If you own a Ford Super Duty built between 1999 and 2004, this story is for you. Recently, Full-Traction of Bakersfield, California, developed a new system designed to improve over-the-road ride quality while greatly increasing trail prowess at the same time. Full-Traction calls its new offering a "four-link conversion system." We dubbed it a "worthy conversion" because that's exactly what it is. We were very impressed with the kit's high-quality components and were delighted with its performance both on- and off-pavement. The kit evolved from Full-Traction's involvement in the ever-popular Jeep Speed racing circuit. Now we know what you're thinking; how does Jeep Speed racing have anything to do with Ford truck suspension? The answer lies in the desire to go fast.
Steve Kramer, owner and president of Full-Traction, found that his '01 F-250 couldn't handle the rough stuff like his company-sponsored Jeep Speed Cherokee racer could. Big surprise, right? But Steve wouldn't have it that way. So one late night at his shop he decided to dissect the issue and sort out the shortcomings associated with the Ford leaf-sprung front end. Steve spent a few hours under each rig, all the while taking notes on each suspension setup. Full-Traction already had a four-link suspension system available for the newer '05 coil-sprung Super Duty, and because the older Ford's frames were very similar in design to the newer truck's, Steve knew he could simply modify a few existing parts from his '05 kit and adapt a slightly different version to that of the '01 model. When he emerged the next morning, a winning concept was born. Basically, Steve figured out how to convert his front leaf-spring suspension to a four-link like his Cherokee: a four-link with a Panhard bar. The only difference is that Steve's kit uses coilover shocks instead of coil springs, and the components are much bigger, of course.
More than just a cosmetic attitude adjustment, this system increases front wheel travel significantly, therefore improving articulation and ultimately traction and control. The kit is available in either a 6- or 8-inch version. We opted to test the 6-inch system.
We like this kit because it features heavy-duty brackets intended to take a thrashing, plus it uses those sweet rebuildable Johnny Joints on each of the four 2-inch-OD, 1/4-inch-wall DOM control arms. All the welds throughout are impeccable, and the overall fitment of the system was, without question, outstanding. All the correct parts and pieces were included with the system, and installation was a simple bolt-on affair for our friends at 4-Wheel Parts in Redondo Beach, California. Easy-to-interpret instructions were also supplied with the kit. Follow along as we highlight the installation process and detail what makes this kit a worthy conversion.
1. This conversion system allows use of any standard 2.5- or 3-inch coilover shock available today. We opted for a pair of 2.5-inch Fox Racing Shox with remote reservoirs because we believe they are a superior design for this particular application. We like the Fox units because they are comprised of high-quality internal parts such as solid 17-4 stainless steel shock shafts that measure a whopping 7/8 inch in diameter. Fox also leads the industry in terms of product confidence as each and every shock the company sells is backed by a full 1-year warranty against defects. It's also worth mentioning all the details about the warranty are published very clearly on Fox's Web site for would-be buyers. We also added a pair of Eibach (PN 183104) springs to provide the necessary spring rate for our V-10-equipped donor truck. Eibach springs are the gold standard of the coil-spring industry. We like that they come with a million-mile warranty too.
2. Not included with the Full-Traction...
2. Not included with the Full-Traction kit, but necessary nonetheless, are these clamps to secure the remote reservoir to the shock hoops. Full-Traction does not include these because different shock brands require different types of clamps. We scored these trick billet clamps from Fabrication Specialties of Downey, California. These guys build all kinds of cool billet-aluminum parts for everything from sand rails to rock buggies. They had a huge selection of reservoir clamps in stock and ready to ship.
3. Full-Traction includes...
3. Full-Traction includes eight Currie-built Johnny Joints designed specifically for this kit. Each joint offers 30 degrees of unrestricted movement in any direction. The wear bushings found in these rod ends are made of a high-density shock-absorbing urethane that encases the inner ball. The ball itself is heat-treated steel and is cross-drilled for through-bolt lubrication. The outer shell is 0.180-inch DOM tubing, and the retaining washers are heat-treated steel. This 2-inch joint also comes with 2 1/2 inches of welded-on 3/4-inch threaded shank to ensure more than enough engagement and adjustment.
4. With the vehicle secured...
4. With the vehicle secured properly on a lift, the technicians took care of all the regular stuff like disassembling the stock leaf springs and associated bracketry. While they were in there, they found out that our donor truck had failing ball joints and unit bearings. We only mention this because you may want to consider replacing these items as well, once your truck is all apart. In this photo you can see how the passenger-side rearmost axle bracket is cut off to make room for Full-Traction's new U-bolt cradle brackets.
5. Once cut, it is always...
5. Once cut, it is always a good idea to sand down the sharp edges as shown here. This step will allow paint to stick better and prevent unnecessary abrasion to the kit's sweet gray powdercoat finish.
6. In this shot the passenger-side...
6. In this shot the passenger-side lower axle bracket is installed. Note the new U-bolt hardware included with the kit.
7. Here you can see the driver-side...
7. Here you can see the driver-side axle U-bolt bracket after it was cut per the kit's instructions. A chop saw was used to make this cut.