77 F-250 lift

[JaCKaL6996]

im looking to run 42" tires on my 77. currently it has a high-boy suspension on it (its not a high-boy, i think somebody just swapped the suspension). anyways, with the high-boy suspension, i can BARELY fit 35's. they tend to rub the fenders a little bit. im curious to know what size lift i need to accomodate atleast a 40" tire. im thinking 10" but id like to know from somebody that has done this. second of all, if i do need bigger than a 7" lift, how do i go about finding this? ive searched online and 7" is the biggest i can find. any help is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[Jolly Green]

start by making sure of what you have now. I'm pretty sure that if you truly have highboy springs to start with, 35's should clear with no problem.

 

[JaCKaL6996]

how do i go about that? i have absolutely no idea how high of a lift it is. where do i start to find out how much of a lift i have?

 

[LEB Ben]

how do i go about that? i have absolutely no idea how high of a lift it is. where do i start to find out how much of a lift i have?

I'd start by checking production date, if you have a 77 that rubs 35's, your suspension is either seriously sagging or you have a late year 77 which is no longer a 'hiboy'. Next, I'd say you probably need 8" of lift to fit 40's. A combo of a shackle flip and 3" lift spring in the rear, and SD lift springs up front should get you where you want to be. To go higher, you always have blocks and body lifts...which I don't have much love for.

 

[JaCKaL6996]

ive checked out my vin on other websites and i know it was produced in late 77 which means it IS a low-boy. thats what makes me think, with how it sits, that i have a high-boy suspension on it. bought the truck about 3 years ago from a guy that used it as a farm truck, he didnt have much infomation for me on the suspension though. how hard is a shackle flip to do? i dont have much experience in the fabrication department

 

[Evan's f250]

The "low boys" still sit up higher than alot of trucks do. If you had he highboy set up, you could run 37's or 38's with no prob. You should be able to run 35's on a 77-79 without rub, the fenders will be stuffed a lil, but they should fit well. Are u sure you dnt have supension prob?

Y not get some highboy springs and then lift it however much more you want it from there.

 

[LEB Ben]

ive checked out my vin on other websites and i know it was produced in late 77 which means it IS a low-boy. thats what makes me think, with how it sits, that i have a high-boy suspension on it. bought the truck about 3 years ago from a guy that used it as a farm truck, he didnt have much infomation for me on the suspension though. how hard is a shackle flip to do? i dont have much experience in the fabrication department

As mentioned...this were big and tall trucks, my guess is it's actually a 'low boy'. As for the shackle flip, I haven't done one, but a few guys here have. To my understanding, it's a matter of buying the parts, removing the old shackle, might involve drilling a bit...and bam, 4-5" of lift. I'm really not sure of the details. So then you'll still need another 3-4" of lift to fit the 40's...and I'd suggest just picking up a set of 4" lift springs. Then you still have to worry about the front, again I'm not sure of the details and specifics, but I know there is set of Super Duty springs that is relatively bolt in, that should get you 6-8" of lift.

 

[LEB Ben]

If you had he highboy set up, you could run 37's or 38's with no prob.

I wouldn't say no problem...most guys have worn out suspensions and body bushings and normally stop at about 35's. If those things are fresh, 37's should fit, and you might get a little rubbing (and even then the fenders are pretty stuffed). 38's...you better enjoy going straight or eating fenders. Another huge factor depends on tire width, agressiveness of tire shoulders and rim backspacing.

 

[Evan's f250]

I wouldn't say no problem...most guys have worn out suspensions and body bushings and normally stop at about 35's. If those things are fresh, 37's should fit, and you might get a little rubbing (and even then the fenders are pretty stuffed). 38's...you better enjoy going straight or eating fenders. Another huge factor depends on tire width, agressiveness of tire shoulders and rim backspacing.

I suppose if things were wore out a bit. With my "lowboy" I could fit 35's without any or much probs. It may be a lil stuffed, but they would fit. It now has 33x12.5x16.5 tires, with room enough for 35's. I wouldnt see how you could go much wider than 12.5 inches if you still are using the plastic splash gauards on inner fenders though.

I would just think that 37's/38's would fit pretty well, if highboys have a 4 in advantage over mine, and mine being able to fit 35's fairly easily.

Saw a stock 79 bronco today running 35x12.5x15 tires, was a lil stuffed, but looked mean.

Of course, as you said, things would need to be in good shape supension wise.

 

[LEB Ben]

True...only way a stock Bronco can fit 35's is with a rim that has 2.75" backspacing...and no wider than a 12.5" tire. My 77, is rolling on 37" Boggers, and it holds them fine, but I certainly wouldn't go any wider or taller.

 

[Evan's f250]

Oh ok, I had thought that here a while back you were talking about some 38's for your 77. Also on the 78/79 bronco I saw, the tires looked alot more "stuffed" than your bronco does. Does your bronco have a 2 or 3 in lift? or just real good suspension?

