jrose609
Explorer
I have a 1997 Ford F-250/350 for sale. Yes, the truck was originally an F-250. However, the OBS F-250’s originally had a twin torsion beam front suspension which provided a comfortable ride, but was unreliable and maintenance heavy. They were known for wearing out bushings and tires. I replaced the front and rear axles with 1-ton Dana 60 axles from a Ford F-350. The truck the axles came from was a 1989 and had 89,000 original miles. The front axle is the more desirable kingpin version. The original gear ratio was 4.11, and the truck was definitely not a highway rig. The new axles have 3.55 gears, and 75 mph down the freeway is much easier. The engine RPM at 75 is 2000 rpm. The front and rear spring packs were rebuilt by Boise Spring works when the axles were installed. The rear end has a limited slip differential. The front brake discs were machined when the axles were replaced. The rear brakes (including machining the drums) were completely rebuilt and replaced also. The truck has a lot of stopping power. An alignment was also done when the axles were replaced.
The truck has 276,000 miles. The engine is a 7.3 Powerstroke. The engine runs excellent and starts every morning even at temperatures below zero in the winter. At those colder temps I do cycle the glow plugs twice before starting. The clutch was replaced 10,000 miles ago when the 5-speed transmission was rebuilt.
The truck has a Leer fiberglass topper that is approximately four years old and was made for this body style.
The interior is light gray and in good condition for the age. The driver’s seat foam has been replaced. There are a couple of stains expected of a 21 yr old truck, but nothing that seriously detracts from the interior. There are no funky smells either.
I installed a Sony CD player and four new speakers. The stereo sounds great.
The truck has a free-flow 4” straight pipe from the turbo back. The truck also has a K&N cold air intake kit. With the straight exhaust and the cold air intake kit, the truck not only sounds good, but it runs great and stays cool whether in town, on a mountain road, or the highway.
The truck is riding on BFG KM2 255/85r16 tires with approximately 8000 miles on them. I acquired a set of original Ford Alcoa wheels and hubcaps and had them cleaned. The spare is a matching tire, but the spare wheel is a different style than the rest of the truck.
The tall and skinny KM2’s along with the F350 springs give the truck a great stance. The spare tire carrier has been removed and the spare is in the bed of the truck as a class 5 commercial duty hitch was installed. The PO pulled a 5th wheel RV, and the truck has a trailer electric plug mounted in the bed for RV air camper use. I also installed a brake controller.
The bed has been lined and is in good shape. The rocker panels have also been bedlined and the chrome trim strips above the rocker panels have been replaced.
ALL the fluids were changed less than 2000 miles ago. This included front and rear diffs, transmission, transfer case, and engine oil.
The cruise control works. The air conditioner will freeze you out in the summer, and heater will roast you in the winter.
This is a great truck in great shape. The OBS Fords with the 7.3 PS motor are becoming more and more desirable. The 7.3 was the last great Ford motor. The newer diesel trucks are quieter, more efficient, and have more horsepower, but they aren’t as reliable or easy to work on as these.
I don’t really want to sell this truck. However, due to an injury, the truck is very difficult for me to drive. I’ve since bought a smaller SUV with an automatic which is easier for me to get in and out of and easier to drive and park. This is a great truck, and I would get compliments every time I drove it. I’ll be sorry to see it go.
The truck is located in Boise, Idaho. It runs great, and I would not be afraid to hop in and drive this rig to Maine, Florida, or Alaska tomorrow. There is a reason so many travelers who use full-size diesel rigs use the Ford 7.3 PS as their platform of choice. Repairs are usually simple, and parts are easy to find in foreign countries.
I’m asking $9000, but I am open to serious, reasonable offers. Before you try and lowball me, do some homework and look at your local Craigslist and EBay and compare to this one. I know $9K is a lot of money for an older diesel truck, but compared to some of the EBay prices, this one is pretty reasonable.
If you are interested you can PM me or email me at jrose609 (at) msn (dot) com
Thanks for looking.
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