F350 racing suspension

ky6litr

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Apr 27, 2020
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I had found some valuable information on this site before I joined, I tried to use the search function to find more but it disappears when I click to type. So with that I hope I can get some more help in setting up suspension more for drag racing. This isn't a strictly drag racing truck, its more or less me wanting to get it as close as I can while keeping it streetable. From what I have read on here so far, it still holds true for 4wd to have a softer front suspension? In which case I have read of people swapping in the lower rated coil springs even down to the 4400# springs. This lowering the truck and having a softer front end. Would I be going in the right direction here and would anyone recommend a certain spring? I would think I want just enough to keep from bottoming out the shocks. Which going to the shocks I have been looking at the QA1 shocks that adjustable for compression and rebound, once again if anyone can tell me if I'm going in the right direction I'd appreciate it. I was going to get rid of the radius arms and use a 4 link from flight fabrications. As far as the rear I would love to eventually switch it to 4 link and coil overs but for the mean time I will take out the blocks and overload spring and add some qa1 shocks as well then have some caltracs. I'm highly open for suggestions and help because tuning a suspension for this is new to me and I'd love to learn. I appreciate any guidance to get me where I'm wanting to go, thanks.
 
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I'm a little past this now, the axle is completely out, I'm replacing g all the ball joints, wheel hubs, adding adjustable trac bar, powerstop drilled and slotted rotors, braided brake lines, and im going to try cleaning things up and paint
 
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The easiest way to search I've found is to use Google. Type competitiondiesel and then whatever you're looking for.

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Thanks, ill do this in the future, I have been finding threads on here long before I joined and tried some more on this particular subject but still not finding g exactly what I need to hear. Its more pertaining to dodge and some gm as well on the searches to. I don't guess many people trying to set up a Ford 4wd for drag racing.
 
Forget caltracs on a 4wd. I've seen rear ends come right off the ground after launch with them. Put the 4 link in the front, and the 4400# OEM springs. You will have to trim the bump stop at least in half. You will have frame contact before you bottom out the shocks.

In the back, remove the helper(some trucks don't have them but they are the extra leafs on top of the stack that hit the tabs on the frame), and remove the overload (the fat leaf on the bottom of the stack that is almost flat.

Don't know what year the truck is but the best traction bar kit is from OUO. Use the 2011+ style mount kit that has the ubolts pointing at the ground. I wouldn't get into spending the money on the expensive shocks before I had exhausted the setup I mentioned.

Believe it or not, tire pressures play a huge part. What tires are you running
 
Thanks for the response, I'll go ahead with the 4400# springs then. Its a 2005, for some reason my signature doesn't show up in the first post stating that. Just asking but could that be due to improper adjustment of the caltracs? I've heard you can cause that if they aren't adjusted right, as well as still breaking traction. But I'll give the OUO kit a look. I haven't gotten to tires yet but I'm looking at proxes stIII since I want to be able to daily it. I'll get a spare set of m&h or Hoosier radials when to swap out eventually. I'll also probably have a set of shocks I run everyday and swap out for the QA1s when I get to that so I don't wear them out driving them on the street because I've heard they won't last like that. Also I've removed the overloads on a previous truck but not the helpers, will I have to get a new center bolt or anything else special because of that?
 
Forget caltracs on a 4wd. I've seen rear ends come right off the ground after launch with them. Put the 4 link in the front, and the 4400# OEM springs. You will have to trim the bump stop at least in half. You will have frame contact before you bottom out the shocks.

In the back, remove the helper(some trucks don't have them but they are the extra leafs on top of the stack that hit the tabs on the frame), and remove the overload (the fat leaf on the bottom of the stack that is almost flat.

Don't know what year the truck is but the best traction bar kit is from OUO. Use the 2011+ style mount kit that has the ubolts pointing at the ground. I wouldn't get into spending the money on the expensive shocks before I had exhausted the setup I mentioned.

Believe it or not, tire pressures play a huge part. What tires are you running

I run caltracs and have gone more than a few 1.40 60fts. The problem with them is most run them to aggressive, as in either to much angle, or to much preload, which will just lift the rear at the hit. Set right they will still squat, but push the tire into the pavement.
 
caltracs seem to be pretty popular on 4wd trucks around here. Plenty of them cutting a mean ‘60 too.
 
I run caltracs and have gone more than a few 1.40 60fts. The problem with them is most run them to aggressive, as in either to much angle, or to much preload, which will just lift the rear at the hit. Set right they will still squat, but push the tire into the pavement.

this is what I was hearing, how hard is it to learn how adjust these correctly?
 
Thanks for the response, I'll go ahead with the 4400# springs then. Its a 2005, for some reason my signature doesn't show up in the first post stating that. Just asking but could that be due to improper adjustment of the caltracs? I've heard you can cause that if they aren't adjusted right, as well as still breaking traction. But I'll give the OUO kit a look. I haven't gotten to tires yet but I'm looking at proxes stIII since I want to be able to daily it. I'll get a spare set of m&h or Hoosier radials when to swap out eventually. I'll also probably have a set of shocks I run everyday and swap out for the QA1s when I get to that so I don't wear them out driving them on the street because I've heard they won't last like that. Also I've removed the overloads on a previous truck but not the helpers, will I have to get a new center bolt or anything else special because of that?

What is the fuel and air setup on your truck (just curious).

Yes, likely the setup on the caltracs was to blame.

You may need a shorter centering pin if you remove the helpers but not to worry, just measure the stack and get a socket head cap screw that is the correct length.

Proxes do not too bad. With a 6.0, it may be hard to get the instant torque hit to test this but I take chalk and do 4wd launched with some wheelspin to see exactly what pressure is flat across the tread. Not uncommon to be high 30s in the front and somewhere in the 20s on the rear.
 
What is the fuel and air setup on your truck (just curious).

I'm looking at doing at least a s472 with 330/150s but want to step up to a s475 and up the fuel if it will still do well on the street.
 
Well not any action on my thread in the ford performance section, maybe I could of posted the whole truck build somewhere better? Anyways I got the 4400# springs in and about ready to clean everything up and start painting, maybe powdercoat. Has anyone powdercoated an axle housing with the diff gears still in? Wasn't sure if they could hold up to the curing heat but not worried about it enough to go pling them out. Also any other good front 4 link kits besides flight fab?
 
Gears will be fine. Any rubber or seals-not so much. Contact Trevor at PMF Suspension for a fourlink. (Precision Metal Fab)
 
So if the axleshafts are pulled would there be any rubber seals at the differential? I'm not familiar with that part. Main reason I don't want to go pulling them out. Not that I wouldn't like to learn, just wasn't planning on it right now. Okay ill look them up, thanks.
 
not sure if any of the bearings are sealed. That would be the only rubber i know of other than the pinion seal
 
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