Front Suspension and steering Upgrades

[Gary Lewis]

So, in the spirit of keeping it ford, I could possible upgrade the suspension with an expedition chassis.

Then later, swap in a 5.0L coyote.

You know what Gary, I thought about an ecoboost expedition....but....its a 6 cylinder. Turbos or not, hp and torque or not, if I am going through the trouble of upgrading chassis and driveline, I want a V8 sound.

I am an ecoboost believer. But...why not ecoboost the 5.0?

I will readily admit that the 3.5L EB doesn't have a good exhaust sound. The 5.0 blows it away from a sound standpoint. But that little 3.5L EB will run and hide from the 5.0L.

So, if you could put the EB system on a 5.0 you'd have the best of both worlds. However, from what I've read about the 3.5, Ford went to great lengths to make it stand up to the boost. It was designed for it from the ground up. Not sure the 5.0 will stand up to ~14" of boost w/o lots of beefing.

[85lebaront2]

Ray, maybe it's the 4WD that is responsible for the poor handling, my son has had Darth to at least 85 mph on Interstate 264 in Virginia Beach. The trooper who pulled him said it really should be reckless driving due to the speed, but the way he was moving through traffic, signaling every lane change he let him go with a warning.

My late wife drove him home from our Boy Scout Camp on a two lane back road and looked down at one point and found she was going 80. The best one was my oldest son, he was selling Electrolux vacuums at the time and had an Escort wagon company car, we both headed out from a campground in Northern Gloucester County VA, he thought he was going to mess with dad, I stayed right with him and could have probably passed him.

On my 1958 F100, 110" wheelbase, it was squirrelly as all getout, complete to the "death wobble" until I decided to try increasing the caster by using Pep Boys 1/2 length leaf helper springs on the back of the front springs, huge improvement and raised the front back up a bit from the increased weight of the 312 Y-block over the 223 six.

[Rembrant]

Ray, maybe it's the 4WD that is responsible for the poor handling, my son has had Darth to at least 85 mph on Interstate 264 in Virginia Beach. The trooper who pulled him said it really should be reckless driving due to the speed, but the way he was moving through traffic, signaling every lane change he let him go with a warning.

My late wife drove him home from our Boy Scout Camp on a two lane back road and looked down at one point and found she was going 80. The best one was my oldest son, he was selling Electrolux vacuums at the time and had an Escort wagon company car, we both headed out from a campground in Northern Gloucester County VA, he thought he was going to mess with dad, I stayed right with him and could have probably passed him.

On my 1958 F100, 110" wheelbase, it was squirrelly as all getout, complete to the "death wobble" until I decided to try increasing the caster by using Pep Boys 1/2 length leaf helper springs on the back of the front springs, huge improvement and raised the front back up a bit from the increased weight of the 312 Y-block over the 223 six.

Now that I think back, I spent a lot of time in 4x4's in Highschool, and several good friend of mine had 4x4 Fords (Well, their father's did anyway...). One a 1986 F150 4x4 302 auto, one a 1985 F150 4x4 with 300 and 4spd, and another a 1987 F150 4x4 with 302 and 4spd. Those poor trucks, basically all still relatively new at the time were tortured beyond belief, and and were driven like sports cars...lol. I wouldn't have the nerve today that I had back then (at 18).

Even my old 1980 Flareside...it was a 2wd that I drove like a Mustang at the time, and now after pouring thousands into making my 1984 "better", the steering and handling still scares me above certain speeds...lol.

Funny what age does...(I mean to me, not the trucks)

[Ray Cecil]

Now that I think back, I spent a lot of time in 4x4's in Highschool, and several good friend of mine had 4x4 Fords (Well, their father's did anyway...). One a 1986 F150 4x4 302 auto, one a 1985 F150 4x4 with 300 and 4spd, and another a 1987 F150 4x4 with 302 and 4spd. Those poor trucks, basically all still relatively new at the time were tortured beyond belief, and and were driven like sports cars...lol. I wouldn't have the nerve today that I had back then (at 18).

Even my old 1980 Flareside...it was a 2wd that I drove like a Mustang at the time, and now after pouring thousands into making my 1984 "better", the steering and handling still scares me above certain speeds...lol.

Funny what age does...(I mean to me, not the trucks)

Does anyone know how well a ~1999 expedition handles? My bro in law has one with under 100k on the clock.....

[Ray Cecil]

Now that I think back, I spent a lot of time in 4x4's in Highschool, and several good friend of mine had 4x4 Fords (Well, their father's did anyway...). One a 1986 F150 4x4 302 auto, one a 1985 F150 4x4 with 300 and 4spd, and another a 1987 F150 4x4 with 302 and 4spd. Those poor trucks, basically all still relatively new at the time were tortured beyond belief, and and were driven like sports cars...lol. I wouldn't have the nerve today that I had back then (at 18).

Even my old 1980 Flareside...it was a 2wd that I drove like a Mustang at the time, and now after pouring thousands into making my 1984 "better", the steering and handling still scares me above certain speeds...lol.

Funny what age does...(I mean to me, not the trucks)

Ive never been faster than 75 in the blue flareside. Its scary, not gunna lie

[midnight_f150]

Ive never been faster than 75 in the blue flareside. Its scary, not gunna lie

I saw a thread where a 00 F-150 frame and coyote motor was swapped into a bullnose. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1454426-1983-f100-flare-side-5-0-coyote-swap.html

 

[Rusty_S85]

I saw a thread where a 00 F-150 frame and coyote motor was swapped into a bullnose. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1454426-1983-f100-flare-side-5-0-coyote-swap.html

Believe me you want to change the suspension.

