I will be replacing tires and need to do suspension parts (at least struts and shocks) with new alignment, also.  (There goes the tax refund!!!)  I am aware of the tire wear issues with book settings on the align.

I am not well versed in this stuff, so here is my query?  Be aware that I am not ready to lift this thing much, or go to larger tires (now BFG KO's 215/70/16).  Am mainly stock H25 auto.

Is it possible to replace OEM stuff (150k miles) with a bit longer travel OME struts and Crown vic shocks, without spacing or otherwise lengthening the springs?  Would it help me at all?  Please explain.  Thanks,

Pat

Longer travel struts/shocks won't themselves give any lift.  That comes from longer springs or spring spacers (for which you then need the longer travel struts/shocks).

The vehicle sits on the springs.  The struts/shocks do not support the weight.  They damp motion and limit it.

Agreed.  Might better consider going stock OEM shocks and struts if you don't intend to lift the body thru the suspension.  You'll pay about twice as much for the OME struts as stock Gabriel or Monroe struts.  If you intend to lift your truck in the near future then go with a set of Jeff's coil spacers for an inexpensive suspension lift and then the OME struts and longer shocks idea would serve a functional purpose.  Later on you might consider adding a set of  OME coils and have a very nice riding trucklet.  Nothing says you have to go with larger tires just because you lift your truck.  You gain more ground clearance with spacers or new coils anyway and these trucks look better sitting a little higher.

Agreed.  Might better consider going stock OEM shocks and struts if you don't intend to lift the body thru the suspension.  You'll pay about twice as much for the OME struts as stock Gabriel or Monroe struts.  If you intend to lift your truck in the near future then go with a set of Jeff's coil spacers for an inexpensive suspension lift and then the OME struts and longer shocks idea would serve a functional purpose.  Later on you might consider adding a set of  OME coils and have a very nice riding trucklet.  Nothing says you have to go with larger tires just because you lift your truck.  You gain more ground clearance with spacers or new coils anyway and these trucks look better sitting a little higher.

My suspension is worn at 155k miles, and the last cupl thousand on the BFG's were not nice to them.  As i am getting new KO's (after 45,000 miles) and wife is not that enthused about the lift as yet (it is our DD) I have decided to go stock struts from KYB amd the KYB gas a just for the rear.  Have any of you had to replace other front end parts at this point?  Ball joints, tie rod ends, etc?  I also will get a thrust alignment to check the rear axle plumb. 

A reminder, the toe in nec to avoid uneven inside edge wear gets bigger as things wear.  At "0" toe, the forward thrust gives a kinetic toe out that hurts the tires.

Oh, yeah, what is the effect on camber with major junk in the truck, plus cargo platform?  Will I ruin tire wear if I run heavy too much?  I have learned that the camber is altered when the weight on the front is lessened.  How much this affects my GV, I do not know.

Thanks for the insight.  This is a great site.

Pat

She may not agree to a vehicle lift yet.... but did she specifically tell you that you can't bump up your tire size ?   This wouldn't affect the entry height too much... and hey!  You will be "saving*" some bucks by not buying the OME struts!!!


NOTE:  *"saving" here being defined as not buying something you COULD have bought in order to claim you actually saved some money.  It's not an economic math fact... it's better described as "man math".  It is an absolutely worthless theory except when dealing with spouses in defending said male purchases. 

NOTE, NOTE: This same theory is frequently used by the opposite sex as well for the same purposes, but then better described as "woman math".