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A few months ago I bought a 75 ford highboy. It’s lifted around 8 inches with a set of 38 swampers on it. It was used as mud truck and I’m looking to make it my wheeling rig. I got it for a decent price but I have to put another motor in it as the one in it currently threw a rod. The other day I found a 78 ford Dana 60 and I snagged it because the price wasn’t too bad. I know that the 60s from 77.5-79 are the only ones that will fit with no modification as the early ford 60s were narrower. That being said, I’d still like to put a truss on it for added strength but I don’t want the truss to interfere with the springs or steering. And I have never messed with a kingpin 60 before or a ford highboy so I’m just looking for pointers and asking anyone what the best way to go about doing this is. Thanks, any help is appreciated
8" and 38's...kinds small tires for a 8" lift. Unless you are going to work over the suspension so you can flex and stuff a tire. I have a 6" on my F250 and run 38.5's, just saying. So just how "not to bad" price was that 78 Dana 60? Now days anything under a 1K you stole it.
So you need to plan on getting that front Dana 60 under it and then make the older versus newer style steering work out 1st. You might need to get a 77-79 steering box. Truss...no need to worry about that on a Dana 60 unless you are launching it, or bouncing it up a cliff rock crawling.
Go Rhino use to sell a bolt on skid plate. Or you can use the ol bottom of the "C" u bolt like clamp set up and then the hollow box plate around the bottom of the pumpkin and then some rod to another "C" u bolt like clamp. I am looking for a pic now to show you. This is some old school jankie home made clamp on truss/skid plate set up for a early Bronco, but you get my point.
Better version.
Made for a chebbie, but you get the idea.
Go Rhino skid plate, NOT a truss. If you off roaded that for real the clamps and the skid plate would just rotate as you dragged it across a rock. More for show.
This guy has the wrong front u bolts. See the gap?
8" and 38's...kinds small tires for a 8" lift. Unless you are going to work over the suspension so you can flex and stuff a tire. I have a 6" on my F250 and run 38.5's, just saying. So just how "not to bad" price was that 78 Dana 60? Now days anything under a 1K you stole it.
So you need to plan on getting that front Dana 60 under it and then make the older versus newer style steering work out 1st. You might need to get a 77-79 steering box. Truss...no need to worry about that on a Dana 60 unless you are launching it, or bouncing it up a cliff rock crawling.
Go Rhino use to sell a bolt on skid plate. Or you can use the ol bottom of the "C" u bolt like clamp set up and then the hollow box plate around the bottom of the pumpkin and then some rod to another "C" u bolt like clamp. I am looking for a pic now to show you. This is some old school jankie home made clamp on truss/skid plate set up for a early Bronco, but you get my point.
Better version.
Made for a chebbie, but you get the idea.
Go Rhino skid plate, NOT a truss. If you off roaded that for real the clamps and the skid plate would just rotate as you dragged it across a rock. More for show.
This guy has the wrong front u bolts. See the gap?
Well I said 8 in but I don’t think it’s quite that much. It’s hard to tell because it wasn’t lifted correctly. They just added leafs in the rear and put a big *** block underneath, then in the front stuck pieces of angle iron in between the spring and the spring hangers and that’s the lift lol. Before I do the swap I’ll lift it properly. I paid $1,400 for that 60 front. The guy knew what he had but it’s not like I sold a kidney for it. I do want a truss because it’s a full size rig and I’d like to put bigger than 38 in tires on it. I just want the piece of mind of it being able to hold up what I throw at it. I’ll check that out that link thanks for that. Worse comes to worst I’ll just dab my own truss up for it. Another thing I forgot to mention is I thought about doing high steer on it, but seeing as how the pitman arm connects to a small drag link that comes off the piece bolted to the knuckle, would high steer work with this old style steering setup?
