I want to lift my 79 with as little $ as possible.

I've heard I can swap over the front highboy springs for a little lift, and flip the rear shackles.

Anyone do this? I have a few trucks for parts. 74 HB, 76 F250 2wd and a 79 F150 2wd. These are all for parts for the 79 F250 4x4.

Read somewhere else that someone took the shackle from a 2wd and put it on the 79...What are my choices? I'm looking for around 4", maybe 5". Don't want to have to modify driveshafts or steering.

Thanks for your help!

 

You and us all.....yes you can swap over some 7 or 9 leaf Highboy springs. But they can and probably are worn out and will settle and sag as soon as it comes off the jack stands.

Then you can put some FRONT blocks like the DUMB **** PO of my blue truck. After the front sump oil pan of the swapped in 460 hits the pumpkin...sorry I digress.

Yes you can do a rear shackle flip, lots of work cutting rivets. Or get this, https://www.skysoffroaddesign.com/products/ford-rfk-004 or Universal Shackle Flip Kit - RuffStuff Specialties

Or get some from the front connection area of the rear springs from a 2wd they are longer. Still more rivet grinding X2...

Cheap, fast, easy, 3" body lift. Or a add-a leaf on the front and rear for about 1.2 to 2" worth of lift.

Smart way to go, work hard, save money buy a 6" Skyjacker system (system get you all 4 new leaf springs).

Also will need work harder and save more money for longer brake lines (X3), steel braided is available. Drop pitman arm, adjustable steering link, shocks...Skyjacker has all that stuff.

Even a 4" lift you will still need to address all the other stuff. FYI come here read this also. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14696881

And FYI late 77-79 F250 front springs are 3" wide, 73-mid 77 REAR springs are 2 1/4 wide and so are your REAR hangers. Before you get a swap crazy in the back end.

 

I was under the impression a 4" lift would be the max without modifying steering, brakes, etc. I was hoping enough space to clear up to 35" tires. I have the trucks to get the parts you mentioned from.

I work hard, sometimes , and I make good $$, but I'm also a cheap ***. I like finding ways to do things myself and save money with the same result. I just want to make sure it will be safe/reliable.

I compared my 79's F250 4x4 front shackle (rear springs) to both my 76 F250 2wd and 79 F150 2wd and while they look a little different, they seemed to measure the same. If I went this route, would I just remove the rear shackle (rear springs) of the 79 4x4 and bolt the 2wd's front shackle (rear spring) back on it their place, upside down? Then, would I leave the front shackles (rear springs) alone?

I like the first shackle kit you linked, seemed reasonably priced. Would 2" clear 35's though?

 

On the blue truck I went from worn out High Boy front leafs and 35's to 4" Rough Country and needed longer brake lines, drop pitman arm, and a adjustable steering link. And stayed with 35's.

The leafs have settled UNEVENLY and I am trash canning them for Skyjacker's.

On your 2wd parts truck I am pretty sure the rear spring front hanger is taller and will give you some lift and using the rear shackle flip kit with that will work great. On 2wd rear springs and hangers are 3" wide, on the HB rear springs and hangers are 2 1/4 for sure.

Read the second link to get the cheap but good down low on it. F350 is the man on that stuff for sure.

To bad you are way west in Cali, you can have my old HB springs and for a helping hand taking the Rough Country's off, you could have them too.

 

This thread feels sketchy to me... but I'll give it a whirl..

You will be buying new shocks, at least $100
You will be buying new u-bolts, at least $100
You will be replacing your brake lines ($15-30/each) another $75...

Also with the desire for 4-5" of lift you are almost guaranteed to need drive shaft modifications to the front one. And at that amount of lift, your steering draglink from the steering box to the steering arm on the driver side axle knuckle is going to have a really steep angle, which should be corrected with a drop pitman arm or a dropped draglink.

Regarding highboy springs.
A while back I made this chart from the dimensions at SD Springs

Look at the front leaf springs
D3TZ-2531-H -- 73-early 77 Highboy
D8TZ-2531-D -- late 77-79

Sure the spring pack thickness is almost 1" thicker (1" lift), but the spring rate is down from 2000 (77-79) to 1500, meaning they will sag faster.

Also in the chart you see the stock rear leaves for the '73-early 77 are only 2.25" wide where your 79 will have a 3" wide leaf spring, so they won't interchange in the rear at all, not even the leaf spring hangers.

In the rear, you could flip the stock shackle bracket upside down and then run the shackle in the down position, that will net you some lift. The amount gained is roughly 1/2 of the total distance that the leaf spring eye has moved.

For example if flipping the shackle moved he rear eyelet of the leaf spring down 6". Then at the axle you would have gained 3" of lift.

You mentioned 2wd...
the key with the 2wd, isnt the shackle, its the front leaf spring perch (where the leaf spring eye attaches.

Or if you take a 2wd leaf spring perch and mount it to the frame in the rear to use as the shackle hanger, it will push the spring eyelet far below the frame, netting MORE LIFT!

