75 Highboy

[Dust]

Looking for some opinions.
My Highboy (4WD) is at the point where I have been collecting parts for a complete rebuild.
I have the drive-train, some Glass, steering, a complete fab shop, etc.
I would like more wheel travel without any lift. In the rear that is no problem. In the front is another story...
Retaining the leaf springs eats up 50% of the available travel, so ditching the front springs is an obvious easy answer.
Radius arms are easy (relatively) or I could go with a Parallel 4-link. I'll likely use a FOA C/over ether way when the time comes: which is going to be a while dang economy!
I tend to fly this truck in the gravel; what is there works amazingly well, but the front is definably the limiting factor, the bumps are well tested I am not looking to build the ultimate, just more and better then what I have. I have posed this question before else where so to some this is not a new inquiry...

Thanks for any input, have a great day.

[philofab]

Looking for some opinions.
My Highboy (4WD) is at the point where I have been collecting parts for a complete rebuild.
I have the drive-train, some Glass, steering, a complete fab shop, etc.
I would like more wheel travel without any lift. In the rear that is no problem. In the front is another story...
Retaining the leaf springs eats up 50% of the available travel, so ditching the front springs is an obvious easy answer.
Radius arms are easy (relatively) or I could go with a Parallel 4-link. I'll likely use a FOA C/over ether way when the time comes: which is going to be a while dang economy!
I tend to fly this truck in the gravel; what is there works amazingly well, but the front is definably the limiting factor, the bumps are well tested I am not looking to build the ultimate, just more and better then what I have. I have posed this question before else where so to some this is not a new inquiry...

Thanks for any input, have a great day.

I would copy the new Superduty (05+) front end geometry with either a 2.5 shock and separate coil or a coil over. Is this truck a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton?

[ChaseTruck754]

If it's a "highboy" it would be 3/4 or 1 ton. A 1/2 ton would already have a coil bucket and radius arms - not leafs.

If you want to spend the time I'd say go 4 link.

Otherwise radius arms with a coil over is not hard to do.


And for an out of the box thinking idea - how about converting to spring under to gain some bump travel

[Dust]

Looking for some opinions.
My Highboy (4WD) is at the point where I have been collecting parts for a complete rebuild.
I have the drive-train, some Glass, steering, a complete fab shop, etc.
I would like more wheel travel without any lift. In the rear that is no problem. In the front is another story...
Retaining the leaf springs eats up 50% of the available travel, so ditching the front springs is an obvious easy answer.
Radius arms are easy (relatively) or I could go with a Parallel 4-link. I'll likely use a FOA C/over ether way when the time comes: which is going to be a while dang economy!
I tend to fly this truck in the gravel; what is there works amazingly well, but the front is definably the limiting factor, the bumps are well tested I am not looking to build the ultimate, just more and better then what I have. I have posed this question before else where so to some this is not a new inquiry...

Thanks for any input, have a great day.

I would copy the new Superduty (05+) front end geometry with either a 2.5 shock and separate coil or a coil over. Is this truck a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton?

Technically the highboy is a 1973 to 1977.5 F250 4WD some will argue that the pre-73's count however there has never been a 1/2T Highboy of any year and the 1977.5 up trucks are "lowboys".

I have looked at the SD front, in OE trim the Arms are real short, and it looks like a short travel system to my eye. I suppose I could measure one out, though I don't think I know anyone that has one, at the moment.
I'm thinking that a Coil Over is the way to go on this build to get the "look" I want. This truck is my "Dirt Rod" and it will function it will also 'look'... like a high speed "BigFoot" blend thing.

[Dust]

If it's a "highboy" it would be 3/4 or 1 ton. A 1/2 ton would already have a coil bucket and radius arms - not leafs.

If you want to spend the time I'd say go 4 link.

Otherwise radius arms with a coil over is not hard to do.


And for an out of the box thinking idea - how about converting to spring under to gain some bump travel

I've thought about the spring under, but for the same price I can do Coil Over'z and have a better ride all-round.

[ChaseTruck754]

Yup. No one ever said out of the box thinking makes sense - it is just different

[Dust]

Yup. No one ever said out of the box thinking makes sense - it is just different

I like Outthebox as a rule, but right now the $$$$ have to line up...

[SteveG]

My immediate thought was to go with a radius arm and coil or coil-over front end. But a spring-under conversion sure would be easy.

[Dust]

My immediate thought was to go with a radius arm and coil or coil-over front end. But a spring-under conversion sure would be easy.

It has been a couple years but I contacted Deaver and National about such leaves...
I could put ANY link system I want and 6 c/overs on for the base and then the spring rate would be a guess... so figure a couple tryz.

It sure would be easy...

[Dust]

Going to be a Radius arm, Coil/over, crossover steering set up on 37's with a Ford HP-D60 Front axle/GM knuckles/breakz. Hope to get to the suspension in Aug-Sept range in the mean time shorten the WB to about 115-120" do all the body work, build the cage and flatbed, tempted to build the bed so that I could have a semi quick release mounting for glass Bed sides. Just pull them off and be work truck ready... Probably not. Going to have to seriously think about the bed so that it functions and looks right. Basically the truck needs a headache rack that don't look like just another headache rack... I'll figure it out, eventually

[bajascott]

build it off of a later model f250 and run beams.beams are better

[Dust]

build it off of a later model f250 and run beams.beams are better

Nope, not in this application.

[Dust]

Got the green light to start this sooner then planned when my POS DD left me walking
Step one is to seriously gather parts. Brought in a bunch of 2x0.120W tube for something.
Looking at de-tuning the engine a bit so scoping out new heads, thinking Ford CJ aluminum chunks and the Victor intake I have and EFI. Thinking it would be cool to put a Cobra Jet script on the fender.

One piece I have not found is a tube adapter (1 1/4") with two pinch bolts...

Me.