Mid Travel or Long travel Kit

[Atoledo95]

You either live with it, install bigger spacers if you like to live dangerously, or you get a custom axle made to match the front (better if one already exists, like the raptor). The guys that are adding a lot of width to their a-arms with LT kits likely already intend on swapping axles out to something tougher anyway, so they just specify what width they want when they buy them.

There's actually some benefit from the rear being narrower. Helps with turning radius, keeps your rear tires out of the middle of the rut you created with the front tires, and it tracks a little better offroad. Most trucks and whatnot are set up that way from the factory. On uneven or heavily crowned roads, you might notice a little less stability if the width disparity is great enough, as you'll have two different widths wanting to track their own separate ways, because they're seeing different parts of the road. It's not a serious problem, just something that requires a little steering input. Even widths are okay as well, but what you really don't want to do is have more width in the rear than the front, as you'll definitely see handling and steering issues.

Yeah I plan on running Dana 44 fdu and a rear Dana 60 if they come out with a wider version if not wait till the Braptor rear axle becomes available on ford performance

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[Bcol2012]

You either live with it, install bigger spacers if you like to live dangerously, or you get a custom axle made to match the front (better if one already exists, like the raptor). The guys that are adding a lot of width to their a-arms with LT kits likely already intend on swapping axles out to something tougher anyway, so they just specify what width they want when they buy them.

There's actually some benefit from the rear being narrower. Helps with turning radius, keeps your rear tires out of the middle of the rut you created with the front tires, and it tracks a little better offroad. Most trucks and whatnot are set up that way from the factory. On uneven or heavily crowned roads, you might notice a little less stability if the width disparity is great enough, as you'll have two different widths wanting to track their own separate ways, because they're seeing different parts of the road. It's not a serious problem, just something that requires a little steering input. Even widths are okay as well, but what you really don't want to do is have more width in the rear than the front, as you'll definitely see handling and steering issues.

Thanks for the reply Tex. That makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately it looks like the Raptor axle would actually be too wide for these kits. If my calculations are correct, the rear axle is 4.45" longer per side (accounting for the additional +4mm in offset on the Raptor) than our non-Raptor models. This would be more than the 3" added to the front and puts the rear wheels wider than the front. @Atoledo95 Looks like for the time being we're stuck with spacers or hopeful that the Spicer Dana 60 comes with wider options. Good thing is my wife won't let me do this before buying her a car so I've got a good while to wait and see what comes out in the next 12-18 months.

 

[Snacktime]

So I have a dumb question (new to modifying off-road vehicles). These mid travel kits are 3" per side plus the extra 1" you get from the 0 offset needed (assuming you're starting with the +30 Sasquatch offset). In order to "square up" the back end you need 2" wheel spacers (per Baja Kits), which I am not a fan of. However I also just realized this only brings the back out 3" compared to the 4" on the front. Am I missing something or is that something you just live with on these kits? Are there other alternatives to make them both roughly the same? Maybe the Dana 50 from the Raptor? @Tex & @Snacktime seem to have a lot of experience so maybe they can weigh in also.

Like @Tex stated the narrow rear axle is normal, typically you want to be 1" to 3" narrower in the rear.

Thanks for the reply Tex. That makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately it looks like the Raptor axle would actually be too wide for these kits. If my calculations are correct, the rear axle is 4.45" longer per side (accounting for the additional +4mm in offset on the Raptor) than our non-Raptor models. This would be more than the 3" added to the front and puts the rear wheels wider than the front. @Atoledo95 Looks like for the time being we're stuck with spacers or hopeful that the Spicer Dana 60 comes with wider options. Good thing is my wife won't let me do this before buying her a car so I've got a good while to wait and see what comes out in the next 12-18 months.

Having done several axle narrowing jobs (bagged trucks) it is much easier and cheaper to narrow the axle. You simply have to cut down the axle tubes, axle shafts and machine new splines on the axles. A custom rear axle is a very easy upgrade as long as you pick the right starting point. Raptor axle cough cough...

Extreme side of things I would almost bet it is cheaper to go to a fabricated axle over Spicer Dana 60 unit. Barnes makes brackets and you will want a fabricated center in order to run 1/2" thick axle tubes. Custom axles with re-drilled bolt pattern are really not expensive anymore. Biggest issue is the rear abs set-up and making everything fit with bigger axle shaft and brakes.

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