On some models (I've heard rumored the 2wd but never verified) the actual eyelet bolt hole is LOWER (farther beneath the frame) than the 4wd versions. Again, true or not, the same rule as above applies. If the 2wd front leaf hanger moves the front spring eyelet 2" lower than the 4wd version, you will gain 1" of lift at the axle.

You might have to buy some leaves...
I put 2009 F250 leaves under the back of my truck (75 body on a 78 frame) and bought a bracket for use with the flipped shackles, total cost about $425, I got rid of the stock lift blocks between the axle and leaf springs and still gained 3.75" of lift.

Breakdown, for the rear only.
$100/each leaf spring
$70 for bracket
$30/each shock
$60 for u-bolts
$35 for extra long brake hose)
2009 F250 Rear Leaf Springs onto a 75 F250 -- OFCC.com Forum

If you didn't want to do the extra fab work to move the spring hangers, the 1999-2007 rear leaves are almost a perfect fit, and are a perfect fit once you flip the rear leaf spring shackles.

In this thread the guy put superduty front leaves.
Claims to have bought a pair of them for $60. (and another $70 for the u-bolts)
Lots of pictures.
Superduty spring swap thread -- Fordification.com

 

Dang this thread has some really good info in it. Subscribed and watching from a distance for more info

 

Thanks for the info. I was researching a little about the Super Duty springs. It looks like I can buy lift springs and mount them in the front pretty easily? So if I bought 4" SD lift springs, that would give my 79 an effective 4" lift? Same with the back?

 

You want sketchy... here is what the PO did to my blue truck.

Yes you are correct, I meant the rear spring front "hanger or perch". 4" lift WITHOUT drop pitman arm, yes it had a adjustable steering link. No it did not settle till off the jack stands and very few miles on it.

I got a drop pitman arm, that fixed that issue. Why not just get a 4" lift from Skyjacker or Superlift for 78/79 Lowboy and bolt and go. As far as spring install.

 

The body lift is looking more and more tempting...you have any pictures of this lift installed? Or links to a GOOD kit? I'm hitting google to see what I find, but I only trust those images half the time.

 

Alot of folks bash a body lift, and I myself am NOT a fan, but it is a cheap way to go. Those links are to shackle flip kits that can be bought off the shelf. Sky Off Road and Ruff Stuff have a great reputation.

Goggle 79 F250 body lift for pics, I am sure there are a bunch. 3" is max for a bought kit.

Great thread on how to work over your front frame rails to compensate for the body lift. So you can remount your front bumper and it look normal.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...body-lift.html

More body lift info. READ THIS! https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...body-lift.html

 

Thanks for that. I'm not cutting the frame (at least not for a lift), so you convinced me to stick with suspension lift. I think I might swap my HB springs and see how much the back needs to come up and maybe do an add-a-leaf. 35" tires would be my max anyway. Then, I would likely just need a drop steering arm. What's a good source for that?

you guys rock!

 

FWIW, I just did this research for my f250 front suspension and you may need to know this for your eventual suspension lift.

My truck had some 'modifications' from the previous owner and I'm not entirely certain that it is 'stock' height, so remember that as I post this.

The stock front shocks are roughly 20" fully extended and 12.50" fully compressed.

From the axle mount to the top of my shock tower is 19".


I downloaded the shock dimensions from KYB and Rancho.

KYB chart of shocks with the pedestal type mount ends.
I can't find the longest one online anywhere for sale "343180", the ones I have installed are KG5429's and I'm pretty much at their limit for extension.



As it sits, I have only about 2" of uptravel before the shock hits full extension.


Eventually I am going to lift the front of my truck about 3" to bring it up level. And I'll either have to re-engineer the shock mounting tabs scheme, or order longer shocks.

Enter the Rancho shock dimensions, these are all of their pedestal style shocks. And it looks like the RS5014 or RS99014 would be perfect length... for me.

 

Thanks for the info, I'm sure I'll need it. I keep going back and forth, this is a 'budget' build, so I wish there was a perfect way to get the lift I'm looking for with what I have. I see the kits and it makes me tempted.

In a perfect world, I would use my stock HB springs and rear block, put my 35's in and walk on. Nothing is ever that easy. I have a new set of 33's. I will probably just leave those on the stock suspension and deal with it for now.

 

Cheap option # 2 get a front and rear add-a leaf, that should get you 1.5 to 2" of lift and be care full how you stuff the front tires when turning.

Front
Rear http://www.4wheelparts.com/Lift-Kits...5488&t_pl=3822

Drop pitman arm. https://www.summitracing.com/search/...7%2B4294948686

http://www.ntwonline.com/77-79-FORD-...ON-P15174.aspx

Adjustable steering link. Skyjacker SDL250 -Drag link
http://www.jegs.com/i/Skyjacker/825/...wGUaAkzc8P8HAQ

The frame cut is only if you run a body lift to get you bumper spacing looking right.

 

Good option. What's the most I stand to gain from add-a-leaf? What the minimum lift I need to fit the 35's? Don't want it to look too smashed in, but I might be interested in doing the lift you described and running 33's.

Wish I had a picture generator that could show me the truck with X, Y, Etc. Google is decent, but hard to find specific pics, especially for stuff like this.