Highboy Vs. Non-highboy?
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: maine
Highboy Vs. Non-highboy?
I've been converted; I'm now a Ford man! First question: What makes a highboy a highboy? Is it a suspension lift or body lift .. or combo, and are there any other differences like drop-pitman, springs, etc. Thanks.
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,110
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From: southwest pa
yea, we've gotten into this so often and so in depth they made a sticky in the faq section of the forum. whats in the forum is whats generally agreed upon, but i have a few issues with it as im sure most people do. i feel, for the most part, its right.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Spokane, WA
It's just a 67-77.5 F250 . . . that's all there is to it. Where people will get into arguments is in regards to specific parts/options. While they were generally all built one way I'm sure there are rare exceptions such as SOME that have married T-cases, etc. But really it's just an 3/4 ton truck that was built within that year range.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Other side of the sunrise
Originally Posted by ivanribic
It's just a 67-77.5 F250 . . . that's all there is to it. Where people will get into arguments is in regards to specific parts/options. While they were generally all built one way I'm sure there are rare exceptions such as SOME that have married T-cases, etc. But really it's just an 3/4 ton truck that was built within that year range.
I hope this dosn't stimulate the old HB discussion again.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Spokane, WA
Oh yes, I forgot to mention that. 
4x4 of course . . . I always forget that Ford made those silly 2wd trucks. 
j/k
I think a lot of the debate stems from the fact that people swap stuff in over the years. Joe Blow buys a 75 F250 4x4 with a married T-case and therefore thinks that not all of those trucks came with divorced cases. Often times it was just someone down the line that swapped in a different part for whatever reason.
4x4 of course . . . I always forget that Ford made those silly 2wd trucks. j/kI think a lot of the debate stems from the fact that people swap stuff in over the years. Joe Blow buys a 75 F250 4x4 with a married T-case and therefore thinks that not all of those trucks came with divorced cases. Often times it was just someone down the line that swapped in a different part for whatever reason.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,241
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From: Other side of the sunrise
Yup, I know 'bout that. My 74 has disc brakes from a 76 (first year for disc) and a 460 engine. If I ever (knock on wood) need to get rid of my ride, someone will probably think it came that way.
Anyway, the read first sticky should clear things up for PCHILDRERS.
Oh, by the way PCHILDERS, welcome aboard FTE!
Anyway, the read first sticky should clear things up for PCHILDRERS.
Oh, by the way PCHILDERS, welcome aboard FTE!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Yuba City, Ca
First off welcome to FTE. the highboys were 2" higher than their later built brothers(77.5-79). the lift came from blocks in the rear and spring in the front. The sticky should tell you about it though,
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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There is more to it than that, but basically Ford lowered their F250's by 2", used a direct conect transfer case, and got rid of that stupid in-cab gas tank & crazy power steering design in mid 77. I have a 1976 highboy and to be objective a 77 1/2 to 79 with a 2" lift would be the same height and a better truck.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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F250 Ranger...you are correct that the rear blocks and the front positive arch leaf spring are all that made up the actual lift, but their are also other subtle differences between an highboy and lowboy such as spring & frame width, transfer case location, gas tank location, front axle selection, etc...
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Spokane, WA
There's a lot of differences. I guess my point is that a lot of people think Ford made a special "highboy". They didn't. That was just how all the F250 4x4's were built in those years. Highboy is a name people gave to those trucks, not Ford. To them it's just and F250.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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Ivan...You are 100% correct.
My 1976 F-250 4x4 is basically the same as every single other F-250 that Ford built that year, and it is nothing special. It is just a nice old truck, and nothing more. These were designed to be work trucks. The term highboy is nothing more than a slang term.
My truck is a dark blue F-250 4x4 with a 390 V8, 4 spd, 7,700 GVW package, Ranger XLT package and A/C. All F-250's 4x4's in 76 came with an in-cab gas tank, divorced transfer case, 3,600 lb. Dana 44 HD disk brake front axle and a Dana 60 drum brake rear axle. The only real difference between the various GVW packages that year were the springs and tires.
My truck also came with 7.50 x 16 Armstrong tube tires on 16" split rims, and a dealer installed 7'-6" Fisher plow.
The interior also came in dark blue with a cloth and vinyl bench seat, carpet, intermittent wipers and very few guages, a cheap Ford AM/FM radio and nothing else.
The best fuel economy I ever recorded was 12 mpg.
My 1976 F-250 4x4 is basically the same as every single other F-250 that Ford built that year, and it is nothing special. It is just a nice old truck, and nothing more. These were designed to be work trucks. The term highboy is nothing more than a slang term.
My truck is a dark blue F-250 4x4 with a 390 V8, 4 spd, 7,700 GVW package, Ranger XLT package and A/C. All F-250's 4x4's in 76 came with an in-cab gas tank, divorced transfer case, 3,600 lb. Dana 44 HD disk brake front axle and a Dana 60 drum brake rear axle. The only real difference between the various GVW packages that year were the springs and tires.
My truck also came with 7.50 x 16 Armstrong tube tires on 16" split rims, and a dealer installed 7'-6" Fisher plow.
The interior also came in dark blue with a cloth and vinyl bench seat, carpet, intermittent wipers and very few guages, a cheap Ford AM/FM radio and nothing else.
The best fuel economy I ever recorded was 12 mpg.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 100
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A little more history...I bought the truck in 1982 from the original owner and it was 100% original even the tires with 38,000 miles. From the factory the stock headlights and back up lights were terrible, the split rims were a hassle, the transfer case shifted hard, and the ride was harsh. The best part of the truck was it's ability in snow and to carry a heavy load.
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