No need to quote everything, just hit the quote then high light the pics and delete. Or just reply and go for it. So sounds like a common 1 add-a leaf for the rear and then stacked another OEM block. Common cheap route lift kit, ride like crap, wheel wheel hop under shinny pedal power. Those rear end stacked blocks act like a fulcrum and reek havoc on the leafs and the rear u joints. I would like to see that they did to the front for a lift.
Using that passenger knuckle and getting it drilled and tapped for a high steer can get done. There is high steer and cross over steering parts on the web. And the Dana 60 is supported pretty well to modify.
There is more than one leaf added to the rear. This lift is something else, doesn’t look like a kit looks like someone built it in their backyard. I’ll get some pics for you tomorrow. I’ll have to do some more research on the high steer. Maybe high steer would work but crossover won’t work
Well people do that all the time, instead of getting a quality lift kit actually made for the truck (which can be pricey). They just take some old leaf spring packs apart and start adding. And it can make for a rough riding truck with NO flex at all.
As far as adding a High Steer AND Crossover set up, you might want to get that axle under the truck and see what you need to do so ditch the Garrison or Bendix hydro assist (which ever one you have) set up AND see if you need a 78/79 steering box. That is the common mod that HB folks do to get a better set up on their HB's.
Yeah I might just have to put it underneath and see. Thanks for the help. I’d like to just find some big lofted springs and use those. You won’t find any lift kits online last 4 in
There are trusses available for the 77-79 ford D60's, but most of the one's I've ever seen are mostly designed for going over to a link and coil/coilover suspension.
You could just add spring pads on top of that style truss, but then it's gonna add at least 4-6" of lift and you'll probably need a front traction bar to control axle twist. I'd search the old posts on Pirate4x4 to find anything related to leaf spring trusses.
The front looks like a lift spring with an extended front hanger and shackles, maybe? Doesn't look too bad to me, the spring looks stiff, but it's workable. Looks like you got plenty of room for crossover/high steer.
That rear leaf pack is amazing, I like the overload buried in the middle. I'm guessing it's adding in the 4-6" lift range over a stock pack? If it was me I'd try to find a lift spring to replace both the springs and the block, maybe an 8-10" spring? shoot for the low side and then you can use a smaller block to set the height where you want it.
Yes it looks like someone spaced the front leaf spring hangers off the frame a bit. And either put some old High Boy leaf's or some other leaf pack and then made longer shackles. Holy mother of GOD stacked rear leaf springs madness. That is as bad a tipple stacked blocks.
There is a company that sells 4" to 26" all leaf spring lift kits. It is NOT Skyjacker, Superlift, Jack-it, Rough Country, Rancho and no newer companies like Pro Comp make any thing. Rocky Mountain Suspension has a `12" for a F100.
Dang Gina what you got there, some front blocks.... CrAzY.
Dumb and dumber went from the front to the back.
Here is his cousin. D-Rod.
LMAO, this is a 1000 time just wrong.
Yeah that’s my issue, I searched and found some meant for 77-79 ford 60s but they were for coil over conversions and what not. I’ll search some more and see if I can find some leaf springs ones
Hahaha I told you this wasn’t no add a leaf lift kit they went ***** to the wall with those rear springs. Looking at it just makes me nervous and makes my joints hurt thinking of how it will ride when I drive it lol.
For a straight thru the pit mud, or blasting thru a muddy pond, beat on it mud truck you should be ok...for now. That is a lot of extra weight back there for sure. Better air down the tires to get a little softer ride. And make sure you have a good spring suspension seat. If it has those hard plastic junk race seats, it will be a back cracker for sure. Keep in mind when spring shopping a High Boy has 2 1/4" wide rear leaf's and all others are 3" wide. You can not just post a pic of the crazy suspension and not post a pic of the whole truck.
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I'm guessing it's adding in the 4-6" lift range over a stock pack? If it was me I'd try to find a lift spring to replace both the springs and the block, maybe an 8-10" spring? shoot for the low side and then you can use a smaller block to set the height where you want it.
