Finally got Buford, my new 86 F250HD 4x4 home last night.

He's got a dead 351, C6, NP208 with the FF 10.25 rear and D50 front with 4.10 gears. XLT Lariat, nicely equipped inside.

It definitely needs some TLC. It's hard to tell in the pic but its got rust on both wheel wells in the rear, both cab corners, both doors, both fenders and hood... Rust is not severe and replacement panels are available for everything. More importantly nobody has tried to load it up with body filler... Floors overall are solid, there are a couple very small areas that I'll patch as needed, but no need for floorpans. Bed floor is solid. Interior is mostly complete, it's missing a radio, needs to be cleaned, needs the driver side door lock fixed, passenger side power lock switch and a dashpad. Oh, and did I say it needed to be cleaned?

The emissions equipment has been butchered off the engine in typical hack fashion... There are a couple small wiring additions... You know the type and the Holly 4bbl was replaced with an edelbrock carb "So you can rejet it for performance..." The C6 was allegedly rebuilt with updated hard parts, as was the 208. The axles got new hub bearings and brakes.

I paid $1,100 for it as a good base platform so rolling the dice on the rest of the drivetrain really isn't too much of a gamble. Also I've decided that I want to put a ZF5 in it. For an engine, even though I have a good used 351 I think I'm going to dust off the roller cam 393 shortblock I have, stick in a Magnum 260 cam and some E-CNC 185 heads. Desktop Dyno says that'll be good for 420hp and 485tq. Probably optimistic, especially on the torque numbers but still, it'll be a stump puller with plenty of power. Just for fun I re-ran the numbers with the E7 heads... 260hp... at 3500rpm...

So... I was always planning on a D60 out of an 86-97 F350; earlier kingpin style if I could find one... Then I heard about swapping in an axle from the 05+ SD. I don't know what the cost difference would be and that's a factor to a degree but what's involved? I know if I also use the later rear it will come with disk brakes. Also, having the metric 8 lug pattern there are TONS of wheels and tires for it on CL around me. There's almost nothing in the 8x6.5...

Also, for the ZF swap, what do I need to have on my shopping list? ZF out of a 4x4 250/350 and a 302/351. I forget, does the 300 have the same bolt pattern and did they use the ZF's? Will my NP208 bolt up? Also, I have a BW1356 out of a 90 Bronco that's behind an E4OD. Will that work and which one is better?

Flywheel and clutch I'll get new and that just leaves the pedal assembly. I assume I looking for an 80-86. When did they go to hydraulic? Can the ZF be made to work with a mechanical linkage?

Thanks,

 

Cant believe that the FORD ONLY(99-current) 8 on 170mm is more common the 8 on 6.5 pattern(ford ,chevy, dodge) that has been around for the past 30+ years.

As for putting the d60 from a 05+ superduty in your F250 contact Home

As for the ZF, the linkage HAS TO BE HYDRAULIC

 

Why is that? I don't have the links handy, but at least 1 or 2 guys in 73-79 installed a ZF5 with their mechanical clutches, possibly Gary Lewis has some links.

More to the point, why the alleged requirement for hydraulic-only?

 

Because the SMALL BLOCK zf has NO provisions for a mechanical linkage. The diesel and big block can be adapted

 

OK, thanks for clearing that up!

 

More specifically, my understanding is that the slave cylinder is internal to the bell housing on that version of the ZF, with no means of using the mechanical linkage - I think I learned that from Brad.

As for the pedal assembly, my understanding is that the later model bracket will not fit our trucks, so you will need an 80 - 86 assembly. Then you'll need to mod it to accept the hydraulic master cylinder. In addition, the firewall was not designed to handle the pressure in a localized area which the MC gives, and not in the fore/aft plane - again which the MC gives. So, you must have a brace that spreads the load, and it goes inside the cab. Brad, IIRC you provided most of that info as well. Got a link to the brace?

 

Yeah there should be a ton of axles available. As well as rims. Your just no looking hard enough.

