what brands do you guys like. i have no experience in this area and would like some recommendations. i will soon be looking into redoing the suspension on my truck

 

Need the model. F150? 250?

 

77 f150 custom explorer 4x4

 

Need to know what exactly you want? what do you plan to do with the truck? show truck? are you going to wheel it? are you just replacing the stock parts or upgrading them?
There are lift kits makers and then there are suspension companies. All boils downs to what your end goal is.

 

i want to upgrade the stock parts but i dont want a lift. the truck came sock with a 2 or 4 inch lift im not sure which. i want to keep the lift the same....just upgrade the old stuff seeing as its 30 years old now. i use the truck for fun mostly just 4 wheeling on the weekends not a daily driver.

 

There was no such thing as a stock lift.................

 

only thing that comes to mind when he says stock lift, is a Highboy. They did come out with socalled lift from the factory. but those are f250 3/4 trucks

 

no its definitely a 150 and im pretty sure its lifted.....its looks higher than more 77 f150s ive seen and my aunts the one who bought it in 77.....im dead positive she hasnt touched the suspension. its not has high as a 250 highboy for sure but im positive its stock ive got a picture of it back in the day and its the same hight.

 

Some sort of aftermarket tuning has happened. there was no lift from the factory with those

 

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Here's a picture of my "bone stock suspension" 1977 F-150 4X4 which was taken a week after I purchased it in 1986 with then 35,000 miles, 351/auto. I still have it. I have leveled the picture so the tires are at same height, shows stock rake. Tires are 31/10-50-15 which are pretty darn close to same height as the original tires.



The lift blocks between the rear axle and springs are stock.

I tell you all that so you know how it's equipped as to anything that might affect ride height .... you can compare it to your's in height and judge.



As to your question.

I got a better road feel and much improved steering by removing the original steering linkage which consisted of the inverted "Y" tie rod set up and pittman arm and replaced the whole setup with the 78-79 style tie rod / draglink / pittman arm. You need 5 pieces .... long tie rod end (rt) / short tie rod end (lt) / adjustment sleeve / drag link / pittman arm (differs too).

Compare three pics below to yours, and note that your stock '77 inverted Y changes toe in with every dip and bump. This 78-79 set up does not change toe as the tie rod is parallel and fixed with axle. Drag link parallels panhard or track arm as well so swings through near identicle arcs so no bump steer either.







Since those pics were taken in 2010, I have replaced the drag link itself (Moog) , it went 65,000 miles and the ball at the drag link was worn creating slop. The rest of the set up is still tight. I removed an added damper that is barely seen above and behind the drag link that youi might notice in the view of right frt, I just have the one in front on it now .... a 25 year old Moog that is still pretty stiff through travel.

You can also see some front sway bar brackets hanging down. I had spot welded with just a spot or two of weld when I installed frt and rr sway bars years ago recovered from a Bronco (big Bronco). I didn't like what they did in increasing chassis flex and removed them shortly afterwards. The brackets weren't spotted to the donor vehiccle, a U bolt wraps around the axle. I may reinstall rear sway bar. I just tell you all this as you may notice the brackets, but they are not original to the '77 F-150 truck.

The red bushings you see are also 25 year / 65,00 mile old red Polyurethane 14 piece 3 degree C-bushing kit. 3 degrees rotates the axle back increasing caster. 14 pieces includes radius arm bushings, C bushings, track arm bushings and sleeves as needed.

I also have gotten great service out of the NAPA brand HD GAS shocks which I think were actually Monroe Magnums with white paint and put in NAPA boxes .... good 20 year old set.

But the Poly bushings and 78-79 steering is my recomendadtion for you'r still stock '77 F-150.

 

The blocks on the rear are stock peices on any dent 1/2 ton. The pic showing the ride height on the truck looks like any other 1/2 ton dent 4x4 with springs that are not hammered................................No lift going on there. It's a stocker, with poly bushings and aftermarket shocks. If the tires in the pics are 31x10.50x15's, that may contribute to the illusion that it sits higher than others you have seen. The others would sit the same with the same tires. BTW, good lookin' truck............................

 

You are maybe "confusing us"? maribou912 is the original poster. Since he posted no pics, I was posting the pics for him to compare to his truck.

Thanks on the "good lookin' truck" comment though..... that was in 1986 when I first bought it. Might even go back to that paint iif I don't sell it first.

 

Oh, ok.............guess I was confused............

 

our tires are they same size so maybe thats it.... i inherited the truck so im just learning as i go. thank you for clearing that up. my rear suspension looks the exactly the same as the one in the pic. so basically back to the top i just want good suspension that wont raise it any.