OK Guys, who out there in truckland owns a bone-stock 77 F-250 Hi-Boy 4x4? If there is someone, I need your help. I took my truck to inspection yesterday. Before I even got into the garage, the attendent told me to take a hike. He said my truck won't pass because it was too high. Now I think my truck is all stock except for the 33" tires. And I wouldn't say that 33's are too big. I told him the truck was all stock except for the tires. He called the RMV, and they told him that the truck cannot be any higher than 46" from the ground to the bottom of the window in the drivers door. My truck measures 56". How the hell could I possibly drop my truck 10"???? The attendent said that someone had reversed the rear axle, and now the leaf springs are above the axle when they should be below. I have dual leaf springs on my truck. What are the orginal specs on this truck? Were the springs above, or below? Even if these were swapped, and I put smaller tires on, I don't think I could lose 10". According to him, Massachusetts wants to get rid of all lift kits and big tires. If any truck is over 2" over stock, it won't pass. I just bought this truck, and just put $2000 into it. I think this is absurd. Can anyone out there who owns a stock '77 like mine take a measurement for me? I'd like to see if they are 46" bone stock. I doubt it. Is there anyway I can get these specs from Ford. I love this truck, and I don't want to have to fight or cheat every time I need a sticker. If it helps any, my VIN # is F26HE025515. Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.

Brendan

1977 F-250
Hi-Boy
351-M / 4 Speed
33" BFG Tires

 

Brendan, you need to try another inspection station. The guy at yours has his head up his backside. Yes, your springs were over the axle from the factory. It is probably grandfathered in because of it's age, also your inspector may not have understood the differance in allowable hieghts for 1/2 and 3/4 quarter ton trucks. What is the GVWR for your truck ? Here in Michigan, that makes a differance. BTW, my half ton has the springs over the axle from the factory too. I fear that inspections are going to be a problem for lots of us. DF

 

Hello, I just recently acquired a stock 1977 Ford F-250 Highboy 4x4. Upon reading this message I quickly went out and measured the height. 56 inches on the nose from the ground to the bottom of the driver's side window. My truck sits on 33" BFG's also. There must be a mix up somewhere. If you need another other info, dont be afraid to ask. good luck, Tom

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 25-Oct-01 AT 12:01 PM (EST)[/font][p]Do full size trucks exist that came from the factory with leaf springs UNDER the rear axle? I've never heard of it!

https://www.ford-trucks.com/dcforum/User_files/3ae0a7e34062b4ad.jpg https://www.ford-trucks.com/dcforum/User_files/weldman/3b8be147257a8888.jpg

edit - SWEET! My membership went through!

1978 F250 4x4 - 351M
Don't crush them, restore them!

 

 

Brendan, I just went out and measured my 72 F250 4x4 that i put a 79 body on and i know this truck is 100% stock height and is the same truck as yours as for the springs go and mine measures 55 inches from the bottom of the drivers window to the ground with stock tires on the original split rims. This truck has a 7700lb GVW. So if i were you and they really keep giving you problems, you have a good case against them and you should win. Let us know what happens.

Jeff

 

I called the RMV today about my little height problem. After 20 minutes on the phone, I found out that the inspector was a complete idiot. The RMV told me they never take measurments from the ground to the window. They are always taken from the ground to the bottom of the drivers door. After a few minutes of looking through an old manual, he told me the OEM height was 24" from the ground to the bottom of the door. And he also told me the maximum height in Massachusetts is 31" for that truck. I went out and measured my truck, and I get 24" exactly, with the 33" tires. So after arguing for an hour with the inspection guy that my truck was all stock......guess who was right. Thanks to all that helped, at least I got an easy solution.

Brendan

By the way, about Ford putting leaf springs under the axle, I don't think it ever happened. Everyone on the site seemed to think Ford never did this. I've looked at about 40 Ford trucks since the other day, both old and new, and all the springs were over the axle.