The rear bumper on my 74 f250 is completely shot, so it has been torched off. I found an aftermarket bumper locally for a very good price, but it is on a 79 1/2 ton. If I have done my research correctly, the 79 has a wider frame than my 74. Would it be so much wider that I wouldn't be able to use the 79 rear bumper? Would I be able to make it work with some offset mounts? Let me know what you guys think.

Brandon

 

You could probably make it work but you would have to drill 4 new holes in the bumper to move the brackets out. You could make some custom bumper brackets if your up to the challenge.

 

This is what I was thinking, just make some offsets to connect the existing brackets to the frame. I wasn't sure how much wider the frame really was, but from what I gather it is probably about 4" total. That would need roughly 2" offsets to make it work.

 

Never mind that first post. That is for if your putting a highboy bumper on a 79. I would take some pipe and make some spacers. Then get some longer bolts. It should work fine.

 

Gotcha, thanks for the answer. I think I should be able to make it work pretty easily.

 

I personally don't recomend this. It'll get it mounted but is a very weak method. Do not pull a trailer with it like this! Best way would be to move the brackets, second best would be to bend them to get the offset you need. IMO

 

Have you looked at your local pick a part?

I'm sure you can do what you're proposing...but after you finish, you might just realize you would've been happier getting the correct bumper for it in the first place.

 

There isn't anything worth taking off any trucks in the junk yards here. Plus, at $5 I would be insane not to grab this aftermarket bumper. I'll be sure to post pictures when I get it so you can all see what I mean

 

If it's made out of metal it can be fixed.

 

Yes, but at a certain point some things just aren't worth fixing..

 

Where are you located B? I forget.
You could bring that beast and the bumper over and I can do almost any mods to it...as long as you plan on repainting it, chrome don't like heat.

 

If your 1974 F250 is a High Boy:

33 1/2" rear frame rails: 1973/77 F250 4WD (Highboys) & 1973/79 F350 Regular Cabs on the 140" wheelbase (1973/76 Super Camper Special, 1973/79 Trailer Special, 1977/79 Camper Special-Ford dropped "Super" after 1976).

These trucks were available with painted & chrome (Styleside) contoured rear bumpers and painted & chrome step bumpers / Contoured: The center of the bumper is dished inwards for the license plate.

The contoured bumpers are the same: 1964/66 F100/250 2WD, 1966 F100 4WD, 1967/77 F100/350, but the 1973/77 brackets are different than the 1964/72 brackets.

Step bumbers use different bumper brackets than the contoured bumpers. The step bumper brackets are "weak sisters" - CRAP! One tiny tap, the bumper sags down like an old swaybacked nag.

37 1/2" rear frame rails: All other 1973/79 F100/350's.

33 1/2" & 37 1/2" = This is the width between the inner frame rails behind the cab.

 

I never pull a trailer from a bumper so I wouldn't have a problem with mounting it with spacers.

 

What ever you do to make it fit just use heavy steel square tubing or something simuilar for spacers and HD hardware. Grade 8 ect....

Maybe hitting up a local welding/steel buisness could make it go faster?

And yes a frame mounted reciever hitch is always better that a bumper for towing, IMO

 

I am in Beatrice. I am very confident in my skills to get it to fit, but I do appreciate the offer! Paint wise, I think I am going to have it powder coated. It would look really mean with a powder-coat finish.

Yes my 74 is a highboy, and this information was great! Thank you NumberDummy!

I doubt that this truck will pull many trailers, and if it does it wouldn't be heavier than a loaded car trailer. Thanks for the concern though, that is definitely something to keep in mind!

No need to hit up the local welders, but that isn't a bad idea. I should be able to build my own brackets out of scrap laying around the shop. If not, I could always buy a small sheet of 1/8". Thanks for your reply!