The working - camping OBS F-350

[Seabass]

I bought my work truck about four years ago. It was my first crew cab ever. It's a 1997 F350. It's got a 5.8 (351) and a ZF- 5spd tranny. It's got the Dana 60 out front and a Sterling 10.25 full floater on the rear. 4.10's push it along. It had 250k on the counter when I brought it home. It's been one of the best trucks I've ever owned- especially in terms of dependability. Today it has 300k on it....and the drive line is getting tired. So I've bought a parts truck. It's a 94' F-350 with a 7.5 (460) and a ZF- 5spd 4x4. It's only got a 122k on it and I bought it from a friend who bought it new. The frame is about to break, so I got it crazy cheap! Now I have a "donor" truck and my old crew cab is fixin to get a BIG make over. I thought it would fit this section of the forum. I'm doing this on the cheap when I can. Doing as much myself as I can. It's my daily driver- my farm truck. It's also what I camp out of here on the farm. Me and the wife prefer the work truck to the powerstroke truck because we try to keep the nasty stinking blue healer dogs out of the PSD. Anyway, it's worth documenting the build. I'm swapping engine,transmission, radiator,etc...and reworking the suspension a bit. It's going to get a few minor issues repaired and also a new flatbed. I'm also considering a dually conversion- I do need to haul cattle, grains, and hay- I am a farmer after all. Since I used to have a cummins powered dodge dually, I kinda miss the ability to roll down the road with a big load and not be chasing the ditches. So here's a few pics to get going, and then I gotta get to the field. the work truck the donor truck the 460 engine - getting a fresh bottom end and every gasket replaced and this is roughly the finished idea (only my obs) and a lot more height and maybe bigger rubber. So we begin!

 

[pappawheely]

Looking forward to reading about your project. Where is the frame failing on the donor truck?

 

[Seabass]

Here in KY we get a little snow....and salt too. Frames tend to rust beside the fuel tanks and spring mounts. That's what happened to the donor truck. The P.O. never washed the truck...ever.

 

[pappawheely]

OK, I was nervous since I jump my truck a lot. :yikes:

 

[Seabass]

Na-I had a F-250 that I jumped several times. We don't get lots of snow or lots of salt- but enough that if a person never washes their vehicles-especially the chassis rust is a problem. I've always washed mine after a salting and I've never had much rust issues on any of my vehicles.

 

[Seabass]

Ready to go in!!

 

[underdrive]

That ought to make a bit of difference in how she moves under load

 

[pappawheely]

If you still have the engine out, I would examine the exhaust manifolds real good and maybe even put new gaskets on. Cheap insurance.

 

[Seabass]

Pappa- I did put new bolts at the collectors. They are the first factory manifolds I've seen that weren't cracked! Every dang ford I've ever owned (obs anyways) had cracked exhaust manifolds. I don't see any evidence of leaking at the gaskets. I was scared to mess with them since they looked good. I did consider a set of shorty headers.....but I just didn't want to mess with them again. I've done shorties in the past and while they did improve performance a bit, they were a pain in the rear to keep gaskets in. Seems like I finally bought a set of steel header gaskets that didn't leak, but I sold that truck before I had a lot of miles on them.

 

[Korben]

FWIW on the dually thing, just a little reminder. You don't always have to have all 6 wheels on. Truck will drive just fine with the inner tires removed and do better in mud. Put on the inners when you need to haul weight.

 

[underdrive]

And that's an excellent way of screwing up the rear wheel bearings. If you need singles on the rear just run a pair of SRW wheels like what you have now, they will center the load properly between the hub bearings, right where it belongs. Actually we know someone who does that quite often, it's a DRW rear axle but they kept the front with single hubs and run singles in the rear as well most of the time - when it's time to hook up the trailer they go DRW in the rear only, never mess with the front.

 

[Korben]

And that's an excellent way of screwing up the rear wheel bearings. If you need singles on the rear just run a pair of SRW wheels like what you have now, they will center the load properly between the hub bearings, right where it belongs. Actually we know someone who does that quite often, it's a DRW rear axle but they kept the front with single hubs and run singles in the rear as well most of the time - when it's time to hook up the trailer they go DRW in the rear only, never mess with the front.

You'd think but I've been doing it quite a bit when empty and so far no issues.

 

[Seabass]

I'm still not completely convinced I'm gonna go dually. I really like duals when towing....but I spend a lot more time not towing. And the loss in off-road performance is going to be substantial. I know because I've owned both. It's gonna get a flat bed either way. I really don't want to take time to switch wheels and tires when I want to tow either. That and if I leave it a single wheel I'm thinking a set of 10ply 315's like I have on my other truck. If I go dually I'll run a much smaller tire....265's or even 235's. I haven't got the engine in yet, and my current tires still have enough tread that I'd hate to take them off just yet. So I'm still able to think about it.

 

[Seabass]

Well, I'm way along. The 460 is now in- and actually the truck is practically done....at least the engine swap part. I got it done on Friday and pulled it out of the shop...in 4x4. The rear drive shaft had to be lengthened by about two inches. Plus it needed a new slip shaft and a fresh set of spicer joints. The mechanic at the driveshaft shop said he'd have it done by Wednesday at the latest. But I'm really happy at how easy the swap was. While I did have a donor truck, I really didn't need that much from it. I used the 460 motor mounts, trans crossmember, ecm, and front driveshaft. If you pop the hood you'd never know the truck didn't come factory with this engine. I did use the donor trucks front leaves, and I slapped in a set of Skyjacker add-a-leaves as well as new front shackles. While I'd love to have done a shackle reverse, it's not in the budget now. I still got a flatbed to buy. I also took the time to replace every inch of brake line as well as install new calipers and wheel cylinders. Can't drive it anyways. So, I took some pics, not as many as I'm gonna. Figured I'd post em' and keep the progress posted. Out with the old 351... In with the 460! New core support and getting closer....Fresh springs. I'll grab some more pics soon. I'll aim to report how it does when I get the new driveshaft in. I deleted some of the nuisance emissions stuff and installed a wicked sounding flow master with 3" exhaust. I'm super happy so far.

 

[Seabass]

Hot dang!!! Got the new driveshaft back this evening.....couldn't stand it. I just had to take it into town "to get some gas"! Sure....gas....I just wanted to drive it!!! I ain't ever had a big block before. That thing is sweeter than a Cadbury Egg with an eggnog chaser! So stout! I always thought I'd like the truck better with a 460 than the 351. I was right. It's not like my Powerstroke, but its got a lot of bottom end. It's like a different truck. Between the new tranny, power, stiffer clutch, and extra weight of the bigger engine I felt like I'd never driven the truck before. I'm hoping to pick up the flatbed by the weekend and start mounting it. I'll aim to take plenty of pics when I do.