My questions is why? I would think the ttb would ride better. If you were making a rock crawler then by all means do the sas. But not for a street truck. However if you do don't ruin the ttb stuff. I may take it off your hands. Pm me if your're interested.

 

My vision of this truck includes a D60. That's all. They're around but the wheels aren't... Lots of people are selling the stock rims off their trucks and put them on CL, so that's why there are so many.

Went to the JY, got a tach cluster but every MT truck had the pedals taken... WTF??? Can't I get just one?? I just know in someone's basement around there 30yrs from now they're gonna find 10k sets of clutch assemblies...

 

Actually the coil spring & solid axle with the right sprigs will ride better than any other suspension out there

 

I am glad you rolled that out there instead of me Chris. I was just getting ready to make the same argument. However, you learn something everyday.

Now addressing the T case questions. The NP 208 is the weaker of the Ford T cases, but , it supposedly has a lower gear ratio than the others. The 208 isnt to be confused with the 205 which is a real bad *** gear on gear(no chain involved) and they will work also if they were put in a Ford. The 1356 is one of the toughest T cases Ford put in their trucks(tough for chain driven T cases). I dont even know what the newer ones are and how they stack up . The 1356 ran for a lot yrs and it was put in everything from 1/2 tons, Broncos and even all the way up to the early Superduty's. All Ford T cases will swap with all Ford trannys. The standards will swap to autos and vice versa. The only difference was the Broncos used a flange on the output and I think that was due to the short wheel base. The only issue will have is getting the right shift linkage and the driveline length may vary. However, if you are going from a 208 to a 1356 the good news is the drive shaft will probably be too long. That will be cheaper to have it shortened b/c the only way to make it longer is to make a whole new shaft. That goes for the front too.

I have to agree with the SAS not being necessary. If you plan to make it a hardcore off road truck then yes. If you plan on doing some mild off roading, hunting , fishing and driving to work in bad weather then the D 50 will be great. The 50's are tough. They wont articulate like a SA , but , like mentioned above if its not a rock crawler then screw it. The D60 makes for a rough rough ride.

I was going to ask what this was an abbreviation for, but , I assume it is either full floating or free floating. Are the Sterling 10.25's a full float or are they considered a semi floating axle?

 

They come in both semi and full floating. The F250HD and F350 have the FF version.

The Bronco has the double cardan joint, I assume I wouldn't want this if I use the 1356. I have a 2 piece shaft with a carrier bearing in the center.

 

I am by NO means an expert on 4X4's but, I do have to disagree with that. I do however ever have a great deal of experience with Jeeps. But if what you said was true then most of the 4X4's produced now would have them. Solid axle vehicles are easier and cheaper to produce. But the majority went with IFS type setups because the ride quality was much better. When was the last time you saw a high speed trophy truck with a solid front axle? Most, if not all, that run races like Baja run IFS setups. If you want to check out what I'm saying take a ride in an 85 Toyota 4X4, last year for solid axle, then in an 86 or later. There's no comparison. But do what you want and enjoy it, after all it is your truck. Like has already been said, unless your going hard core the stock Ford setup will work great and ride much better, unless you go overboard with lift and stiff springs.

 

My F 250 has the two piece with a carrier bearing also and it has the 1356 Tcase. Is the 1356 out of a Bronco?

I just now saw where you said the t case was out of a Bronco. In order to use it you will have to open it up and swap some parts in and out I believe.I know you cant swap a t case from anything else into a Bronco w/o changing the output from a flange style to a slip yoke style or the other way around.

 

Fair enough. Just seems like alot of work for little benefit.

There are thousands of wheels available. Now I don't know about stock, but the aftermarket is flush with them.

I have a bunch of suspension knowledge as I build 4x4 rock buggy's for fun. I didn't realize the ttb ford that is posted here is leaf spring.

Coils are better than leaves as they don't have to have the job of locating the axle as well. A coil sprung ttb would be great.

 

Go take a ride in a 4wd 05+ superduty. They will out ride any truck built before them, HANDS DOWN