what is a factory highboy???

[truckfreak]

i have heard that a "factory highboy" has a 4" lift stock i dont know if it ment leaf springs or what,
and from another source i heard that 72-77 f250s had high arch leaf springs naming it the highboy,
and i have heard that a f250 4x4 was just taller than a 2wd so it was nicknamed a highboy....so what is it...what exactly is a factory highboy?

[bumt72]

LOL, I have had the same question but have been too embarassed to ask.

[truckfreak]

why?! its all about learning man. trust that i can and have done a hell of alot of wrenching, rebuilt trannies, engines, brakes, you name it...its just sometimes theres things that slip by. i have just heard so much conflicting information about it that im trying to get it straight. another head or nine can never hurt.

[heep70]

[cobraF100]

I looked through some of my Books and could find nothing about it being a fatory 4" lift...I wonder why...

So I just learned it from Ya'll,about it being a Factory Install...

[truckfreak]

okay i still dont know, i wasnt trying to educate anyone here, just trying to get some more ideas. i dont know if you were just being sarcastic here cobra or what , but im still clueless to what exactly factory highboy means. any more ideas out there it would be much appriciated. but someone with a straight answer would be better.

[cobraF100]

O...Sorry Dude I wasn't trying to be a Smart A$$......

I miss read it and thought someone said it "was a Factory install"

But I still cant find it in any of the Ford Truck Books I have here We'll have to wait till Keith see's this Post,Hopefuly he will know...

[truckfreak]

its ok cobra, the 4 inch factory lift thing is just something i heard from someone. it wasnt ment to be passed as a fact.

[willowbilly3]

Technically I consider any divorved T-case, low pinion front axle, F-250 a high boy so that would go back to 59. Normally we don't see the term used much on trucks older than 67. I am not sure of the exact height of the rear spring spacer but it is probably around 4 inches, this would be the "factory" lift i suppose.
The trucks made from mid 77-79 were about an inch lower and while some of those owners tout them as highboys, the purists consider the last low pinion/divorced T-case trucks to be the end of the highboys. That would make mid 77 the cut off.
The term does get loosely thrown around and even F-150 owners with a lift kit like to jump on the highboy bandwagon, they really aren't

[Rockcrusher]

I posted this reply in the 4X4 section . . . I didn't know you posted the same question here.

The highboys generally had a 2-2½+" lift block between the axle and spring packs. I believe the first highboys hit the street in the '63 model year on both the LWB F-100 and F-250 4X4's. After the F100's went to front coils only F-250's got the blocks.

Once upon a time, I owned a pair of LWB 4X4 trucks . . . an F-100 and an F-250 from 1963-64. Both had the lift blocks and the bumper height of both was at least 24-26". Most other Ford 4X4's of that time were a straight SOA without the blocks. Incidentally, both trucks used the same frame . . . The major differences were the transfercase and rear axle.

[2mny4rds2list]

I have been told by a friend who is very knowlegeable about fords & was a ford mechanic from 1965 - 1985. He said that "Ford" never labeled or named them High Boys. He says the "term" High Boy was just a knick name adopted by the general public to the early F-250 & F-350 4x4s. It was because the F-250 4x4 & F-350 4x4 had a tall stance compared to their 1/2 ton conterparts. I take what he says as a very good source as he has his own garrage & rebuilds old fords for a living. There is always some old rare ford in there that someone is trusting him put put it back just as it left the factory.

Hope this helps!!

[willowbilly3]

Right you are, except the 66 and older F-100 4x4s were tall too, though some debate as to whether they should be considered in the highboy genre or not.

[2mny4rds2list]

I don't know how high the 1/2 tons you are refering to stand but my 1972 F-250 4x4 "High-Boy" Stands at 6ft 9in from ground to top of cab with new stock springs (no lift) with 33-12.50 tires. Just thought I'd throw that info out here for people use if they want. My truck is a camper special so maybe that makes it a little taller??

[willowbilly3]

The heavier duty GVw F-250s do tend to be taller, at least in the rear. The base GVW is around 6400 and those 4x4s almost sag a little in the back. By the time you get up around 7500-8800 they are setting up in the back end and pretty stiff.

[my367s]

I have a 64 f100 4x4 and it has a 4 inch block between the rear axle and the springs,which makes it about 26 inches off the ground and as far as I know its stock.I have been told that the 1/2 ton 4x4s and the 3/4 ton 4x4s had the same frame,the difference was in the axles only.Jerry