Please help. newbie owner 2004 Lightning

[jim woods]

Well ok, after alot of dramatics, I got my new 2004 Lighting. Please help me on these mods. For now, I just want to do mods for apearance department.
My truck is black. The look that I am going for is a sharp clean fast sport truck look. I want to fill in the gap between the tire/wheel well. For now, all I can afford is a 2 inch drop in back with the shackels. What is the biggest wheel I can put on the truck with the drop in back and stock set up in front? 20s? I want a big rim but not to big to look to "getto bling look" What size u guys reccomend that will fill the gap. I am also going to have the flat black front grill and lower grill painted the same high gloss black thats factory matches the truck. What u think?. Also, is there a kit I can install in the instruments/dash area that would make it look trick?Not Wood but a color kit. I seen one in a F150 Boss Conversion.

I will have a new set of factory tire and rims for sale. I want to sell as whole but will seperate the tires if need be. I will sell the tires at 25 Percent off of what Discount Tire sells them for, with no TAX of course. That should be a good deal if u looking to get a new set of tires. We can meet at Discount Tire so u can SEE that the tires only have less than 75 miles on them when I pull them off my new truck and replace with the new tire and rim.

Ok, so what Rim size u peps suggest for my set up?
and what u think about me painting the flat black lower and upper grill to gloss black to match rest of truck. PS I do not like after market grills.

[blueoval01]

I'd say it all sounds good.
Do whatever flips your skirt .......... :D

[jcblack]

20's is the biggest that I would go. I still think that the front needs to be dropped. Just look a sixpipes gallery. His truck sits nice with 20's.

[TP Derrick D]

I still haven't figured out the ghetto thing that keeps popping up yet but go with 20's . I have 20's on my truck and I don't think the L needs anything bigger. Make sure you get a nice tire also not to tall,go with 295/35/20.Discount sells a Goodyear HP (High Performance) Z rated tire for $198 ea. At least that what I paid for them on S. Cooper. Has nice tread pattern and not the country bumpkin' ground grip mudder look.

[BC Lightning]

This is a pic of my 04 L, it has the 18" Chromies with the roush suspension kit on it. Rear leaf springs, front springs, upgraded shocks front and back and cast and camber bolts. it expensive but its worth it.

[Tex Arcana]

I saw that Ford Performance Parts has a 1-2 drop kit (springs, shackles, hardware) for about $150 all told, and give s a1" drop in front, and a 2" drop in back.

No matter what you do, make damn sure you realign your front end, becasue the drop and the larger wheels/tires will alter the front end geometry, and your handling will go to **** if you do'nt realign.

[02BOLT]

not the country bumpkin' ground grip mudder look.
:rll:
Derrick......you're allright bro!

[Sandman]

No matter what you do, make damn sure you realign your front end, becasue the drop and the larger wheels/tires will alter the front end geometry, and your handling will go to **** if you do'nt realign.
Is that true if you only drop the back? I dropped mine 2" and haven't noticed a difference in handling.

[02BOLT]

Is that true if you only drop the back? I dropped mine 2" and haven't noticed a difference in handling.
No sir. Dropping the rear of the truck 2" has very little to no effect on the alignment of the front end.:tu:

Talk atcha later,
Rob

[TX SVT LIGHTNING]

Front- Western Chassis 2"Coils & 2" Control Arms
Rear- Western Chassis 4"or5" Drop via Flip Kit, Leafs under axle.
Chrome 20" 99/00 Lightning Wheels (not mine, a local though)
http://users4.ev1.net/~txclark/alocpics/sw04.jpg

[Tex Arcana]

No sir. Dropping the rear of the truck 2" has very little to no effect on the alignment of the front end.:tu:

Talk atcha later,
Rob

A 2" rear drop will affect the caster slightly, tho it may not be noticable.

What I meant was, any FRONT drop requires a realignment, because the FRONT geometries change significantly.

