Need New Shocks
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
Need New Shocks
Hello, All:
I have an '84 F250 4WD with 4.9L engine, 4-spd., and the stock tire size of 235-85R16. It runs pretty well but is not a daily driver. I've only had it for a couple of years. My question is... how do I know if it is lifted? It seems to sit higher than other trucks of this vintage... like the old High Boy trucks. I measured the distance from the ground to the top of the wheel well lip and it is 37". Anyone know of a good way to tell if it is lifted and by how much? If it is, do I need longer shocks to compensate for the lift? Thanks for any suggestions.
Regards,
Ed
I have an '84 F250 4WD with 4.9L engine, 4-spd., and the stock tire size of 235-85R16. It runs pretty well but is not a daily driver. I've only had it for a couple of years. My question is... how do I know if it is lifted? It seems to sit higher than other trucks of this vintage... like the old High Boy trucks. I measured the distance from the ground to the top of the wheel well lip and it is 37". Anyone know of a good way to tell if it is lifted and by how much? If it is, do I need longer shocks to compensate for the lift? Thanks for any suggestions.
Regards,
Ed
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,997
Likes: 2,743
From: Virginia
Look under the rear springs between the spring and the rear axle housing. You should have a small block, around maybe a inch or so thick, that has a arm on it for the rubber bumper to bump against. If you have another taller block along with this factory block, then you have some lift in it. You can get re-arched or higher lift springs, but not many people use them, most lifted trucks use the blocks.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
I looked under the rear end and there is a steel block about 2" thick between the axle ousing and the leaf spring that has an arm on it but the arm does not appear to do anything. It looks factory installed to me. There aren't any skuff marks on the arm and nothing touches it. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong thing here? I saw no other blocks, other than some rubber bumper pads on the underside of the body.
The front shocks are about 15" long but the rears are much longer... 20+"? I didn't measure them but they are quite a bit longer than the front shocks. All 4 shocks are big... over 2.5" in diameter on the larger end. The fellow who owned it before me had a camper on it, so maybe these are after-market shocks.
Did Ford offer a factory lift in any of the mid 80s F series? This is the only truck I've ever owned that I have to climb up into... and I'm 6'2" tall.
Ed
The front shocks are about 15" long but the rears are much longer... 20+"? I didn't measure them but they are quite a bit longer than the front shocks. All 4 shocks are big... over 2.5" in diameter on the larger end. The fellow who owned it before me had a camper on it, so maybe these are after-market shocks.
Did Ford offer a factory lift in any of the mid 80s F series? This is the only truck I've ever owned that I have to climb up into... and I'm 6'2" tall.
Ed
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,997
Likes: 2,743
From: Virginia
The bumpers that the arm hits where gone on my 80 too. If you look at the bottom of the frame, right where it arches up, there may be a bracket left there where the bumper used to be.
The only options I know of where some trucks had a different number of leaves, and some trucks had a "handling" package with dual front shocks and a added rear sway bar underneath the rearend.
The block with the arm you saw is factory.
The only options I know of where some trucks had a different number of leaves, and some trucks had a "handling" package with dual front shocks and a added rear sway bar underneath the rearend.
The block with the arm you saw is factory.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
Thanks for the replies, Dave. All info is much appreciated.
This truck has 5 arched leaf springs in the rear that bow upwards on the ends. There are 3 long ones and 2 shorter ones per side. Also has 2 long reverse curved leaves in the front.
One thing about all this is that I have discovered that all the bushings under there are pretty well shot as are the fuel hoses to the front and rear tanks. Replacing the one on the rear tank doesn't look too bad but the front one looks as if the tank will have to be dropped to get at the place where it connects to the tank. Seems that they could put a short neck on these things to eliminate this problem but they didn't so we get to have some extra "fun" with our trucks when the time comes. :-/
Ed
This truck has 5 arched leaf springs in the rear that bow upwards on the ends. There are 3 long ones and 2 shorter ones per side. Also has 2 long reverse curved leaves in the front.
One thing about all this is that I have discovered that all the bushings under there are pretty well shot as are the fuel hoses to the front and rear tanks. Replacing the one on the rear tank doesn't look too bad but the front one looks as if the tank will have to be dropped to get at the place where it connects to the tank. Seems that they could put a short neck on these things to eliminate this problem but they didn't so we get to have some extra "fun" with our trucks when the time comes. :-/
Ed
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,997
Likes: 2,743
From: Virginia
Dropping the tank is a pain(make sure most of the fuel is gone), but it may be a good thing, since you can paint the top of the tank where it lays against the crossmembers. These tanks love to rust on the top and leak.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
Although the frame of my truck has a lot of surface rust, the bed and body panels above the frame do not. Also in the works will be a plan to remove and treat these rusted areas so that a longer body life span should occur. I checked this rust with a screw driver and it is pretty soft. A steel wire brush in a drill should take most of it off pretty quickly.
Ed
Trending Topics
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Milwaukee, WI
My thought is about your "factory wheel size". 16 inch wheels on an 80's truck seem unusual to me. I have 235 75 15 on my truck and I have the orignial steel wheels and a set of Ford aluminum rims. All 15 inch. My old 85
(long gone now) also sported 235/75/15's the tire size called out on the door jam. Anyone else hear of 16's on a Ford?
DEAN
(long gone now) also sported 235/75/15's the tire size called out on the door jam. Anyone else hear of 16's on a Ford?
DEAN
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,997
Likes: 2,743
From: Virginia
My thought is about your "factory wheel size". 16 inch wheels on an 80's truck seem unusual to me. I have 235 75 15 on my truck and I have the orignial steel wheels and a set of Ford aluminum rims. All 15 inch. My old 85
(long gone now) also sported 235/75/15's the tire size called out on the door jam. Anyone else hear of 16's on a Ford?
DEAN
(long gone now) also sported 235/75/15's the tire size called out on the door jam. Anyone else hear of 16's on a Ford?
DEAN
He has a f250. They came stock with 16 inch rims with 8 lugs.