I have a 1966 Ford F100 styleside. Trying to get it to fit on a 79 F150. The frame and springs being wider on the 79 poses issues with the back sides of the bed and fenders. I had put a 4" suspension lift on it. I thought if I do a rear shackle hanger flip 4.5" it would solve the clearance issue.It does,but causes other issues. With the 4" leaf springs and stock block the transfer case is 0 degree and 8.5" lift. The rear axle is 26 degree. So I took out the stock block( which was the plan) and added a 1.5"-2" 0 degree block I had laying around. Now the pinion angle is 20 degree. Getting closer. What is really starting to bug me is the lowest leaf on the spring pack really angles down and sticks out. I know I have to move the front rear hanger back about 2" to get the shackle angled correctly.So, what are my options?Move the front hanger back.Remove the 1.5"-2" 0 degree block and add a 20 degree block? Is that doable? Remove the lowest leaf? Get new stock leaf springs?Supposedly with the rear hanger flip and stock springs a 4 degree shim is needed. This just seems to be getting messy. Any input would be favored. Thanks

See the lowest leaf angled and sticking out? Hate that.

Stock hanger and shackle would run right into the bottom of the bed and the bolt head right into the inside of the rear fender. And that is with the bed raised 2". The flipped hanger helps with this and lets me lower the bed onto the frame, which lines it back up with the cab.

 

See how the bolt and shackle would hit the bed and fender. The flip 4.5 hanger helped it not do this.

 

Ok you want the out put of the trany / transfer case to be parallel to that of the pinion on the rear axle.
So if the trany / transfer case is pointing 4* down then the pinion has to point 4* up
You CAN NOT have the trany / transfer case at 0* and the pinion at 4* or you could run into issues with vibrations with the Ujoints spinning at different rates.

Now your spring issues. It looks like you don't have all the weight on the wheels as I think I see a horse with wood blocks under the frame in 1 of the pictures.
Now having all the weight on the suspension you CAN NOT tell what the springs / suspension will sit.
I bet once you get weight on the wheels that spring that is sticking out will not be that bad.
Also that shackle will push back more.

You also don't want to move the front spring hanger forward / back from factory as it will change the wheel base.
You are using a 4" lift spring and a rear spring hanger flip? If so what is the total lift and what are you doing up front?
Does the rear hanger flip have a front hanger flip to go with it that you are not using?

When you start swapping frames that are wider than the stock frame you will have to do some body fitting. In your case it looks like you will need to trim and finish the fenders and ? to clear the hanger / shackle.
I used a long bed style side metal floor in place of a short bed flare side wood bed on my 81 F100. Not as bad as trying to fit wider frame under it but still not a "bolt on" at either end either.
Dave ----

 

FuzzFace2,I understand that the transfer case angle and the pinion angle should be the same or within a couple degrees. But a 20* shim? I see 4x4 pics all the time that I know the pinion angle can't be any where near correct.
As for all the weight on the truck,it is not sitting on the stands,it is on the ground. It is missing the fenders,steps,a couple bed supports and a floor.I would assume I weigh more than all of that. If I lean on the truck it moves maybe a 1/4" on the shackle. Manufacturer recommends to move the front hanger back 2" for proper angle on the shackle. And I know from the original 4" lift that a lift moves the axle forward. I can't determine where the axle goes until I figure out exactly what I am doing with the lift and hanger.
I used the flip rear hanger to take care of the body suspension problem. That is not really any problem right now. The pictures above show the interference with the suspension with the bed raised 2" off the frame. Now the bed is sitting on the frame with the flip blocks installed.
I guess what I am asking is:
Do people really use 20* shims
Is there an alternative to the lowest spring leaf. Can it be removed? Could I use a leaf spring from another truck that is 2" longer? Same arch as the stock spring just longer instead of moving the front hanger back? Maybe a different configuration. Like one that doesn't have the long flat piece on the bottom. I can just imagine backing up and spearing something with that leaf.
If I could move the bolt to the back hole on the hanger, looks like another 1.5". And get a three or four inch longer spring that might work the best and solve all of the body issues.Or move the front hanger back approximately 3.5". That may work also.
I was just hoping someone had gone through what I have and came up with the ideal configuration.
Thanks for your input Dave.
P.S. I have 4" springs up front.

 

33 1/2" between the inner frame rails behind the cab: 1961/72 F100/350; 1973/77 F250 4WD (High Boys); 1973/79 F350 Cab & Chassis and Regular Cabs on the 140" wheelbase.

37 1/2" between the inner frame rails behind the cab: 1973/79 F100 2WD/4WD; 1973/79 F250 2WD; 1975/79 F150 2WD/4WD; 1977/79 F250 4WD (not High Boys); 1973/79 F350's except as noted above.

 

It almost sounds like the springs are made for something else if the front hanger should be moved back 2".
If you had the stock spring in and moving it back 2" changes the wheel base. If the rear hanger was changed why not move it so the shackles are right?

As for the "speer" I can't see why you couldn't remove it. When stock springs are used and you had a heavy load in the bed then they would flatten out to hit that bottom spring. I don't think you will have that heavy of a load so away it goes.
Now you may need to get a new center bolt as it maybe to long.

Do the springs have a front n back to them?
Some have the same eye bushing size but measure different from eye to center bolt front to back.
If the spring was installed backwards that may throw off the angle of the pinion.
If the rear hanger was stock does that put it at a better angle?
Did you want the lift and flip kit or had to to clear the bed?
For me it is hard to picture in my small head what all is going on with the springs, lift, flip kit and body to suspension deal to give muchore info.
Dave - - - -

 

What vehicle was the lift designed for? As Dave said, you can't get accurate measurements (pinion angle, shackle angles) without the expected weight on the rear suspension.

My recommendations with a custom build such as this to cut off the factory spring perches from the axles, order a new set, and set pinion angle correctly without the need of wedges. You can fine tune it to perfection based of your amount of lift, driveshaft style (as a shaft with single u-joints on each side requires different settings than one with a double cardan joint at the trans/tcase)

If I remember correctly when I did the lift on my 78, the centering pin is offset on the springs, so if you have them backwards it will alter your wheelbase approximately 1-2".

 

My original lift kit was supposedly made for my truck.Smaller end of the spring goes forward.Since I need that flipped hanger to get body clearance, I think I will go back to stock springs. Then see what I have to do. The new mounts sound like a good idea.Thanks