What exactly is a F250 "high-boy"? Is it factory lift kit ?

 

I dont know all the factory specs but the high boy sits about 4 or so up from the factory. There is a picture in the photo area on this website.
I have a 77

 

All F-250 4x4's sit higher from the factory. This term is slang and often misused IMHO. This discussion came up on the mailing list several months ago. I can say with certainty that there was no appreciable height differences between any 1967-72 F-250 4x4 as it rolled off the line. Each F-250 4x4 came standard from the factory with a lift block istalled between the rear axle and springs. Usually height differences can be accounted for as a result of spring work or sagging springs. Typically the front springs on the F-250 4x4 weakened over time causing the front to drop significantly.

As I stated before on this subject, I would welcome any official publication or source which documents a position to the contrary. I hope this helps.

Stock Man
1967 Galaxie 500 Convertible (I need factory rims)
1967 F-250 FE 390 4wd
<a href="http://www.hometown.aol.com/tbeeee">http://www.hometown.aol.com/tbeeee</a>

 

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Jul-09-99 AT 05:13&nbsp;PM (EST)</font></center>

Very good point. If you look under any of the '73 thru '79 F-250 4x4s you'll see that there's no way they could make a non Highboy. The rear lift blocks are necessary to level the truck and give the front suspension enough travel. If the truck sat any lower, the frame would be sitting on the front axle. Kind of a cave man setup when you think about it. Especially since the transfer case hangs so low.

It's funny how these things get started. When I first got the truck. All the "experts" told me that the Highboy was some sort of option from Ford but have not seen anything from Ford to back this up.

There are some differences:
The front brakes can be disc or drum. The locking hubs were different, though I don't know which were better. You'd think bigger is better, but I'm not totally sure. If you know, please let us in on it. The Camper Special package includes overload springs and the side tool box. These things might have also been offered seperately.

 

I am STILL considering buying my cousins 79 F-150 4x4 and it DOES NOT have lift blocks under the rear or front axle. Are you sure that all of the trucks in this era are "highboys"?

 

I was speaking only about F-250s.

 

I have no idea where the word High-Boy came from, but I do know what a High-Boy is.

OEMs started making 4x4 trucks in the 50s. All of these original 4x4s were considered tall. They had to be tall because most (I think) were made from taking the current 2wd frame and sticking a 3 inch axle tube under the front springs instead of a 2wd I beam that was curved up around the springs. This made the wheel center line a lot further away from the frame and gave the trucks the increased stance over their 2wd brothers. The rear had to be taller too, but since the GVW were about the same between 2wds and 4x4s, most OEMs used the same leaf springs in the rear from a 2wd to 4x4, so 4 inch blocks were added to level every thing out.

Before OEMs made 4x4s, independent companies such as Napco, sold 4x4 kits to the dealers who installed them on customer's 2wd trucks. Because these trucks were 2wd, they couldn't just bolt the t-case to the trans. A driveshaft was needed between the t-case and the trans so they hung the t-case in about the middle of the frame. This is known as the three driveshaft design. When Chevy (and others) started making 4x4s in 57, they bought these off-the-shelf t-cases from Napco and stayed with the 3 driveshaft design. The 3 driveshaft design seemed to always be paired with the high stance.

Ford in 59, and Chevy and Dodge in 57, all started making high stance - three driveshaft design trucks. In those years it didn't matter if it was a 1/2 ton or 1 ton, they were all high with 3 driveshafts. Ford was the first in 66 to design a low truck with the introduction of the bronco/F-150 coil suspension. Chevy followed with converting all of their trucks to the low ride height in 67. Dodge soon followed in 72. That left the "High design" stage to Ford from 72 to 77. During those years the 4x4s became popular and plentiful and Ford was the highest by far. I think that is why Ford F-250s from 73 to 77.5 are referred to as the real High-Boys.

Some people even group the 67 to 72 ford F-250 into the High-Boy group. But if you dig deep, you'll find that the 59 to 66 F-250s and F-100s all have the same 4 inch blocks and similar ride height as the 67 to 77s, so they must be called High-Boys too. Then if you dig even deeper, the other trucks of that era, dodge and Chevy, both stood just as tall, so they must be High-Boys too.

When Ford change the ride height in late 77, they also abandoned the 3 driveshaft design. From were I'm from, if you have 3 driveshafts, then you have a High-Boy. It even doesn't matter if you have a ford or not.

To put a close to this madness, if you have a ford with 3 driveshafts(59 to 77.5), then you have a "High-Boy". If you have a dodge with 3 driveshafts(57 to 71), then you have a "Dodge High-Boy". Chevy (57 to 66) is a "Chevy High-Boy". And even an international (53 to 75) with 3 driveshafts is a "IH High Boy"

 

If memory serves me correct, the ford 4x4 f-series line went thru a change in the 77-79 era, where the suspension and various other options were upgraded or changed. (trans cases, trans, axles, ETC>) This was done to bring down the overall height of said trucks, my cousin bought a 77 f-250 and it was of the newer design, yet a buddy of mines 76 f/250 was up there in the stratosphere with a no-lift kit and tyhat's the way they came from the factory. So. this high boy refers to the trucks pre-77 that had the factory
standard equipment installed with no lift kits, etc.

 

Tell me why when I am looking for a rear gas tank to fit my 76 F250 I see ads that say will not fit a High Boy. And somebody at work said that High Boy Trucks have narrower frames.

 

Jack, The 4X4 frame is narrower than the 2X4. Do you need a rear tank for a 2X4? I have one with the filler hose and the sending unit.

John

 

 

The difference between the "High-Boys" and what were considered standard F250's dealt with the location of the transfer case. Up until 77/78 (my memory is a little foggy about the dates.) The transfer case was seperate from the transmission on the F250/F350. The transfer case was attached to a crossmeber and connected to the transmission by a driveshaft.

Because of the location, these trucks sat higher than one where the transfer case was attached to the transmission directly, hence "High-Boy". This is the only way to tell if the truck in question is a ture High-boy or one that has been convereted.

 

Most of the above info. is correct. From around '67 to mid '77 the 250's were pretty tall from the factory, they came with divorced transfer cases and the "narrow" frame that was referred to. Also, power steering trucks were a hydraulic assist ram. In mid '77, they used a completely different wider frame (it's not just wider, it's a different design), integral power steering, a connected t-case, and started to use reverse rotation front diffs. Also, they ran 351m's and 400's in the low-boys, as opposed to FE's in the older trucks. You could get a Dana60 frontend in a "normal" low-boy, but it had to be a crewcab to get one in a Hi-Boy. That's about all the differences I can think of.