I used to own a '97 F-150 Extended Cab 4x4, but sold it after almost 6 years and bought a Sport Trac. I just traded that in on the current '05 4x4 Screw. The height of the Screw seems to be somewhat greater than I recall of the '97 model I had.

I'd be interested in a comparison of the step-in (to the cab) height of the two different generations of trucks. The '97 I owned had the biggest tires/wheels that Ford offered at the time.

 

I've had a 76, 83, 88, 95 and 04 model F150. I leveled the current 04 so it is more in line with the 76 model in height. The last Tall Boy offering that I can remember was in the 77 F250. Even they where lowered after that. The F150 model came down some when the independent front end was installed in the early 80's. I might be wrong but I seem to remember 4 different front axle set ups in that 30 yr. span. Trust me those early straight axle F150's where a bear when it came to handling.

 

I don't notice a huge difference between what I rembember from my '01 and '03 compared to my '05. If anything it might be a little less, the 97-03 body had an angled area at the bottom of the door opening that you had to step across whereas the 04+ are mostly straight down.

Joe

 

I have a 97 f150 4x4scab and it is probably about 5 inches lower than my 04 f150 4x4scab. I do have a leveling kit on my 2004 though.

Edit: forgot to add that the torsion bars on my 1997 are cranked up all the way. That would make up for the 2" on my leveling kit.