Ray Cecil Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 So here it is. After having a few different OBS fords, i've finally fallen in love with one I most likely will keep forever. Stats: 1988 SuperCab Long Bed XLT Lariat RUST FREE 7.3 IDI C6 GearVendors Unit 105K Miles. 1356 T-Case Sterling Rear axle with 4.10's and locking differential Working Air Conditioning and Heat Dual Batteries are wired for a bumper mounted Winch. I regularly use a 12,000lb winch to move logs. It JUST started leaking a little transmission and engine oil a few weeks ago. Plans: 1. Minor dent/ding repair and Paint (scheduled for January 2023) 2. Replace front leaf springs, factory ones are tired and sagging. Hitting the bump stops often. 3. 1" or 2" Body lift 4. Replace Bench Seat covers 5. Replace the tailgate panel and red strip (red strip is missing) That about it for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Cecil Posted November 29, 2022 Author Share Posted November 29, 2022 Ran out at lunch today to look at a parts truck to get a tailgate panel....didn't want the tailgate panel, but the old man gave me this Diesel emblem. Been looking for one for 2 years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 Ran out at lunch today to look at a parts truck to get a tailgate panel....didn't want the tailgate panel, but the old man gave me this Diesel emblem. Been looking for one for 2 years! Looks good, Ray. I'm subscribed for the journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 Don't be so sure about the springs being sacked on a 250 front end. They are supposed to be reverse arch and never really have more than 1" from the bump stops from the factory. TTB's just have really bad problems with geometry, and having the leaf bolted to the beam causes huge torsion moment in those springs. Ford didn't design much travel into these front suspensions because they can't deal with the camber changes inherent with the D44/50 axle beams. Gary does his 8 page microanalysis in the lead up to Big Blue's D60 SAS/RSK swap. He can tell you about the travel and ride quality improvement over stock 250. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 29, 2022 Share Posted November 29, 2022 Don't be so sure about the springs being sacked on a 250 front end. They are supposed to be reverse arch and never really have more than 1" from the bump stops from the factory. TTB's just have really bad problems with geometry, and having the leaf bolted to the beam causes huge torsion moment in those springs. Ford didn't design much travel into these front suspensions because they can't deal with the camber changes inherent with the D44/50 axle beams. Gary does his 8 page microanalysis in the lead up to Big Blue's D60 SAS/RSK swap. He can tell you about the travel and ride quality improvement over stock 250. Yes, if you have TTB's then you have the worst of all worlds. TTB's & coil springs are good, and solid axles and leaf springs are good. But TTB's and leaf springs are poor. Just as Jim said, there's no travel. On Big Blue with new front springs I could just slide my pointer finger between the spring and the stop with the truck on the ground. All of 2" of travel, being generous. I put a '95 D60 solid axle, 2005 SuperDuty springs, and a Sky Offroad Reverse Shackle Kit on it and wound up with almost 8" of travel and a MUCH improved ride. MUCH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Cecil Posted November 30, 2022 Author Share Posted November 30, 2022 Don't be so sure about the springs being sacked on a 250 front end. They are supposed to be reverse arch and never really have more than 1" from the bump stops from the factory. TTB's just have really bad problems with geometry, and having the leaf bolted to the beam causes huge torsion moment in those springs. Ford didn't design much travel into these front suspensions because they can't deal with the camber changes inherent with the D44/50 axle beams. Gary does his 8 page microanalysis in the lead up to Big Blue's D60 SAS/RSK swap. He can tell you about the travel and ride quality improvement over stock 250. Yes, if you have TTB's then you have the worst of all worlds. TTB's & coil springs are good, and solid axles and leaf springs are good. But TTB's and leaf springs are poor. Just as Jim said, there's no travel. On Big Blue with new front springs I could just slide my pointer finger between the spring and the stop with the truck on the ground. All of 2" of travel, being generous. I put a '95 D60 solid axle, 2005 SuperDuty springs, and a Sky Offroad Reverse Shackle Kit on it and wound up with almost 8" of travel and a MUCH improved ride. MUCH. Thanks guys. Its been 2 years since I looked at that gap from the leaf to the bump....but it was almost touching. IIRC it was .25". I don't think I could even get a finger in there. Anywho, I have thought about a solid front swap, but just don't have the time right now. Roads are pretty smooth around here, the ride is only harsh on rough roughs. Smooth roads and it rides good enough for me. I already have the springs.....been sitting in my garage for 2+ years. I'll just swap them out and see how it does. