Gary Lewis

They were optional on all the trucks in the Bullnose era, although they may have become standard later. I've updated my page (Suspension & Steering/Sway Bar) to show the part numbers, and the applications start in 1980. I've had trucks with and trucks w/o them. Rusty and the 1982 Explorer I had didn't have them, but Dad's truck does. And Dad's drove much better than they did, which I attributed to the sway bars. Big Blue has them but they make the suspension way too harsh, so they are disconnected on one end.

Dave - The max pressure on these Load Range E tires is 80 psi, and I'm running them at 40 so I don't want to take them any lower. Bill - Your pack is similar to Jonathan's with the overload on top. That's a good approach and I might consider that if I were to find the overload spring and block. As for what springs I have, I'm not sure. I've measured what I have and they don't match up to any in the catalog. Here are the oddities I've found: Big Blue's rear GAWR is 5922, which would suggest the springs should be rated for ~2961 lbs. His rear spring code is "K", and that means he should have E3TZ 5560-T springs, which were replaced by E7TZ 5560-A's. But neither of those codes show in the catalog His rear axle itself is rated at 6250 lbs The current spring pack has 4 leafs that are 23/64" thick, 1 that is 5/16" thick, and then the bottom one that is 9/16" thick. The whole stack is 2 5/8" tall and the springs are 3" wide. General Spring says that Big Blue should have 3100 lb springs, and theirs have 6+1 leafs and are 3" wide and 2 5/8" tall. So it would seem that I do have 3100 lb springs on the rear. And while that is just right to load the rear axle up, I don't need to do that very often. So I want to try pulling a couple of leafs out. We'll see what that does.

The advert says it is part number "F?AF-18B832-AD". But no such part number as "18B832" exists in the 1994 version of the 1980 - 89 MPC. Besides, an "F?" would be a 199X item, and not a Bullnose item. My page (Electrical/Radios) didn't include the listings for the CB radio shown below, but it does now. Note that there are two different part numbers: E0AZ 18B806-A that is just the chassis and transmitter, and doesn't include the microphone. And then there's E0AZ 18B806-B that is the kit and includes the microphone. But neither seem to include the antenna: E0UZ 18813-A, which lists for just the E-Series vans, but surely is also for the F-Series and U-Series trucks as I can't find another one for them. On the other hand, the picture for the microphone in the advert looks just like the picture for it in the 1981 dealer's fact book, so I think it is the right one. But, the part number is certainly wrong. And, we can't tell from the advert if the transmitter is included. CAVEAT EMPTOR!

This handy dandy web page this it is an '82/'83 black mesh weave. Yes, it'll fit 1980-86, but it won't take the '85/'86 radios, and it won't match the instrument bezel on anything but '82 & '83. But, it is pretty and cheap.

I am zero help with the springs, but that Trickflow diff cover is a nice piece! I was eyeing them up for my 8.8, and they get rave reviews from those who have installed them. Carry on...I'll stay out of the spring discussion;). Thanks! That is just one of the many, many things that Vernon had installed on this truck.

Interesting. Yours doesn't have nearly as much spring as Big Blue has, but then he doesn't have the overload spring on top. And I don't think he has the stops on the frame for the overload either. I do have the stops from Dad's truck, which have already been powder coated but not installed as there's no overload spring on Dad's either. I've been thinking about not installing them and saving the weight as they are quite heavy. So, if I decided I needed the overload and found the springs and spacers I could, potentially, use those stops.

Oh, yours! Ok, now I understand. But, no need for further pics as I can see what you have quite well. And it appears that Big Blue a bigger spring pack than Darth does. But, I'll take some measurements tomorrow and maybe you can check my measurements against Darth's to help me understand if that is really the case.

I still see 7 leafs. What am I missing?

I think that’s probably the best plan. Just pulling the u-bolts that hold the pack to the axle and then pulling the retaining bolt should let me slip a couple of leafs out. And that is I’ll let me know if it makes an appreciable difference.

My son's 1984 [4X2] was "born" with black 5 1/2" wide steel rims. I worked with a man who purchased a 1984 F150 [new] with white steel rims [because it was 4X4?] and dog dish caps. I bought these rims and put them on my son's truck [after painting them black]. They were date stamped '84 and were 6" wide [4X4]. The rivets used on the 6" wide rims were larger than the ones on the 5 1/2" wide rim. I think we are looking at an error or omission in the master parts catalog. (Don’t tell Bill. )

I don't know if subtracting springs in a pack is similar to a smaller or lighter set. Here's BB's springs, and if I were to take two out I think I'd take the 2nd and 4th from the top. As for the air bags rubbing, I can see that if they had no air in them they might rub. But if they had some air in them then wouldn't the air keep them opened up so they wouldn't rub? Thoughts?

First, clarification: Big Blue has 6+1, meaning 6 leafs in the main pack and the 7th factory overload. But, I could try 1 less in the main pack w/o the air bags, and then drop another if I think it is warranted. And then add the air bags if needed. Good idea. What about the air bags did the guys not like?

