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Does anyone konw what the ride height should be (center of hub to bottom of fender) on a 1977 150 4x4? Front coils have metal spacers in them ... but one side is missing a spacer and has been replaced with a blcok of wood. Trying to figure out if they are orignal springs and spacers where added for lift or to get back some sag. Where the truck does not have the oringal wheel set or tire size (I don't think) I am trying to figure out what spring to replace them with (stock, HD or lift).
Post a pic of the metal spacer, but I will say that no 4wd F150 had any OEM set up that has a metal spacer. Just the coil spring in the upper bucket and then a cup on the bottom where it attaches to the top of the radius arm and the coil spring sets in it. Yes I see the part # 5A307 that might be Bronco specific??? But I just took a 79 Bronco axle out and never seen that part.
Its not a spacer like you;d see with lift/leveling kits today ... more of the redneck lift kinda spacer (similar to belwo) and definitly not oem. What I'm trying to figure out is what spring to replace with as I pick through the suspension & steering on this truck. Without changing streering a level to 2" lift would ideally be the end goal for stance.
That is some off the parts house shelf cheap way to lift or lower your truck. Depends on how you place the bars. They are as bad an idea as the screw/twist in lift spacers. If you unload the suspension (go over a hill top to fast) those things will fly out. And then you hit up the wood pile to make a temp fix.
Popular in the 70s and 80s were those type spacers shown as well as the twist in type. Mostly used in the rear coils as a cheap method for a raised rear end aesthetic that was in vogue. They were so popular I recall being able to buy them in K-Mart's auto section! I used both types back in the day but after 3 or 4 years the novelty wore off and I got rid of them.
You definitely want to remove them. A little sag from age is no big deal. If you find the suspension bottoms too easily or doesn't sit at the height you want it to replace the springs. There are probably other more important suspension components that need replaced anyway.
That is some off the parts house shelf cheap way to lift or lower your truck. Depends on how you place the bars. They are as bad an idea as the screw/twist in lift spacers. If you unload the suspension (go over a hill top to fast) those things will fly out. And then you hit up the wood pile to make a temp fix.
Believe me they ... and the block of wood ... will go. Just trying to figure out if they where stuffed in there for clearance on tires or just to pickup sag. Knowing that will help determine which springs I can replace with (stock, hd or lifted).
31x10.50-15 will clear with stock suspension. You may find that those spreader clamps and loading on those springs not allowed to "spring" may have permanently damaged them. Instead of allowing the spring wire to work it's full length, those things concentrate the forces. This truck has totally stock springs, is a 1977 F-140, it has been on 31x10.50-15 tires since 1986 except when I had a set of 31x11.50-15s a couple years. Maybe you can gauge by the picture, the truck isn't here right now to measure.
Below with a ton load on it, I see I did that day record stuff both loaded and unloaded.
Just the coil spring in the upper bucket and then a cup on the bottom where it attaches to the top of the radius arm and the coil spring sets in it.
Yes I see the part # 5A307 that might be Bronco specific?
Hey Rich. The 5A307 is just the lower half of the parts you were describing.
The 307 is the "cup" part and the 58300 is the "retainer" (or clamp) part of the two halves of the lower mount.
thanks for all of the info, measurements and photos. Currently with the spacers it is sitting at 21" hub to fender. I'll am planning pull them in the meantime and will see where everything site but ultimately will be looking for a replacement spring to bring it back around that 21" height.
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