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a D60 Solid front. Was the swap easy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 Don't be so sure about the springs being sacked on a 250 front end. They are supposed to be reverse arch and never really have more than 1" from the bump stops from the factory. TTB's just have really bad problems with geometry, and having the leaf bolted to the beam causes huge torsion moment in those springs. Ford didn't design much travel into these front suspensions because they can't deal with the camber changes inherent with the D44/50 axle beams. Gary does his 8 page microanalysis in the lead up to Big Blue's D60 SAS/RSK swap. He can tell you about the travel and ride quality improvement over stock 250. Yes, if you have TTB's then you have the worst of all worlds. TTB's & coil springs are good, and solid axles and leaf springs are good. But TTB's and leaf springs are poor. Just as Jim said, there's no travel. On Big Blue with new front springs I could just slide my pointer finger between the spring and the stop with the truck on the ground. All of 2" of travel, being generous. I put a '95 D60 solid axle, 2005 SuperDuty springs, and a Sky Offroad Reverse Shackle Kit on it and wound up with almost 8" of travel and a MUCH improved ride. MUCH. Thanks guys. Its been 2 years since I looked at that gap from the leaf to the bump....but it was almost touching. IIRC it was .25". I don't think I could even get a finger in there. Anywho, I have thought about a solid front swap, but just don't have the time right now. Roads are pretty smooth around here, the ride is only harsh on rough roughs. Smooth roads and it rides good enough for me. I already have the springs.....been sitting in my garage for 2+ years. I'll just swap them out and see how it does. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a D60 Solid front. Was the swap easy? I can't speak to the SAS but I will say to change the shackles at the front frame rails when you swap springs. A lot of the 250 harshness (and a BIG reason the springs are reverse arch) is because the back of the leaf is fixed, and any axle deflection has to happen up front. If you had a positive arch in the spring the whole axle would push forward into the bump as it compressed and the shackle would end up in the bumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 I can't speak to the SAS but I will say to change the shackles at the front frame rails when you swap springs. A lot of the 250 harshness (and a BIG reason the springs are reverse arch) is because the back of the leaf is fixed, and any axle deflection has to happen up front. If you had a positive arch in the spring the whole axle would push forward into the bump as it compressed and the shackle would end up in the bumper. Easy? No. It was a lot of work, but part of that was because I got Serial # 1 from Sky. In fact, they had to remake a part and send it to me. But, it was WELL worth it. Such a huge difference. And Jim is right, having the shackle in the front forces the axle to move into a bump rather than ride back with it. So if you do it be sure to go with a reverse shackle kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 Nice truck Ray. I like the Bricknose trucks, and I'm a big fan of blue too;). My old man bought one brand new in 1988. It was an F250 4x4 with a 5.0 and 5spd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Cecil Posted November 30, 2022 Author Share Posted November 30, 2022 Yes, if you have TTB's then you have the worst of all worlds. TTB's & coil springs are good, and solid axles and leaf springs are good. But TTB's and leaf springs are poor. Just as Jim said, there's no travel. On Big Blue with new front springs I could just slide my pointer finger between the spring and the stop with the truck on the ground. All of 2" of travel, being generous. I put a '95 D60 solid axle, 2005 SuperDuty springs, and a Sky Offroad Reverse Shackle Kit on it and wound up with almost 8" of travel and a MUCH improved ride. MUCH. Gary, could I use stock springs and TTB with a reverse shackle kit? Or can it only be done with a Solid front axle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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