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Salan's 1980 Something

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FuzzFace2

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

I knew if I waited long enough I would know what the parts were for.
It looks like it will be fun to install the bumper once the parts are installed.
Dave ----

Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

This post was updated on .

FuzzFace2 wrote

It looks like it will be fun to install the bumper once the parts are installed.
Dave ----

It looks like it's gonna take a lot of trimming to get that bumper back on. Once I get everything installed, maybe I'll start thinking about a custom bumper.

In other news, I started work on drilling what feels like a million holes in my frame. I've been relying on the crude measurements of the original rear spring hangers that Gary provided via his digital caliper. Initial mockups tell me that attaining 54" from eye to eye is achievable with no modification of the front hanger. The inner frame box pieces seem like they'll be okay as well, but I won't know for sure until I move up to the front section of the frame.

My 4x2 frame does not have the original spring hanger box for reference so I am having to go off of the upper most bolt holes for the front spring hangers. I am lucky in that my frame already has what I will refer to as "bricknose bumper holes", which is one of the mounting points for the spring hanger.

I'm hoping for some good sunny days in the future, but Florida is unpredictable, and sunlight is scarce once I get off of work. I scheduled a two week vacation from work next month, and so if I can't find the time to work on this within the next 15 days, I will have all the time I need to finish it during my vacation.

Gary Lewis

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

Administrator

One advantage, I think, of the Warn winch bumper.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

Gary Lewis wrote

One advantage, I think, of the Warn winch bumper.

We all know the prices those go for. I've seen a few modern options for bullnose trucks, but they're way more than I care to pay for a ranch truck, and I don't care for the look of them anyway. I may look into building custom brackets that space the bumper out, kind of like they did with the old brush trucks, Just not as far out.

grumpin

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

salans7 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

One advantage, I think, of the Warn winch bumper.

We all know the prices those go for. I've seen a few modern options for bullnose trucks, but they're way more than I care to pay for a ranch truck, and I don't care for the look of them anyway. I may look into building custom brackets that space the bumper out, kind of like they did with the old brush trucks, Just not as far out.

That sounds cool! I’d like to see that!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

I'm reminded of some of the older behind bumper snow plow mounts, like below. This would be a little drastic, but it's the same idea.

Rembrant

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

salans7 wrote

I'm reminded of some of the older behind bumper snow plow mounts, like below. This would be a little drastic, but it's the same idea.

Is that what you're doing with your newly fabricated mounts? I read through there a little bit but didn't see exactly where you're headed with it.

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

I haven't built anything yet. I just noticed yesterday that there's no way of fitting the stock front bumper with the Super Duty RSK on a bullnose truck without some serious modification to the bumper. So when all is said and done I will look into either building a new front bumper, or building brackets to space out the stock front bumper just enough to clear the front spring hanger.

Gary Lewis

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

Administrator

Yes, looking at your pic it would take extreme cutting on the bumper to clear that hanger, and that would weaken the bumper dramatically. Even spacing it looks like it would require some trimming. And I expect to do some of that on the Warn bumper, but we will see.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

FuzzFace2

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Rembrant wrote

salans7 wrote

I'm reminded of some of the older behind bumper snow plow mounts, like below. This would be a little drastic, but it's the same idea.

Is that what you're doing with your newly fabricated mounts? I read through there a little bit but didn't see exactly where you're headed with it.

Not a plow mount but for the front of leaf springs to run a straight axle, was it a 50 or 60?

When I first seen the mounts on the ground I was like what are they?
Now that I see them set in place I see, front spring hanger for leafs.

I also see now why it is said need to trim the bumper or space it out as the mount sticks out front and the bumper kind of wraps under the frame.
I was more like how do you get the nuts started on the bumper bolts as they are now in a box!
Dave ----

FuzzFace2

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

So this mount is for a SD truck using leaf springs?
What springs do you use, the SD springs or our leaf springs?

Where do our 250 / 350 spring mounts sit on our trucks, it must be back more for the bumper to fit.
Is our springs shorter because of the bumper?
What of the mount was turned 180* so the spring mount was back under the frame then the bumper would fit and then use our springs or a custom one.