I'm seriously considering modifying the rear suspension on Big Blue by removing some leafs out of the springs and adding air bags in an effort to get the ride a bit less harsh. (Removing the sway bar links helped, but it is still quite harsh.) I think Vernon may have had heavier than standard springs installed as these have 7 leafs and what I can find in the catalog says there should be 6. And nothing I've put in the bed or on the trailer has dropped the rear ride height much at all. So, while it is nice to have the ability to carry lots of extra weight, running around with that capability 100% of the time is getting old. Air Lift has their LoadLifter 5000 system that is a bolt-on. But with its 5000# capability it is a lot more than I need since the springs are supposed to have about that capability. So, if I pull a few leafs out and get the springs down to ~3800#, which is the lightest spring set for an F250, I'd only need a max of 2000#. I've written Air Lift to see if they have a lighter-duty set that will fit, but from what I can see they use this one for F100's through F350's, so I'm betting they'll say "This is it." Anyway, what do y'all think of this plan? How many leafs would you take out to start with? (In theory I could take out almost all of them and use the air bags to get the load capacity.) Also, what about take the spacer block out if the ride height doesn't come down enough? The spacer block is circled in red, below.

Decode your certification label: Specifications/Certification Label. The Body Code gives you the interior color. But, in 1984 there was only one red, and it should show as "D" for the second character in the body code, and it was called Canyon Red.

Ok, thanks.

First, you won't have hurt anything with the ground on the extractor as the current will have not gone through anything but the cover of the diff. Second, the plug should be a pipe plug, but it does have the square drive which makes it different. Anyway, the part number is 353051-S and it just shows as "Plug-filler or drain-extended head". Don't know if that has a magnet on it, but you can easily put one of the little button magnets on the end of it before installing it. As for the lube, the literature calls for ESP-M2C154-A. But I would suspect that any good 80W90 gear oil would meet those specs.

You are correct, it had F150 badges on it, and above them, F8000 badges;). Somehow I missed the other badge.

Ron - So glad you joined. Hope you can make it to the show and swap meet on Sept 15th. We should have plenty of Ford trucks to peruse, including several of the earlier trucks as I connected with the FORDification folks as well as the F100 crew two weeks ago over in Anderson, MO. (By the way, Big Blue won a prize for best 4x4 in a Dent/Bump-dominated show. In fact, he was the newest Ford truck there.) Y'all - Ron was part of the Okie GTG for several years, and became a personal friend as many others have. Please welcome him to the forum.

That is certainly different. I think it says F150, but it apparently is sitting on 8-lug axles. And a long-box flareside to boot. Strange.

That's good to know, Jonathan. I highly prefer the thicker wheel, having changed Dad's truck over from the pencil-thin one it came with as it was just too thin. But I like the padded feel, so probably wouldn't like the van wheel.

I think you're right on the 3.08 diff gearing being too tall for the 302/5spd. It's not awful or anything, but it would certainly be better geared a little lower. I've been driving the truck a little, and it's lugging a bit below 2000 RPM. Above 2000, it lights right up. I won't be doing anything with it this year, but perhaps this winter I will make it part of my to-do list. A lot of the driving I will be doing with this truck is at about 50MPH, and as it is now, 3rd feels too low, and 4th too high. Same thing with the highway speeds. Then the issue is between 4th being too low, and 5th, too high. The truck will do 80MPH like nothing at all, but I want to drive more like 65MPH, which feels like it's revving too much in 4th, and not enough in 5th. My current issue(s) are the exhaust and the steering, so I haven't been able to get a 100% proper feel for the truck yet. My exhaust is still way too loud, so that aggravates the issue of the engine not being in it's sweet spot. To rev the thing in neutral or to drive it through the gears above 2000 RPM or so, it sounds fantastic, but lugging along below 2000RPM, it sounds just awful, and is way too loud. The steering on the other hand is still way too sloppy...that new reman box has to go. It's sloppy enough it is a bit unnerving to drive with the way the roads are around here. I must install one of those RedHead or BlueTop boxes, and I'm even going to add a stabilizer to it. They're cheap enough it probably wouldn't hurt. None of it is a big issue at the moment. I don't need to drive the truck, it is just a weekend play toy, and it is going to take some time to get all the wrinkles ironed out of it. If you can quantify what RPM is the sweet spot for the engine, where it feels like it is lugging, and where it feels like it is buzzing then you can put together a chart of what rear gears put it in its sweet spot in each gear at what RPM. Or, you can back into it if you don't know the RPM by noting the MPH that feels like the sweet spot in each gear, and then multiply the MPH by your current gear ratio of 3.08 and divide by the new ratio. For example, if it feels good at 80 MPH in 5th, then with 3.55's it would like 69 MPH, and with 3.73's it would like 66 MPH.

Shouldn't have to measure as there are ID codes on the backside, as shown in the link above.

That would be pretty handy. But are you suggesting that Ray get one for his Good Guy's Garage?

The master parts catalog doesn't show anything narrower than 6.0": Driveline/Wheels. Also, it doesn't show any 1980 nor 1981 5 x 4.5's. The first one is in 1982.

I like the top. And the sealer sounds like the way to go as it will cushion things. Gonna be cool!