I have a 79 F250, rancho says my lift is 2.5" (I call bs with a 8" arch, its atleast 4 and it has the the same curve as a stock newer leaf). I'm trying to make my truck sit level. It's a single cab long bed, 4x4. I have a 460 / np435 in rn and it sits pretty level stock. I'm stepping up to a 4-6" lift, and a small body lift.

Does a flat bed weigh more then a regular bed? What size blocks can I run with ladder bars? Is it ok to stack blocks?

Thanks in advance -Paul

 

I should specify im making my flat bed with a headache rack, and I'm reinforcing it enough to throw a fifth wheel on it might I occasionally need to.

 

Block stacking is the worst thing you could do to your suspension. You really need to get that statement! If your going to put a fifth wheel hitch on your flat bed there's only so much lift on the truck you'll be able to have before the rear of the fifth wheel will be dangerously low and won't tow for crap and have the worse road manners . If your going to lift you'll be restricted to springs that can carry the added towing weight so any soft ride springs are out. Maybe Deaver Spring can build a set for you for towing and eliminates the need for any blocks and gives you a reasonable lift. Just keep in mind Towing and lift is a delicate dance. So be real careful with your choices. You might be better off building two separate trucks to accomplish what you want.

 

Most of my towing is a 40 foot enclosed i haul around empty, like 20 miles from a to b for a guy who builds cars. other than that i have another truck to haul a regular gooseneck with (f250 6.4)

My rear axle already has a 2" block i guess to make it sit level. My spring pack already looks kinda serious. I'll include pics.

 

Level the trailer your towing on flat ground and measure to where the flat plate of your fifth wheel hitch is going to mate. With that number build your flat bed so with the fifth wheel hitch mounted you don't exceed that number. Add a couple air bags in the back so you can adjust to any added tongue weight. You can change the suspension on the trailer for height with shackle flip etc.too but at the end of the day she needs to ride level. You can also do a shackle flip on your rear axle to get rid of the factory blocks and is a much safer way to gain height or level than adding blocks.

 

That sounds like a great idea but does it justify for something I do twice a year?

Also what is a flatbed weigh?

 

That sounds like a great idea but does it justify for something I do twice a year?
If it saves your life and those riding with you as well as others on the same path as you? That's a no brainer for me to answer.

Also what is a flatbed weigh?
The sum total of the weight of the materials you choose to build it with I would check on line for flat bed manufacturer's that have a product similar to what your building they will have a more precise answer for your question.
I've owned two flat beds one I bought and one I made. I always over build so the home built was stout and I know weighed more than a factory bed. The one I bought was about equal to the factory bed. That's all I got for you there.

 

I might just skip the fifth wheel on the F250 and do that do my diesel instead.

And i was hoping to yet around factory bed weight.. i assume thats like 500-600 lbs for a 8 footer?

Thanks for the replies thay have been very helpful and they are appreciated!

 

Stacked rear blocks only help modify the twisting torque of the d/s to the pinion angle and possibly wrecking your ujoint, then the twist continues to the axle and finally to the leaf springs. Also leads to power hopping if you are hammering on it when empty.

If you put a big lift and do not have an adjustable height 5th wheel it is going to tow hitch high and tail low, WAY low. Same if you ever tow a gooseneck without an adjustable length neck.

A long bed weighs 390 lbs w/tailgate. That was an actual bed w/tg, weighed on a scale from a fellow FTE member. X2 a flat bed can weigh as much as the material you make it out of. All steel frame (angle iron or rectangle tubing?) and 3/16 or 1/8 tread plate decking? Steel frame and treated wood decking?

The current block you have is a standard OEM block with the wing for the frame hung bump stop. AND if looks like you have a single leaf overload.

 

not going to fifth wheel. Probably running ladder bars with any kind of lift whatever i go with at this point. A engine swap is in its future so I would like if my axles didn't give up on being a component of the vehicle.

I've read that a 1-3" block is okay with ladder bars, and any is okay with a full 4 link setup. Is this true?

 

As I recall, the front leaves on F250 4x4 were slightly curved downwards towards the ends, nearly flat nearer the axle, no arch upwards. Was made that way for better steering. Those are already about 3" blocks OEM.

NO to stacking blocks and NO blocks are allowed here on a front suspension.

Your rear spring and block pic looks exactly like my FIL's '77 F250 4x4 when it was stock.

 

Okay im starting to get this more now.

My stock front spring has a slight positive arch. The whole truck is cobbled together and nothing is original AFAIK. Even the frame is replaced. Its basically taken the identity of a door and dash

 

Well since you are in learning mode....FYI the metal tag riveted to the door (called a Warranty Plate) is NOT the "vin plate" even though it has the vin on it. And it on NOT on the dash either, like new vehicles now days. The paper title vi# is (should) be on the FRAME in 2 places and that is what the DMV is needing to match. But most DMV places do not know this and just look at the door tag to match.

 

The cheaper stamped steel frame/wood floor flatbeds with no headboard are usually in the 500lb +/- range. Most structural steel flatbeds weigh 750lbs+, over 1000lbs isn't unheard of with headboards/boxes//hitches/pintle plates/etc. I can maneuver my 8ft PU bed around on the ground by myself but I can't budge the 8ft flatbed W/headboard I'm gonna be putting on. It's all 3/16" tube frame with 3/16 steel diamond plate deck and the headboard is the same with a expanded steel area for the window. I'd bet it's weighing right around 800-1k and I'm planning on putting on a pintle plate which is probably 150lbs by itself and 2 undermount boxes that are 50+lbs each. I've already got a set of heavier springs with overloads in the parts pile to handle the extra weight.

Don't stack blocks. Don't stack blocks. Don't stack blocks. If you don't want to spend the money on lift springs that work with the stock block, or eliminate it, get some fabricated blocks in the height you need.

What size tires are you gonna be running? I ran 36x12.5x 16.5 super swampers my stock height 79 RCLB "snowfighter" f250 and they only rubbed the fenders when i had the plow on in the winter. If you aren't running anything bigger than a 36" tire, I'd just do a simple 2-3" add a leaf spring pack in the front and a taller single block in the rear to level it. I wouldn't do a body lift, they suck. A single, shackle hung, traction bar is what I'd run instead of ladder bars.

And there's no lift blocks used in a traditional 4 link setup. The links attach to brackets on the axle and it uses coil springs or coil overs. I've seen a couple custom off road setups that use a 4 link and leaf springs, but it's not a very effective setup and harder to setup correctly. You need to make sure the links and the springs move through the same arcs or they'll bind up.

 

I broke down and went out of my budget.

I went ahead and bought the 6" lift. Springs / springs. I also bought a front add a leaf and a rear 3" block to compensate for removing the 2 ans the add a leaf.

The cab lift was to give it a appearance that the frame and bed are lower compared to the cab. Both look good but it was more of a style thing.

The massive lift is to compensate when I run a 16 wide rim in the future. After the diesel swap 😏😉