Highboy springs

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Mar 27, 2009 | 09:57 PM

jackndelphine

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From: Mastic Beach, NY

Highboy springs

So, i am looking to swap my rear springs in my highboy, they are getting a little sloppy and some of the leafs are rotting, I just got my hands on a set of rear springs out of a 79 f350 dump, with helpers, I want to build another set of rear springs for my highboy from the f350 springs, I know they are the right width and originally I just wanted to swap the whole spring pack from the f350 into my highboy but then I realized that I had lift blocks in the highboy so I am gonna have to take some leafs out of the f350 spring pack to make it work, anyone have any input on this? Thanks, Jack

Mar 27, 2009 | 11:04 PM

DirtStripHero

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From: Indiana Cornfields

How do leaf springs rot? And couldn't you just put the new spring pack on the lift blocks? It will raise your back up some, but it should still be ok.

Mar 28, 2009 | 12:11 AM

75F350

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If the new spring pack is the same dimension, then stick them in there. Measure the installed height, and then determine what size block you need. With any luck, the new pack will raise the truck too high, and instead of removing leafs, just get a smaller block. This will help eliminate axle wrap and will still maintain the spring rate and weight capacity.
Yeah, put it all back together, and use the original block as a reference to determine where you want the ride heigth and subtract that amount from the existing block. Smaller blocks are easy to find.

Mar 28, 2009 | 07:43 AM

jackndelphine

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From: Mastic Beach, NY

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtStripHero

How do leaf springs rot? And couldn't you just put the new spring pack on the lift blocks? It will raise your back up some, but it should still be ok.

I can see from your post that you arent from the northeast LOL, not only do we get snow, but I live on Long Island, I am surrounded by salt water, and the salt is in the air here, I guess that plus the 20+ years of snow plowing my truck did caused the rot problem, the ends of the little leafs on the bottom of the pack actually rotted off, I couldnt believe it either, but yet again, judging by the condition of the rest of the truck when I started rebuilding, I shouldnt be very surprised!! To answer your other question, I pulled the new leafs out of a 79 f350 dump truck, so it had a lot of leafs in the pack, many more than my 74 f250, but my 74 has factory lift blocks in it and less leafs in the spring pack, so I wouldnt be able to just throw the f350 springs back in, even if I didnt put the lift blocks back, it would still be the wrong ride height, so now I am gonna have to play around a little with the leaf packs to get my original ride height back. ----Jack

Mar 28, 2009 | 07:47 AM

jackndelphine

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From: Mastic Beach, NY

Quote:

Originally Posted by 75F350

I will take some measurements today, I would like the truck to sit a little higher in the back since I tow a 4000lb camper with the truck and haul anything I can find with it, but I don't want it to sit sky high in the rear though. Jack

Mar 28, 2009 | 11:05 AM

ChaseTruck754

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From: Costa Mesa, CA

I agree with 75f350 - I'd MUCH rather loose some lift block height than start messing with spring packs and removing leafs, etc.

Mar 30, 2009 | 10:15 PM

cheez67

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From: brooks a.b.

i put a set of f350 springs in my 74 left the blocks in and it sits perfect, about 1 inch higher in back then front. i believe that origanl springs had more arc to them, i base this on the fact that the truck has factory installed overloads on the rear