Can anybody give me some idea I this would work? The F600 will NOT be hauling extremely heavy loads any more as I plan on using it mostly as a tow vehicle and hwy driving. The problem right now is the F600 has a 2 speed rear and a 4 speed and the gearing is so low that it has to rev very high just to maintain 60 mph. This is not acceptable as an interstate driver and tow vehicle. I have no doubt that the engine can handle a taller gear and tow at 70 mph with different rear end ratio.
I have lightened the truck up a lot by turning the dump truck bed into a flatbed and changing out the rear will also drop a LOT of weight.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

70 huh? You can put anything in there. You will have to check for width, and probably modify the rear spring hangers etc.

Why mess with this truck when there are a billion better, nicer, smoother riding 1 ton crew cab trucks out there, plus 2 billion 3/4 jobs.

This feller used F250 springs and a later (?) two speed with a taller ratio for his F750. Heck, it's for sale.....

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...t-to-sell.html

 

Dana 70's installed in 1967/86 F350's & 1975/2014 E350's have 8 lug 16" wheels on a 6.50" bolt circle.

To determine the ratios of your Eaton 2 speed, post the AXLE code stamped on the Warranty Plate. Dana 70 ratio's vary wildly, many are 5.13-1.

Ed, the OP is in TN, while you and I are in LA LA Land as is SoCal Truck Wrecking, one of the best sources for used truck parts in the world.

 

I already have two "nicer, smoother riding" trucks. A 99 F350 7.3 PS CC 4wd with all the bells and whistles and a 73 F250 CC 2WD.
I am "messing" with it because it is a cool old F600 crew cab and I like it. Why does anybody on this forum mess with any of these old trucks using your logic when they can just go buy a newer truck? BECAUSE THEIR COOL that's why.

 

Have you ever attended the 3 day F100 SuperNationals Truck Show & Swap Meet held in May?

Originally it was held in Pigeon Forge, then it moved to Knoxville for a few years, then back to Pigeon Forge.

I read somewhere that this years event will be held in Lebanon.

I attended the 2008 event that was held at the Knoxville Zoo parking lot. I got there at 7AM Thursday (the first day).

I was shocked, next to none of the parts vendors had set up yet, very few people were walking around.

Here in LA LA Land, swap meet vendors set up well before dawn, the hard core buyers are walking around with flashlights.

By 10AM, the "cream" is gone, all that's left are the cheapskate lookie-loo's and the baby stroller set.

 

I have been to several car shows in Pigeon Forge. I was going to go to the F100 nationals this year UNTIL I found out it is near Nashville. It is just too far for me to want to travel (6 hrs) from my home. Pigeon Forge car shows have gotten so big and the traffic is so bad that it pretty much takes most of the fun out of it. Last fall I went and it took 2 hrs to travel about 4 miles. I spent most of the weekend in my truck in traffic.

 

Too far for you to travel? I live in Hacienda Heights (a Los Angeles County unincorporated city) and in May 2008, flew to Charlotte, rented a car, then drove to Knoxville.

 

You my friend are more committed to old Ford trucks than me apparently.

 

I would try and find a dana 80 out of a larger step van, you might even get lucky and get the same lug pattern!

Sam

 

Personally before I even started this project I would weight the truck as it now sits and see just how much weight is on the rear axle.


I am betting that ANY one ton dually will NOT have the rated capacity that you need, even without hauling any significant load. That crew cab F600 even with a flatbed is going to weight a fair amount, throw in a hitch load and ?


Perhaps a F450 might.


David

 

P Series Parcel Delivery (a Step Van is a Chevrolet) cancelled after 1977.

P350/400's came with Dana 70's, P500's came with the Rockwell D100 or D140.

1975/2014 Econoline E350's (one tons) came with Dana 60's or 70's. Econoline now cancelled, replaced by the Transit.

The two goofs of the American Pickers TV show are now driving a Transit. It replaced the previous M-B Sprinter.

The Transit Connect is a different vehicle, it's puddle jumper sized as it's based off the "new" Escape. New to the US, that is. Sold in Europe since 2008 as the Kuga.

 

I am giving you reps for awesomeness.

No reason why you can't put a lighter duty axle in one of these. If it's a street truck with normal 1 ton loads that you want to race down the highway, by all means, swap in the axle. The weight of the f600 frame and springs is only a few hundred pounds heavier than a one ton truck. Also, remove a bunch of leaves while you are at it.

I like f450 stuff. Try to find one of those as a donor. But a 70 would work. Just modify the spring perches and pull a bunch of leaves out.

 

Hate to say it, regardless, you have to use some logic, perhaps not in all forms as suggested, as I agree these trucks are cool, but some is required otherwise you may end up with a useless truck that cannot even carry the weight required. Worse yet, you will create something that is dangerously overloaded and can cause injury or death, so yes, logic to operate any vehicle regardless of age is something that is required to part of the mix.


But it is your truck, your life do what you want, you came on here asking for advise, it was given in many forms and that is all any of us can do.


IMO David

 

That is why asked the question because I didn't know the answer myself. Now that I have received some helpful advice I don't believe I will put a 1 ton rear in my F600. I am going to either leave it as it is or try to find a HD axle with a different gear ratio. Thanks to those that offered constructive advice.

 

Did not want it to seem that I was busting your chops, your questions were right on.


I guess I have to add that I approach these trucks from a working perspective, IE maximum load capacity, maximum uptime between repairs and maximum economy of operation. And trust me it is hard enough to make wages with a gas powered old truck, so I have to use every pound of capacity!


Maximum economy means more than fuel to me, it also covers the cost of unexpected maintenance, so I tend to not really mod much, as I know that Ford had a much larger research budget than I could ever hope to see, so other than perhaps working around the occasional weakness that creeps in when a truck is built to a certain price point, I tend to leave the engineering to Ford.


Basically, for working my truck at maximum loading, I doubt that I could do better than Ford did in the design department.


But every once in a while I get the hankering to build say a older C series body on a late model cab forward chassis, but not to work, just to play with. Doubt thou at this age I will do it, just cannot justify the cost so close to retirement. Seems like everything I buy now is geared towards making money part time when I retire.


Today, with my five yard box full and with my towed load (tractor / implements) I was right at 34k (I have been over 38k before) combined on my little C600 dump truck. Yes it only has a 330 FT, and yes I live in hilly territory and yes a fat girl on a moped can and will pass me on hills, so be it, not going to change it as the costs involved to do it right (rounding up and using ALL the Ford engineered parts for a 391 FT conversion - IE much more than a long block, proper radiator, front cover and accessories, different thermostat housing, a proper governed carb, the proper intake manifold (4 bbl on a 391, 2 bbl on my 330 would be incorrect) I do have the proper Allison MT40 trans now, but that would need rework to shift at the proper lower operating rpm's of the 391. All this would have a long payback, and if I were to install a diesel, yes better potential mileage, BUT then that would be a heavier engine which would reduce what I could carry.


Then another 98k of gravel spread over several more loads in the truck itself after that.


As mentioned, I come from the perspective of working these trucks!


Last year over 2.2 million pounds carried - with no failures on the road. Not too bad for a 45 year old truck. But then it is almost totally stock, right down to the point distributor as installed by Ford. The only main change is the non oem carb installed by the previous owner and rebuilt by me, it works as well as a oem carb, so it stays installed.


David