of the two, and the option of the 3" BL. If I'm able to do this I think I'll be going with just the 2.5" lift with UCA's because I'm not interested in changing the gearing and for long trips it'd be nice to switch over to normal road tires.

 

I got from Fabtech direct that the 98-99 spindles are no longer being made. Those are the 10.25 rotor ones.

So I got some brand new 11.25 (99-00, mid year update) rotors and the 11.25 rotor spindles and everything bolts up. All you need is the rotors if your getting the Fabtech spindles.

I have 32's (really 31.8 but who's counting) and I dont have much of an issue driving it around with the 3.73's. I get 25-27 mpg on the freeway on account of the low rpm. Truck looks real good with that size tires. Spindles and 31's would look really good too. That really wont require a re-gear at all.

I've heard issues with the UCA lifts. Spring rates, aligment issues, rubbing... yeah... I dunno. Do you want to make it sit higher or have more travel? The UCA lift will give you 2 more inches of travel but screw up your antiroll bar angles and lower ball joint angles and everything. Really puts the geometry out of wack. Spindles keep it completely stock. I've heard the UCA lifts have stiffer springs in the front for a choppy ride. Spindles wont.

Go for the spindles man. do it.

 

current fabtech catalog. go all the way to the bottom: http://www.fabtechmotorsports.com/pd...2-105_ford.pdf

haha. thanks for the info. I like travel but I'm not looking to feel every crack in the road as if it's a canyon. I will probably so go with the spindles then. I'm glad it worked out for you to be able to get the 11.25 rotors. I didn't think I'd need to re-gear with 31's...we did 33's with stock gearing (obviously different gearing probably anyways) on the toyota and it has been fine.

what'd you pay for the spindles, rotors, shocks, AAF, alignment cam and bolt kit, bag'o'bolts?, and whatever else they throw in there? I guess, total cost to your front door.

Before I could do this I'd have to find some rims. haha...

EDIT: oops, AAF supposed to be AAL.

 

I ran the doetsch spindles. Spindles are easiest to install.

Cawalther, you will not need the rotors FYI. As far as shocks, you can run OEM up front, and in the back you can see if someone is letting go of some stock 4x4/EDGE/Sport shocks and those will work fine. Not sure what the AAF is, I did not use the alignment and bolt kit and had no probs, and shouldn't need any new bolts. Only thing is new cotter pins, one foreach side.

I spent about $300 on new spindles about 4 years ago now. Then for the rear I had an AAL and shackle and ran OEM EDGE shocks in the rear.

 

yeah, sorry...I must have been thinking Add-A-leaF. haha. I'm still "wet behind the ears" with all these abbreviations.

I found this price for fabtech's spindle KIT...800 bucks. I'll definitely be waiting to find some spindles alone. Ford Ranger suspension lift kits

I also found this "suspension bible" Car Bibles : The Car Suspension Bible page 1 of 4 looking at the "coil springs type 1" where do the spindles attach? To the top of the coil-over shock or the upper ball joint? I'll do some looking around on the rest of what you mentioned.

 

i have the 3" fabtech and like them. i have had no problems with them and hane beat the hell out of them, mabey iam just lucky. the 3" spindle and 31" km2 work and look reall nice togather. i would like a 4:10 rearend though it would make the hills eaiser, sience iam running the 2.3l

 

The spindle connects the upper and lower control arms.

 

okay nice. looking at some google pics this is sweet. That is definitely the way to go. Justin, thanks for all the help.

the only other thing I can think of, does the new 3" lift spindle kit come with the nut hub and grease cover cuz I'd like to beable to just take off the entire spindle and put the new one in.

thanks again and I hope my questions can help any newb lookin at doin a lift :)

 

You reuse the OEM components. But buy some more grease to grease up the snout before you put the rotors back on. You will have your rotors completely off, so if you want to toss in some new brake pads or rotors you could kill 2-3 birds with one stone here.