I run 8" leafs with a couple of leafs removed to bring the truck down and I clear 39.5" boggers.

I have a 1978 f-250 where did you get 8" springs

 

I was not aware that you had "quoted" me. Though it did look like something that I have typed, this was a few moons and several adult beverages so I was not sure.
Just a suggestion, use the "quote" feature and delete any portions of the post that does not apply, or that you do not wish to appear and then it will let the user (and everyone else) whom you were making the reference to and conversations can be seen between specific individuals yet remain on the same topic.
Please understand that this is not a criticizm, simply a suggestion that can help all of us out.


Ok, back to the topic right? Yeah, I use 8 inch lift front Super Duty Springs for a 99 to 04 gas truck.
Thats how I clear my tires and maintian a great amount of flex.
Actually just bought a used 2003 extended cab shortbed super duty today and it is bone stock, I mean bone stock, and my lifted and modified 1974 truck with 39.5" boggers drives smoother and rides better than that stock super duty.
Getting the springs just right is important.
Making these modifications to the hangers is often very necessary in some cases, but there are exceptions that may not require it. Guess it is really based upon the application.

 

Hey 75f350 if you get a chance could you do me a favor and take a picture of your red truck showing the shackle angle of the front SD springs.. i know there are some variables that determine the appropriate shackle angle but id like to get a ruff idea of how you set yours up..

 

Sure. apologies for the poor quality, but I only had my phone, and ran outside to snap a pic. Im watching the dodgers in extra innings right now. I had to run out so fast, I almost spilled my beer. That would have been a problem, lol.
See if this gives you an idea of my angle.
This is static heigth with no weight in the bed, and no driver etc.

 

prefect. thank you for taking time out of your game to take the pic... i can honestly say if anybody asked me to go outside in the dark and take a pic of my truck during a truck series race I don't think i would have been as nice.

 

Its not a problem. Though the coincedence of the picture and the fact that Atlanta scored while I was gone and the Dodgers loosing probably has little to do with anything, I am always glad to try to help. Perhaps tomorrow I can take some higher quality pics.
Will have to wait until after my salvage yard runs. Whoo hoo, I get to hit some junk yards tomorrow. Cant hardly sleep tonight I am so excited.
Funny the silly things that keep us entertained. I get excited about heading out to a salvage yard, but try to get me to go to the in-laws, and I might consider going to the dentist first. Ummmm,,,,,,,just kiddin, lol.

 

hahah the funny thing is I know what you mean by being so excited with little things like going to the yards... some of the yards here in oregon continue to amaze me every time.. last time i went to a scrap yard there was a 74 or 75 f350 I think.... it was tucked away way back in the woods and black berry bushes about a foot above the cab!! wow... anyways it was an old flat bead wrecker and even with rusty metal and sunfaided paint you could still see an old towing company name on the door.. and it still had an old 50's dodge 4 door car on the back.. looks like somebodies car broke down years and years ago and in the process the old ford did the same.. . eventhough the wrecker was sinking in the ground the car was still chained down to the bed.. little stuff like that never gets old. Im sure you have some stories like that to?!

 

So - any more progress 71hightoy????

I got a couple hours in the shop tonight so I did a little work.
I started wrapping up the top of this thing - by closing off the ends.

1st the angle cut


I cut some "caps" out of 3/16" plate and started welding them in with the hitch/spring hanger bolted in the truck



Here's a nice little bead I ran


Plates welded on and done



Next I started looking at how to replace the supports that go from the spring hanger to the top of the frame rails to keep them from folding in.

I've got a bit of a game plan on how I am going to build them but had to head home to get some stuff together for my trip tomorrow. I won't be able to work tomorrow or Tuesday as I leave tomorrow evening and return Tuesday night. I am heading to Vegas to go over a deal on making some large flare fiberglass fenders for these trucks. If all goes well I should have fenders that are 5" flare per side, bedsides at the same flare and then a drop center style hood available within the next couple of months

I will give a general shop/fabrication"tip" and a little tease on my "frame supports for this thing though...

1st the tip - I always save all of my hole saw "circles" or remnants" after I use a hole saw in steel or aluminum. Actually - I keep pretty much everything. Hole saw rem., the angled miters or cuts off the end of round and square tubing, tubing rems - everything down to about 1/2" tall pieces.

The reason is I always use all this stuff and having them on hand for later saves you from "making" them when you need them.
Here is my box of "hole saw rem."


And here's why.how this came up right now - this is a piece I made before and ended up not using. It is pretty much what I will be making to start my "frame supports" for this spring hanger. The 2 "hole saw rem." pieces I grabbed out of my stash and will be using for this project.


More to come when I get back in the shop on Wednesday night

 

no progress really .. ughhhhhh.. i had to give back the welder i was using as it belonged to a friend so really i have everything ready to go as far as end caps,tabs, d rings etc.. but cant put it all together !! lame.. ohh well..but all is well.. im going to bronco fest at sandlake oregon!!!!!!!!! so stoked going with a couple buds and there highboys!!! yehaa. hope to have progress made in a week or lesss!

 

Got a bit of work done last night. Again it seems like all I did was drill some holes - but at least I'm moving forward...

I went to my buddies shop last night to see if he had the chance to cut anything for me and luckily he did. In fact - he cut EVERYTHING I gave him so far!!!!!

Here's the stuff for the spring hanger and new shackles


Start of the new shackles


He also cut and bent the plate for boxing in the pass. side of the frame - so it matches where I boxed for the steering change on the driver side


When I got to work I started drilling the hitch/x-member for the frame supports on top. This will use a 7/16" bolt, and I tapped it into the solid steel "bar" thatgoes inside the rectangular tubing.


Tapped all the way through the 1.25" solid steel to give some good attachment


Last I drilled some holes in the new shackle plates and front spring hanger plates.


More fun to come tonight!!!!

 

OKKKKK.. I spent all day doing little unimportant things on my truck..I had to fool my self into thinking I was actually making progress.haha... i couldnt fool my self. every time I had to get any kinda tool i had to walk past my frame.. it killed me to see the frame just sitting there. lol
after looking at the 4"x4" box tubing all daay i couldnt get around the fact that it is still just 1/4" thick.... i know there are ways to make it strong... but is it worth the hassle.. ?
should i just go to my steal supplier and get some beefy box framing and call it a day?... if them chebys ever have to hook up to my d ring shackles in the front i want to know that there on there to stay... doesnt matter how good you weld something on if that something isnt strong. input anyone?

 

INPUT ANYONE?? lol.. im starting to cut out the the actual leaf spring hangers (really more of a tab) and for them im using 1/2" pieces so im sure there plenty strong,,, but im really just doing the little things to keap busy until i can decied,, somebody else make the call for me!!!
upgrade to 3/8th? or use my 1/4 and beef it up?

 

This is probably not the answer you want - but it is what it is.

Simply put - the strength is in the design, rather than just how thick of material you use. Designed right and 1/4" will be fine. My rectangular tubing is 1/4" thick...

Unfortunately I never made it to the shop to work on Thursday. I had friends from out of town surprise me here so I had dinner and hung out with them. I them went camping friday night through tonight, so nothing more has been done on mine.

 

sweeet deal!! My dad kinda MADE me change my design to make it stronger.. so fine. lol he's the one that made me rethink just 1/4" think.. so i guess with some of his input on making it a better design i will be happy with what i have,, last question,,
how would you re-inforce the d ring clevis tabs on the front,, i want them on there to stay!!!!

 

Mine will not be simply butt welded onto the front of the rectangular tube, but rather through it. LOTS more weld surface area