 

[JaCKaL6996]

im sure that my suspension is pretty wore out. its over 30 years old and i have no idea the kind of abuse that this truck went through. is there a place that i can get factory hi-boy suspensions brand new? will the hi-boy suspension bolt right in to my factory locations for my suspension? when i was running my 35's, i have a 3" back spacing on the rims, and they were chewin up the fender pretty good.

 

[LEB Ben]

Oh ok, I had thought that here a while back you were talking about some 38's for your 77. Also on the 78/79 bronco I saw, the tires looked alot more "stuffed" than your bronco does. Does your bronco have a 2 or 3 in lift? or just real good suspension?

Naw...not me. I know a few guys that have 38's on their stock 250's, but I wouldn't do it. I was talking about going 38's on the Bronco though. The Bronco currently has 4" springs up front and blocks in the back...when I make the jump to 6" Deavers at the corners, I'll go 38's.

im sure that my suspension is pretty wore out. its over 30 years old and i have no idea the kind of abuse that this truck went through. is there a place that i can get factory hi-boy suspensions brand new? will the hi-boy suspension bolt right in to my factory locations for my suspension? when i was running my 35's, i have a 3" back spacing on the rims, and they were chewin up the fender pretty good.

Yes there are places that have stock suspensions, or you could have a spring shop build you a set, or have yours re-arched...a guy here (Alvin in AZ) did a write-up somewhere around here on how he re-arched his springs in his backyard using a BFH and some sweat equity. As for whether they'll bolt up, I want to say there's a spring width difference in the rear...but I honestly can't remember.

 

[Evan's f250]

Naw...not me. I know a few guys that have 38's on their stock 250's, but I wouldn't do it. I was talking about going 38's on the Bronco though. The Bronco currently has 4" springs up front and blocks in the back...when I make the jump to 6" Deavers at the corners, I'll go 38's.



Yes there are places that have stock suspensions, or you could have a spring shop build you a set, or have yours re-arched...a guy here (Alvin in AZ) did a write-up somewhere around here on how he re-arched his springs in his backyard using a BFH and some sweat equity. As for whether they'll bolt up, I want to say there's a spring width difference in the rear...but I honestly can't remember.

Oh, ok must have been thinking about someone else. the bronco looks good by the way. And I dnt blame ya, Red doesn't need bigger tires, she looks great.

As for the springs...What about getting an old 73/early 77 highboy parts truck and get everything you need?

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Doesn't a lift make the axle want to wrap the springs up more and so
make it tend to hop in the sand worse? :/ If so, that'd really suck
donkey dick around here.

I got to thinking about that when I added a 3/4" spacer to the driver's
rear leaf pack on the '91 Bronco to even everything up. The plan is to
re-arch both leaf packs later when I rebuild the rear axle and add an
Eaton True-Trac. To the passenger side just add a half inch or so more
arch and on the driver's side add an inch -more- than that should even
it up so I can leave out the temporary spacer I made. (two 3/8" plates)

But what about the axle wrap problem with lifts and large tires tho? :/
You guys adding some sort of torque limiting system with those lifts?

Alvin in AZ

 

[JaCKaL6996]

Doesn't a lift make the axle want to wrap the springs up more and so
make it tend to hop in the sand worse? :/ If so, that'd really suck
donkey dick around here.

I got to thinking about that when I added a 3/4" spacer to the driver's
rear leaf pack on the '91 Bronco to even everything up. The plan is to
re-arch both leaf packs later when I rebuild the rear axle and add an
Eaton True-Trac. To the passenger side just add a half inch or so more
arch and on the driver's side add an inch -more- than that should even
it up so I can leave out the temporary spacer I made. (two 3/8" plates)

But what about the axle wrap problem with lifts and large tires tho? :/
You guys adding some sort of torque limiting system with those lifts?

Alvin in AZ

back home in michigan, playing in the mud was a big deal and to prevent the axle wrap problem, we would add ladder bars. people could run 10"+ lift and have 44" tires and bigger with little problems with ladder bars. with the boggers, they would usually install hydro steering, 4 link suspension, and tons of other stuff, but to be road legal, im not going to be able to have hydro nor am i going to be able to afford it. i see people all over have these brand new trucks sitting on 38" - 40" tires, so i know its possible, and probably way easier with my '77. i just dont know what steps i need to take in order to find the lift that will accomodate my 40" tires. all i do know, is i want to stay away from blocks and body lifts. if i need to incorporate ladder bars for what i want, i will, but i dont think it will be necessary.

 

[LEB Ben]

Out of curiousity...can you measure the width of your rear springs on your truck...that'll tell us whether you have the hb or lb suspension. Secondly, the lift part should be easy...shackle flip in the rear plu 4"-6" leaves specific to your truck. Then I believe you'll want lift springs for a 99-04 SD, can't remember how much lift though. That combo should get you the 8-10" of lift you're looking for.

 

[JOSEYWALES]

There is no way it has highboy springs unless they changed the rear spring hangers