[Tex Arcana]

Front- Western Chassis 2"Coils & 2" Control Arms
Rear- Western Chassis 4"or5" Drop via Flip Kit, Leafs under axle.
Chrome 20" 99/00 Lightning Wheels (not mine, a local though)
http://users4.ev1.net/~txclark/alocpics/sw04.jpg

Any other pics of that, say, from the side? And any before pics??

[Sandman]

What I meant was, any FRONT drop requires a realignment, because the FRONT geometries change significantly.And that is expected. :tu:

[TX SVT LIGHTNING]

these links are from the owners pic site

His 2004 stock-
http://fototime.com/{6B25F793-9E89-4428-8578-BA5581B832A6}/picture.JPG

Lowered from pass. side-
http://fototime.com/{F948E43A-8A3C-4817-B559-0D321C6E7734}/picture.JPG

[Tex Arcana]

these links are from the owners pic site

His 2004 stock-
http://fototime.com/{6B25F793-9E89-4428-8578-BA5581B832A6}/picture.JPG

Lowered from pass. side-
http://fototime.com/{F948E43A-8A3C-4817-B559-0D321C6E7734}/picture.JPG

Nice.. tho I wish they take them from the SAME side with the same lighting, to make comparison easier. :(

[TX SVT LIGHTNING]

sorry. That is the same '04 though in all 3 pics I posted.

[sonicbluetommy]

Pics of my 04 stock and with a 2" rear shackle drop (no front drop)
Also a pic of my painted grills. I know it is sonic blue but you would be surprised how many ppl dont notice it until it is next to a stock L.

Stock
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12438

Dropped (mucho better)
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12439&sort=1&size=medium&cat=500

Painted grills
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12431&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

[Tex Arcana]

Pics of my 04 stock and with a 2" rear shackle drop (no front drop)
Also a pic of my painted grills. I know it is sonic blue but you would be surprised how many ppl dont notice it until it is next to a stock L.

Stock
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12438

Dropped (mucho better)
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12439&sort=1&size=medium&cat=500

Painted grills
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12431&sort=1&cat=500&page=1


Excellent.. looks great! Love the grilles, too.
Couple questions: where'd you get the headlights? How well do they illuminate? How much were they?

[George G.]

[QUOTE=Tex Arcana]I saw that Ford Performance Parts has a 1-2 drop kit (springs, shackles, hardware) for about $150 all told, and give s a1" drop in front, and a 2" drop in back....
[QUOTE]

Do you have a link for this

[sonicbluetommy]

Excellent.. looks great! Love the grilles, too.
Couple questions: where'd you get the headlights? How well do they illuminate? How much were they?

Headlights off ebay--Type in "F150 Headlight angel" They were $200 including shipping. I was worried about the brightness so I installed one headlight and drove around comparing the 2. Very close to stock with the brights actually being brighter. So far no issues with quality except be very careful installing. They take the place of your 2-piece headlight/corner light system so they are a bit tricky to get in without scratching the paint. Just be careful and make sure you line up the installing screws properly.

[L-Fever]

[QUOTE=Tex Arcana]I saw that Ford Performance Parts has a 1-2 drop kit (springs, shackles, hardware) for about $150 all told, and give s a1" drop in front, and a 2" drop in back....
[QUOTE]

Do you have a link for this

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=5169

[Tex Arcana]

[QUOTE=Tex Arcana]I saw that Ford Performance Parts has a 1-2 drop kit (springs, shackles, hardware) for about $150 all told, and give s a1" drop in front, and a 2" drop in back....
[QUOTE]

Do you have a link for this
http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=5169
http://www.fordracingparts.com/images/part/full/M3000L.jpg
It's a 30mm/1.181" drop all around. Sorry for the confusion.

[ElScotO]

has anyone notices a change in ride if they drop their truck like that? Before I bought my SVT I had a truck that was dropped and it was like riding on wooden wagon wheels. Just wanted to know. Thanks

[BC Lightning]

I really cant notice much to any sacrifice to how it rides on my L. I have the roush suspension drop, and I think it rides great.