Just thinking out loud here

Dave ----

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

This kit is designed for 1986-1991 F350 4x4 trucks. It can also be used with a 1980-1991 F250 4x4, but only with a straight axle swap. This kit is designed to allow you to run newer Super Duty leaf packs from a 1999-2004 F250 or F350, and those trucks have longer leaf packs than our trucks. That is the reason why the hanger sticks so far out. These longer springs ride much better than the older style offerings, and the hanger is also used to move the shackle to the rear of the pack, rather than at the front like these trucks were stock.

I am installing this kit on a formerly 4x2 frame, so I am in uncharted territory since this kit isn't designed for my application. I am adjusting it to make it work for my application, but I will have to add material to the inner frame boxes since they were built to rest on the stock shackle mount bracket that my 4x2 frame does not have.

FuzzFace2

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

Thanks for the information
So from what you said our year truck used a shorter spring pack that puts the front hanger under the frame not out in front.

You also are saying because of the longer springs the trucks ride smoother. This may be so but you also said this kit moves the shackle from the front to the rear and this alone makes the ride smother.

When you hit a bump everything wants to move rearwards as the truck in moving forwards.
With the stock shackle in front and the spring flexes when you hit a bump the spring wants to move forward but the bump pushes it back and so the ruff ride.

We would move the shackle to the rear on our off road racing trucks for the smother ride (you don't get beat up as much) but the wheels stay on the ground more for more control.
Only thing you have to watch out for is you also get more axle travel and if the drive shaft is too long it can bottom out pushing the transfer case to the rear and most of the time braking the transfer case to transmission adaptor putting you out of the race till you replace the adaptor and limit the axle travel with longer bump stops and / or shorter drive shaft but then you had to watch if the axle dropped too much and the drive shaft would pull apart. In that case you install limit drop straps on the axle.

So how wide are our springs and the SD springs? If they did a little change to the brackets for us to use our springs with a straight axle and still use the bumper they may sell more kits?
Dave ----

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

They have another kit that allows you to use stock springs.

OBS Spring Kit - Skys Offroad

Thanks for the info from your offroad days, that kind of experience is only learned through trial and error.

Gary Lewis

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

Administrator

Yes, I'll need to make sure the driveshaft isn't too long.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

So here is where I am. Note that the tape measure is starting at 1.5" at the front spring eye. That puts the rear at 55.5-ish, which accounting for the extra 1.5" up front, means I am almost at 54" eye to eye.

Also note how close the hanger is to the radiator support mount. The measurement is close, but so is the bolt hole on the upper right hand corner, I'm not even sure if the bolt will fit through without hitting the top of the frame. Thoughts? Gary?

Gary Lewis

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

Administrator

54" is correct, but I'm not sure how critical that is. Erik said something about getting the shackle to hang down straight with no load, and I'm thinking that a little more or less won't be an issue.

So, I'm wondering if you can rotate the bottom of the front bracket forward to bring the rear bolt hole down. I can't really see in the pic, but it does look pretty close to the top of the frame. Maybe drill the hole where you can and put it in place there?

Can you bring the rear bracket forward any?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

I agree that the 54" doesn't have to be precise, as long as both sides are even and the wheels stay relatively centered in the fender.

Because this is a 4x2 frame, I'm not confined by the stock spring hanger mount. What does confine me is the frame box brackets, and they only give me a little movement even on the 4x2 frame.

The front hanger is too high. After comparing my 86 frame against an 87 frame, the bricknose bumper holes are slightly lower than the ones in my frame, so I will need to move those holes down to allow me to bring the hanger down.

Gary Lewis

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

Administrator

Yep, it looks like you'll have to move those holes. That was an area of concern on Big Blue as well, so I'm familiar with the drill. But Erik assured me that the clamping force of those bolts, 5 if I remember correctly, easily plants the bracket even if you enlarge the holes.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

salans7

Re: Salan's 1980 Something

This weekend I will drill a second hole below the existing one (x2), and then file the difference between the two to mimic the oval holes on a bricknose. But mine will be perpendicular rather than parallel. Between the vertical adjustment of those two holes, and the horizontal adjustment built into the Sky bracket, I should be able to get the bracket in the sweet spot and then the remaining holes can be drilled in their proper places to prevent any potential movement.

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