Leaf-sprung Super Dutys haven’t been produced for six years now, but they remain the most popular off-road choice for fullsize Ford lovers. New coil-sprung Super Dutys are being lifted up and used off-road as well, but we don’t see nearly as many in the dirt as we do of the original leaf-sprung Super Duty. And there’s one simple reason: price. You can get original four-wheel-drive Super Dutys for as cheap as $4,000 (or less!) now, and that puts them in the affordable price range that many off-road enthusiasts tend to choose from.
| ford Skyjacker Leaf Spring Kit front After
Mike Taylor picked up this ’01 Super Duty for just $3,500 as a theft recovery. He and his dad had to do some work to put some stolen parts back on the truck, but they ended up with a really nice diesel 4x4 that Mike could use as his first truck and off-road toy.
Since the tires, wheels, and parts of the suspension had been stripped off the truck as well, it made all the sense in the world for Mike to immediately lift his “new” truck.
Skyjacker offers some high-quality leaf springs for the front and rear of Super Dutys, so Mike decided to go with Skyjacker’s 8-inch all-spring kit to negate having to use blocks in the rear of his truck. His goal was to throw on either 38- or 40-inch tires.
Believe it or not, Mike’s dad drives a Super Duty on 38s, and his mom drives one on 40s, so it was natural for Mike to start with this big of a lift and tires. Working with Dave Briggs of Diesel Tech in San Jacinto, California, he was able to lift his Super Duty up around the level of his parents’ rides.
How did it work?
The truck was finished in the late afternoon and taken for a testdrive the next morning. Mike borrowed his mom’s 40-inch tires and wheels to see if they’d fit with 8 inches of lift. They did fit for street driving, but he’s going to need to do some fender trimming if he’s going to run 40s with 8 inches of lift.
| ford Skyjacker Leaf Spring Kit after Right Side
The springs were a little stiff, but that’s to be expected with such a tall spring. They were also brand-new, and we know they’ll break in after a couple of good off-road trips. We figured we’d get started on breaking them in immediately…
