I am getting ready to install 9 inch in my 53f100. I would like to use a mounting bracket similar to the stock one under the housing. I picked up some from someone and he told me they were used on cheverlets. I got to looking at them and found that the holes for the u-bolts are 3 inches apart. The stock springs are only 2 to 21/4 inches. I do no think these are going to work. Can someone who has made this swap tell me what they used?

 

I used the plates that came with the 9". It sits on top of the spring and the U bolts wrap under the housing with the nuts on top of the plate.

 

What did your 9" come out of? if it was a leaf sprung vehicle it should bolt right in. There are a couple pix of my rear axle install in my trailer hitch install gallery.

 

THe rear end is out of a 72 pickup. THe stock brackets on my truck are for 2 inch housing so they will not work. I did not get any of the mounting brackets with the rear end.

 

what he said.

 

U-Bolt Plates <-----Click this link. They also sell the U-bolts. Probably should call there and get the bolt hole dimensions to positively match what you are looking for, though. (tech line upper right corner)

 

Like this:





and weld new shock mounts on like this:



Or you can get the larger diameter "Spring Caps" off an F3 (?) (none on the F2s) and use those to put your rear shocks in the stock location. I believe they were sized to fit the 3 1/4 inch F3 Rear Axel Tube (where the F1 Tube was 2 1/2 inches)

 

Or if you want to use the stock type of brackets with the shock mounts on them. I'm pretty sure the 53-56 F250's had the brackets that are the correct size for the 9" axle tubes. Atleast the ones that were on my old 56 F250 parts truck were the right size for the 9" axle tubes.

 

That is my delima. Where do I find the F3 or the 53-56 F250 brackets? I have checked with serveral of the parts places for our old trucks and nobody has them. Is there anyone here that has completey changed their setup has has the old parts lying around still?

 

I posted the link, with respect to not finding the parts laying around readily. Plus one could easily spend $40 driving from junkyard to junkyard trying to search every '53-56 F250.

 

here's how mine was done:

 

You might be able to locate those mounting plates at a spring shop or they could also be fabricated quite easily. Take note also on Julies photo showing the lower shock mounting brackets. You probably have to fabricate those also, I looked all over and decided to make my own. I have the pattern if you need it.
mervy

 

If you can weld then the easiest way is to do it like the pics Julies posted. You can buy the whole kit to do that from Mid Fifty F100 parts. Or fabricate the spring plates and shock mounts and just buy new U-bolts. You will have to weld on the lower shock mounts either way though.

Otherwise you just have to keep looking till you find someone parting out a 53-56 F250.

 

You can buy the plates (that bolt down with the U-bolts) in the link Scott (havi) posted in his first post or (along with new U-bolts which you really do need) at any spring shop for probably less than $30 per side.

Note: if your springs are in good shape you don't need shock absorbers on the back. The F2 doesn't even have them. And I drove around for 2 months without them stretching out my new springs before the new shock mounts were made and installed.

 

Here's how I hung mine, kinda on the dark side with the rear on top of the springs, more like a passenger car set up to match the stance of the MK II front end.