My duh on the spacers.

 

Be advised some States do not allow tires to extend beyond the fenders. That is an aluminum spacer needed to clear caliper. I suppose I could have altered the caliper with disc grinder (crude). Donor springs (were not available) would have required relocating and probable altering of Ford spring shackle attach points.

 

While I have your ear and I see u r from MN..... What is a T98 manual transmission? Alleged to be from a flathead Ford truck of unknown model or year.

 

I think they are the syncro-silent 4 spd. From 48 to 52 maybe. Not sure on that, This is my first old truck and I'm still learning. Mine has a crashbox in it now.

 

Which style of Ford dually rim do you have? The original wheels equipped on that 1976 Dodge used "coined" dually wheels like this:

Dodge used them till 1993 and Ford till early 1985. After that they both switched to hub centric wheels. Chev are hub centric but used a plate on the outside to use regular lug nuts instead of lug nuts with a swivel washer. In the late 1990's Chev finally switched over to the swivel lug nuts.

If the wheels you have are totally flat on the hub face then they are hub centric wheels and won't work with your hubs. Also that spacer won't work with coined wheels.

The annoying thing is they all used different hub centric wheels in the 8x6.5 bolt pattern.
Chev have 4.56" centers
Dodge 4.75" centers
Ford 4.8125" centers

 

Yep, after some digging and taking the shift tower off it is a 4 speed synchro silent.

 

Love what your doing. I'm doing the same swap on a F6 but using a 6 lug bolt pattern. Was just curious about the welding on the axle to your plate. Aren't the axles some sort of cast metal and the weld might not take to well?? Just wondering

 

5acreranch, Axle beams are drop forged alloy steel. I didn't notice the weld in the photo when I looked at this earlier. I personally would be very concerned about welding on an axle beam, especially across the beam. Without knowing the alloy and the proper pre and post heat procedures, there is a serious potential for axle failure. Just my 2 cents.
Mark

 

most run the preheat above 300 degrees, and the post heat to cool naturally, but I would cover with a weld blanket just in case. As far as welding procedures themselves, I would shy away from MIG on a beam axle, and opt for a good amount of heat via a stick welder, using the proper electrodes for drop forged alloy steel. I think nickel content should be considered here. But I'm not a pro welder, though I work with a few. I can ask them come Monday morning at work.

 

I'm making the same style plates but I'm going to weld grade 8 bolts to mine for studs on that side and believe and still be checking it pretty often just to be safe

 

If the inner two bolts are under the spring, you could use flat head socket head cap screws for those two screws. Flat head socket head caps are Allen head counter sunk bolts, so they would be flush with the top of the plate under the spring. Socket head or Allen head bolts are tougher than grade 8 bolts.

 

Didn't think about that! Will do!