Ok I’m looking for a little help here, I’ve spent a lot of time using the search function and I always seem to end up more confused. I have a 1978 F250 low-boy with Dana 60 front and I’m looking to lift the front of the truck 4 to 6 inches. I’d like to do a budget lift using Super Duty front springs. I see ProComp makes a 4” lift front spring for the Super Duty’s and I’m wondering what exactly needs to be modified on the front of my 78 to use these springs.
I’ll obviously need to do longer shocks and D60 steering arm for use with the lift, but will I need to modify the spring hangers /shackles, buy 80’s yota poly bushings for the rear of the spring, grind the front bushings, or will they bolt right in with the larger bolts? Will the stock U-bolts work or will I need something special. I'm mainly concerned with what items are specific to the super duty springs. Thank you for any input, it is much appreciated.

 

Can anyone clear this up for me?

 

From what I have read on here, you have to open up the spring hanger holes a small amount for the larger superduty bolts and the superduty springs will bolt up fine. I'm sure others will have more info.

 

Thanks 78LB, good info. I've read some conflicting threads about whether or not the rear hangers need to be lengthened & what bushings need to be modified/replaced.
If I can get away with just opening the holes up a little, I'll probably pull the trigger on a set soon.

 

Wish i had more info for you, I know at a local pull and pay here, we were able to get a set of rear springs from a 2002 SD for my son's 1999 SD for $25.00 per rear spring. They came off the newer truck real easy, we thought that was a steal at that price, he had a few cracked springs and these were like new. I often wondered how much lift we could get on the front of our 79 f250, if we used a front set from a SD that had a 7.3.

 

Cool man, thanks again.

 

Will stock superduy fronts swapped into a stock lowboy net any lift at all???

 

from what I understand stock superduty springs will give about 1.5 to 2 inches of lift. If your stock springs are really warn it could be more. I am going to be hitting up a pick and pull looking for a full set of superduty springs for my 78 soon.

 

and superduty rears (stock) in front of lowboy much more???

 

there are a bunch of different spring codes for super duties and all are different rates and to a lesser extend different heights. You can find the codes on the door tag of the truck the springs are on. once they are off, there is NO WAY to know what springs you have. the parts numbers don't reference off any known application list.

excursion springs are softer and about 2" shorter than the truck springs. they should give you about a stock height.

you would be surprised to know that the diesels didn't necessarily have stiffer springs.

To those that said they wanted to get all 4 springs, you will have to move the rear hangers, I believe the 99' and up sd springs are longer. They got longer again still in 2008. It seems like most guys that want to swap rear springs switch to the 54" chevy rear springs. longer springs are better for a lot of reasons.

any junkyard that will let you have SD springs for $25 each is giving them away. Realistically a good front set of SD springs will go for $150-200 on craigslist. The rear springs about the same, though much harder to find because no one replaces their rear springs when they lift their trucks, but all the lift kits come with new front springs.