I did a 5.0 coyote swap on a 82 F150 long bed work truck for a guy that bought it new. we also lowered it for him to improve the handling as he put it. The truck is scary to drive as on a straight level road punching it the truck starts to rock side to side going down the road. Truck has no kind of sway bars, and has the stock coil springs up front with a custom built lowering I beam.

Its why I decided against doing the 5.0 coyote swap on my '82 because my truck is a flare side which is smaller, and I couldn't bring myself to do so much chopping just to fit the 5.0.

If anything I am waiting to see how much the new gas 7.5L V8s for the new super duties are going for. From what I have seen and read up on them they make a little more power than the 5.0 coyote but they are considerably smaller. About 1" wider than a 351W which would make it a easy fit in our trucks without moving the firewall or chopping the frame.

[Angelo Voltura]

Ive never been faster than 75 in the blue flareside. Its scary, not gunna lie

And I thought I was crazy for taking my 79 up to 140+

In all seriousness though I never thought these trucks handled bad, they just handled like a truck and did their job and I never had a bad time hitting corners at reasonable speeds in either 2 or 4wd trucks. That said none of the 4 I have had have had anything bigger than a 351 in them, both Modifieds and Windsors, but from a weight standpoint I don't think the Coyote is any heavier.

It may be worth while to consider a complete frame swap. Either way, you're going to have to do a lot of fab work.

I think your biggest issue is going to be fabbing in the lower control arm sub frame between the rails and finding a rack and pinion that will fit. Without measuring frame rail widths, if they are close you could probably get the alignment in on the toe angle but it would be tough to say.

[66gtk]

And I thought I was crazy for taking my 79 up to 140+

In all seriousness though I never thought these trucks handled bad, they just handled like a truck and did their job and I never had a bad time hitting corners at reasonable speeds in either 2 or 4wd trucks. That said none of the 4 I have had have had anything bigger than a 351 in them, both Modifieds and Windsors, but from a weight standpoint I don't think the Coyote is any heavier.

It may be worth while to consider a complete frame swap. Either way, you're going to have to do a lot of fab work.

I think your biggest issue is going to be fabbing in the lower control arm sub frame between the rails and finding a rack and pinion that will fit. Without measuring frame rail widths, if they are close you could probably get the alignment in on the toe angle but it would be tough to say.

This is intereting.

on my 83 F150 shortbox I've spent the last year replacing everything I could find that was reasonably serviceable.

My truck is stock and unmodified, but I was surprised to find both a front and rear sway bar. Looks like they have been there forever. I have serviced/replaced the following:

-Replaced aftermarket wheels with OEM Ford Steel wagon wheels. They have no rust or corrosion and are straight/true.

-Professionally mounted and road force balanced NEW tires (LT rated) with pressures as indicated on the door jamb

-All new moog suspension bushings front to back - everything

-New Shocks

-New power steering hoses and fluid flush

-4 wheel professional alignment with new adjustable front camber bushings (not cheap)

Basically, this truck is now put together with steering and suspension as new again. I do not like the way it handles and how light the steering is. Without anything left to fix/replace I guess this is just how these trucks are supposed to be? My 16 year old daughter went for a drive with me last week and it was her first time driving it. She was driving like a drunk driver - kept over steering it trying to get a feel for it simply trying to go straight. I can now drive it with a few fingers on the wheel on the highway going 65 MPH, but it never feels all that confident inspiring going over bumps at speed or trying to turn while hitting road imperfections.

I can't imagine putting a modern hot rodded engine with lots of power in one of these without improving the braking and suspension remarkably. That's why I'm happy for now with the stock 302 anemic performance (:

[Gary Lewis]

This is intereting.

on my 83 F150 shortbox I've spent the last year replacing everything I could find that was reasonably serviceable.

My truck is stock and unmodified, but I was surprised to find both a front and rear sway bar. Looks like they have been there forever. I have serviced/replaced the following:

-Replaced aftermarket wheels with OEM Ford Steel wagon wheels. They have no rust or corrosion and are straight/true.

-Professionally mounted and road force balanced NEW tires (LT rated) with pressures as indicated on the door jamb

-All new moog suspension bushings front to back - everything

-New Shocks

-New power steering hoses and fluid flush

-4 wheel professional alignment with new adjustable front camber bushings (not cheap)

Basically, this truck is now put together with steering and suspension as new again. I do not like the way it handles and how light the steering is. Without anything left to fix/replace I guess this is just how these trucks are supposed to be? My 16 year old daughter went for a drive with me last week and it was her first time driving it. She was driving like a drunk driver - kept over steering it trying to get a feel for it simply trying to go straight. I can now drive it with a few fingers on the wheel on the highway going 65 MPH, but it never feels all that confident inspiring going over bumps at speed or trying to turn while hitting road imperfections.

I can't imagine putting a modern hot rodded engine with lots of power in one of these without improving the braking and suspension remarkably. That's why I'm happy for now with the stock 302 anemic performance (:

Dad's truck came with a front and rear sway bar, and it drove and handled very very well. I drove it to DE from OK with a FULL load of furniture in the bed with no worries. And it drove very easily.

But other trucks I've had weren't as easy to drive. One, the '82 Explorer, was initially very difficult to drive. And I finally figured out what the problem was - the steering box. It was badly worn and the slop in the wheel kept you turning back and forth to "catch" it. So I tightened the adjustment on the box up about 1/16 of a turn, and went from having to catch it to having no feel. Basically, I discovered that a worn box is done. D.O.N.E It can be adjusted, but it won't drive right.

I finally replaced the box with a Cardone reman'd unit and it made the truck drive as well as Dad's. It didn't handle as well, which I attributed to the sway bars, but it drove easily.

So, having gone over your list, I see the steering box isn't included. Does it have any slop? And, has someone adjusted the setting on it?