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Hello everyone I was wondering if anyone has done a shackle flip on a Highboy. I have a 76' F250 that I'd like todo that to but I'm not entirely sure if you can do that without changing where the bolt locations are. I think the shackle holder may interfere with the bottom of the bed that's why I'm here. I would take measurements and figure it out myself but I currently do not have a bed for this pickup so I cannot do that and the chassis is sand blasted down completely at the moment and now is the time to flip them if I'm going to do it. Other question is am I going to loose any height by flipping it?
Stonebacon and Mark a, that is a way to get a cheap lift kit....IMO I do not think that all that hard work to grind and remove the rivets makes it worth it. Here is a fellow FTE member that did it and it looks he used the same holes and just cleared the bed.
I want to flip them mainly for ride quality and to allow the suspension to flex better.
Originally Posted by 77&79F250
Stonebacon and Mark a, that is a way to get a cheap lift kit....IMO I do not think that all that hard work to grind and remove the rivets makes it worth it. Here is a fellow FTE member that did it and it looks he used the same holes and just cleared the bed.
Oh yeah that looks like its got plenty of room for the bed. I couldn't find any existing threads about doing this really besides a thread about reasons of doing it. What thread is that you got those pictures off of? Eventually I would like to delete the 4" blocks and run some deaver leafs on the truck. Could have a shackle made to raise the truck a little bit as well. I mainly want it to sit at normal highboy height but be able to flex out when I'm offroading it. Kinda de trucking it with making the suspension so soft but I have my Super Camper todo all of the hauling haha.
I got them from some thread a very long time ago. You just have to search for it. Deleting the 4" rear block, remember you are going to have to get some pretty long leafs. Atlas Suspension is the only company that has off the shelf delete the rear block options.
I am sure Deaver can build you what ever you need though. But if you really need to flex, 3 or 4 link front and rear, coil overs and there you go.
This guy is still rocking front leaf springs. Same for the rear, looks like he is running straight shackle bars on the back.
A fellow FTE member (cheeto) built his to flex out pretty dang good.
This FTE member (F350) built his to flex very well also. To bad he is not on here any more. I did save a lot of his advice though.
When you decide to go all in.
And I mean ALL the way IN.
Still has leaf springs.
Lots of great info: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ch-thread.html
Mark with yours flipped and weight on the suspension, did it look like you could compress the springs enough to make the shackle piece flip past a certain point and stay there aka get stuck?
There are two orientations of shackles, compression and tension (stock).
Flipping the shackle to make it compression will reduce the effective spring rate of the leaf pack. The shackle will apply leverage to flatten the pack, and the effect will increase with compression. So a digressive effect that degrades load handling capacity. It will make the ride a bit softer but isn't better, as it will bottom out easier.
But it is a way to get free lift. I have done it a few times, only to go back to a tension. Ford uses only tension design for this reason.
A proper leak pack with a tension shackle will make a HUGE improvement. but custom packs are $1500-2000.
I got them from some thread a very long time ago. You just have to search for it. Deleting the 4" rear block, remember you are going to have to get some pretty long leafs. Atlas Suspension is the only company that has off the shelf delete the rear block options.
I am sure Deaver can build you what ever you need though. But if you really need to flex, 3 or 4 link front and rear, coil overs and there you go.
I was planning on running deavers since theyre all kinda custom order stuff and they can tailor to what it weighs and what I plan to use the truck for which is a trail rig. More or less how I have it set up in the video game here except with the CB on the bedside opposed to the roof.
I am basically done with sand blasting the frame now and should be painting it tomorrow. Going to grind off the rivets first thing tomorrow and sand blast where they were.
Originally Posted by mark a.
I had mine flipped. It did ride better but I couldn't haul much of any weight so I changed them back.
I'm not to worried about hauling anything. At least for now I have my 74 F100 and my 73 F350 that I can use to move stuff around.
Mark with yours flipped and weight on the suspension, did it look like you could compress the springs enough to make the shackle piece flip past a certain point and stay there aka get stuck?
No, I had a lot of weight on it from time to time but they always came back.
Deavers can be hard to get. They may answer the phone, maybe take an order, and possibly build them. I tried for months and couldn't get them to take my money.
Another option is Alcan spring. I run a custom 63" pack from them.
Deavers can be hard to get. They may answer the phone, maybe take an order, and possibly build them. I tried for months and couldn't get them to take my money.
Another option is Alcan spring. I run a custom 63" pack from them.
That is killer man! I'm kinda shooting for how this bumpside was setup with my truck. That truck is a big inspiration on this project of mine. His was 4BT powered I believe but I plan to put a 390 or 410 FE into mine with a NP435 and a 203/205 doubler with ARB lockers front and rear. Going to put rock sliders and a belly pan onto mine as well. Really want to run some Humvee wheels and tires on this truck as well but it doesn't seem like I can find any good deals within 150 miles of my house..
Started priming the frame today. The shackles came off super easy. Think I am going to remove the overload leafs from the leaf pack as well.
Sounds cool.
Which bump?
My advice for off roading is to keep everything as light as possible. Belly armor can weight a lot and sag your suspension.
Are you going to re-center the humvee wheels? otherwise you need big spacers or dually axles.
I see the red bump side has a torque tamer on the passenger side. Cool, but can cause a restriction in full flex mode abality. Body armorer can also be made of the same stuff used on side by sides skid plates/belly pan. Things like UHMV Polyethylene or UHMW or even HDMP, HDPE (High Density Polyethylene).
UHMW skids/belly pan/belly armor is lighter than aluminum and far more slick sliding across rocks.
" To use H1 rims on a Ford without recentering them. If you want to use them in a stock form, then you need a 76" wms. Stock single wheel rears are in the 67" range. So basically if you have a 60 front you need the dual wheel hubs. If you’ve got a 44 then get the front drw spacers from a 88-up chevy or 94-up dodge. For the rear get a dual wheel rearend from a pickup. Can’t be from a cab and chassis truck. Those have a 72" wms. Then you can get a 2" spacer. Another option is if you can find a drw 14b or d70 hd from a chevy you can swap the drw hubs for the srw hubs and you’d be set. Have to figure out brakes but with a disc swap it’s not hard."
