Issues With Big Blue!?!?!

[ArdWrknTrk]

So 1 5/8" wheel travel before the stop is contacted and maybe another 7/8--1" before it bottoms?

It's really no wonder why 250 ball joints get destroyed so quickly.

Somebody get Gary a 'new' cross member, D60, RSK and some Superduty springs.

Not only will he appreciate the ride quality, the turning radius is greatly improved.

Hmmmm, how hard is that to do? (Not the cross member, that's a given.) D60 from?

D60 from any F-350 with the same gear ratio as Big Blue.

Also you need the pitman arm and panhard bar w/bracket that attaches to the cross member.

... and the front driveshaft.

The 350 lift blocks from the rear will keep it from looking like a dog dragging its butt.

[Gary Lewis]

D60 from any F-350 with the same gear ratio as Big Blue.

Also you need the pitman arm and panhard bar w/bracket that attaches to the cross member.

... and the front driveshaft.

The 350 lift blocks from the rear will keep it from looking like a dog dragging its butt.

Maybe I'd better get things going first, with the EFI, ZF5, hydroboost, 3G, cross member swap, etc before I take that on.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Maybe I'd better get things going first, with the EFI, ZF5, hydroboost, 3G, cross member swap, etc before I take that on.

Maybe you should put some feelers out for a 4x4 350 with a blown engine or a rear hit.

I'm sure with all your social media contacts something will turn up for the scrap weight price.

Janey's used to you dragging home the most forlorn mongrels by now!?!?!

Tell her you need it for the cross member and remind her how dangerous it would be to have Big Blue drop all its steering and suspension out on the trail.

Scavenge what you need, part or crush the rest.

You'd have the cross member to go forward, and can do the rest later.

[Gary Lewis]

Maybe you should put some feelers out for a 4x4 350 with a blown engine or a rear hit.

I'm sure with all your social media contacts something will turn up for the scrap weight price.

Janey's used to you dragging home the most forlorn mongrels by now!?!?!

Tell her you need it for the cross member and remind her how dangerous it would be to have Big Blue drop all its steering and suspension out on the trail.

Scavenge what you need, part or crush the rest.

You'd have the cross member to go forward, and can do the rest later.

Interesting! Yes, Janey is used to that. Huck was certainly a mongrel.

Wish I had the 1990+ MPC to know how late I can go to get that cross member. May just have to buy one.

And, which F350's had the D60?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Interesting! Yes, Janey is used to that. Huck was certainly a mongrel.

Wish I had the 1990+ MPC to know how late I can go to get that cross member. May just have to buy one.

And, which F350's had the D60?

Huck would have been good for both the floor and cross member, as Bill said.

Brownie was... what? A stunning example of a well cared for and unmolested classic?

I think pretty much any 4x4 F-350 of this vintage has the D60.

And for sure they all have the 460/IDI cross member.*Edit, there were some with the I-6*

I'm no "expert" though. Jonathan is probably much better informed than I.

[Nothing Special]

And I wonder why Big Blue rides so poorly?

I always thought that a decent ride with a leaf spring TTB was impossible when I had my '85 F-250. But now with my '97 I really don't think it's that terrible. It could certainly be better, but before I got this truck I was sure I'd be swapping to a solid axle if I got another F-250 (I was more looking for an F-350, just to avoid the TTB). I don't know why my '97 is better than my '85 was. There are certainly some differences in the trucks ('85 was a RCLB with 351 and 4 speed, '97 is a CCSB with 460 and E4OD, longer wheelbase and more weight certainly smooth some rough edges). And I've decided that I like the lower ride height of the TTB, so I'm sticking with it now.

Hmmmm, how hard is that to do? (Not the cross member, that's a given.) D60 from?

Swapping a solid Dana 60 is a piece of cake. Get springs, track bar and axle from a '86 - '97 F-350, take out the F-250 stuff and bolt in the F-350 stuff. At least some of the steering linkage probably also needs to be swapped over. And F-350s had a double Cardan joint at the transfer case end of the front driveshaft. So either get the right yoke for your 'case, or get a 'case from an F-350 and run the F-350 driveshaft. Or else run the single Cardan joint from the F-250, but you might need to change the length of the 'shaft. Some people say they get a vibration running the single Cardan with a solid Dana 60, but a lot seem to say it works fine.

Then as ArdWrknTrk says, you'll need to lift the rear a couple of inches to level it out.

Or for an even better ride (and another few inches of lift) you can also reverse the shackles. And for a better ride yet go with SuperDuty springs (I forget which code specifically).

It's all just incremental changes (read "scope creep").

[ArdWrknTrk]

And I wonder why Big Blue rides so poorly?

I always thought that a decent ride with a leaf spring TTB was impossible when I had my '85 F-250. But now with my '97 I really don't think it's that terrible. It could certainly be better, but before I got this truck I was sure I'd be swapping to a solid axle if I got another F-250 (I was more looking for an F-350, just to avoid the TTB). I don't know why my '97 is better than my '85 was. There are certainly some differences in the trucks ('85 was a RCLB with 351 and 4 speed, '97 is a CCSB with 460 and E4OD, longer wheelbase and more weight certainly smooth some rough edges). And I've decided that I like the lower ride height of the TTB, so I'm sticking with it now.

Hmmmm, how hard is that to do? (Not the cross member, that's a given.) D60 from?

Swapping a solid Dana 60 is a piece of cake. Get springs, track bar and axle from a '86 - '97 F-350, take out the F-250 stuff and bolt in the F-350 stuff. At least some of the steering linkage probably also needs to be swapped over. And F-350s had a double Cardan joint at the transfer case end of the front driveshaft. So either get the right yoke for your 'case, or get a 'case from an F-350 and run the F-350 driveshaft. Or else run the single Cardan joint from the F-250, but you might need to change the length of the 'shaft. Some people say they get a vibration running the single Cardan with a solid Dana 60, but a lot seem to say it works fine.

Then as ArdWrknTrk says, you'll need to lift the rear a couple of inches to level it out.

Or for an even better ride (and another few inches of lift) you can also reverse the shackles. And for a better ride yet go with SuperDuty springs (I forget which code specifically).

It's all just incremental changes (read "scope creep").

Gary is renowned for his scope creep (and he has the epic threads to back it up)

If a cross member alone is $1250, why not get a truck to go with it and still have close to $1000 for gas?

 

[FoxFord33]

Gary is renowned for his scope creep (and he has the epic threads to back it up)

If a cross member alone is $1250, why not get a truck to go with it and still have close to $1000 for gas?

I don't know about having to correct the ride height in the rear: I've seen Big Blue up close, and there is already quite a rake! Keep in mind that it is the 250 HD, and therefore is kind of hybridized between the 250 and the larger animals...

And! (afterthought) it would be sad to not be able to re-use the TrueTrac, or whatever locker is in the TTB right now. Is it transferrable to the D60?

[Gary Lewis]

I don't know about having to correct the ride height in the rear: I've seen Big Blue up close, and there is already quite a rake! Keep in mind that it is the 250 HD, and therefore is kind of hybridized between the 250 and the larger animals...

And! (afterthought) it would be sad to not be able to re-use the TrueTrac, or whatever locker is in the TTB right now. Is it transferrable to the D60?

First, I'm not sure the right word is "renowned". I think "notorious" is more appropriate. Guilty as charged.

As for raising the rear of Big Blue, Jonathan is right. Bringing the front up would be a good thing to take a bit of rake out. But, I'm also going to take some of the leaves out of the pack of seven to try to take some of the brutality out of the suspension. (I think I have the same rear springs as Bill does in his CC DRW F350.) So that may drop it a bit.

Anyway, if it really is that easy then maybe. But not on the first go-round.

However, let me show my ignorance. The front axle we are talking about is solid - right? And, I see that the D60's did come in 3.54 so that would match. I'd lose my Trutrac diff in the D44, but I'm not sure that having it up front is a good thing - especially given my recent experience with the rear Trutrac kicking in and it walking sideways on wet pavement. So, I could probably put an air or electric locker in and be better off anyway.

Hmmmm.....

[Gary Lewis]

I don't know about having to correct the ride height in the rear: I've seen Big Blue up close, and there is already quite a rake! Keep in mind that it is the 250 HD, and therefore is kind of hybridized between the 250 and the larger animals...

And! (afterthought) it would be sad to not be able to re-use the TrueTrac, or whatever locker is in the TTB right now. Is it transferrable to the D60?

Missed the afterthought. But, I think I addressed it. If what I've read is right, that you do NOT turn corners under power with it in the front on slick pavement, then that has me worried already. So having the ability to lock it when needed would be nice instead of having it come in when it wants to do so.