Does anyone know of a snow plow/heavy duty frame/front suspension option for these 92-96 F150s?? Does anyone have a F150 with this option? The front GAWR would be 3800 pounds.

 

I think the GAWR of the 44IFS is closer to 3200-3300. 3800 is the rear using 8.8 (and its actually like 3760)

I forget the order code, I know I have it on mine but a good clue is if you have sway bars and the brake controller for trailer tow - the handling package and tow package were bundled with HD suspension (although IIRC it was possible to unbundle them - which is insane) there also was an ambulance package for the 150 (I kid you not) but I have NEVER seen an F150 ambu. However, it would have it.

 

The Ford F150 brochure for 92 and 93 states that the HEAVY DUTY FRONT SUSPENSION OPTION includes front axle GAWR of 3800 pounds,with heavy duty springs, with heavy duty stocks and a heavy duty frame and a minimum of 3.55 axle ratio. But I have never see a truck with this option nor can I find any other literature put out by Ford about this option. I wonder if Mr ND would know?? These same brochures also state that the standard 4x4 F150 has a front axle rating of 3800 GAWR and a rear GAWR of 3800 pounds. I suspect that many people/brochures have confused the SPRING ratings with the AXLE ratings . I suspect that the front springs on this heavy duty front suspension package has the normal 3800 axle AND heavy duty 3800 pound springs! The normal spring rating for a 4x4 F150 short cab/box are 2525 pounds front and 3776 rear springs. These spring ratings are the figures on the VIN door jam decal-not the GAWR of the front and rear axles-correct?? I dont have my truck to check-but I seem to remember these figures. Both the front and rear axles on a standard F150 4x4 are rated at 3800 pounds-no matter what the spring rating is.

Does having a trailering/handling option give the truck a heavy duty frame also? What is a heavy duty frame?? How can one tell the frame is heavy duty??

 

Ragardless what spring package the truck has, an F150 of this vintage is not really built for the abuse snow plowing will have on the vehicle. I have seen a lot of F150s used this way over the years, the trucks front suspension sags heavily under the weight of the plow and that puts excessive loads on the ball joints and springs and then they fail prematurely. The best solution is to install air bags to keep the front end at stock ride height when the plow is attached, installing heavier front springs will make the unloaded ride excessively rough.

 

Ok, grain of salt the sales brochure. Its notably wrong. during this time period there was a publication 'ford guide to trailer towing' that went into correct detail and listed the exact options you need to do certain things. There is also a small book that got sold with each truck that listed the maximum load ratings, along with centers of gravity - try getting that from chevy!

First off - spicer dana has to my knowledge never published a 3800 axle weight rating for the D44IFS or any D44 (there are at least 3 flavors I have in stock - its off by a couple hundred pounds 3600?? - close but not 3800 and these are in my fords and jeep pickups)

HD suspension and trailer tow and handling package (which were bundled on two of the trucks I currently own) had a 6250 GVWR -total weight. if 50-50 split clearly this means 3125 per axle, but you are right, the spring rating o na short box is lower. one of my long boxes has 2950 using the std springs and the other is the 3200ish figure using HD springs (parked side by side you can tell, the HD springs give the front almost an inch more height)

trucks with the HD fronts almost always have the ford contact overloads (I myself deleted this and used the hellwig springs)

IF (thats a big if!) you use the contact overloads then you can safely place 3800lbs on the 8.8

correct, GAWR is gross axle rating. it is limited by what the bearings and spindles (if steering) can handle, but it can also be reduced by weak springs. AFAIK there are at least 8 active front spring ratings from 1980-1996 still available and the good news is, they all fit!

correct - sprung correctly, an 8.8 does 3800lbs. after that stuff breaks. the door decal lists the GVWR (total legally allowable registerable weight - to exceed this you need to bolt on stuff and reapply with the DMV) and the GAWR. if you are hunkered down, cops will measure and axle at a time and bust you on this. to exceed a published axle rating, you need the manufacturers data sheet listing the max, the old spring rate, the new spring rate and a special type of vehicle inspector in your state to do the application (In PA i just so happen to hold the license to do this, thats why I have the details)

now as for the heavy duty 'front frame', from what I have always seen, the first crossmember (under the engine, welded to the motor mount) is about ummmm perhaps 1.5-2inches wider. Given that the rest of the frame had the same stock number (sadly no longer available) its the only damn difference I have seen.

I have exactly 1 of these crossmembers in stock - used. but since it cant be had I didnt scrap it.

 

Sorry but I have to disagree. The F150 and/or Bronco are very capable of handling a Regular Duty 7.5' plow. Even Fishers website says it can handle an 8.5' (I dont' know about that) if it has the 3800# front end rating. I have been plowing with a 93 Bronco for 15 years. My father has plowed with Broncos for over 25 years. He currently plows with a 96 with the 7.5 Fisher HD MM plow. Never have we had any problems. The D44, whether the TTB or solid is more than capable of handling such a load. Sure ball joints may need to be replaced more often but even that I don't think is an accurate statement. In all those years I have only replaced my ball joints once. That was five years ago. Not sure about my fathers trucks but they never let him or I down.

Well I called Ford about the GAWR and here is what he said. There are about 19 different part numbers for the front coils on the 92. Many different ratings. He had no way to determine what the ratings were however. All he could do was look up which coil I have based on the VIN. I have a code "C" coil. But he couldn't tell me what it's rating was. Denver Spring should be able to get me better info but thats all he could do. So it seems to make sense that there are a number of different ratings for the front GAWR. The axles are all the same it's just a matter of spring carrying capacity. If the springs are too soft the camber will be WAY off and you will eat tires in a matter of miles. Use the stiffer spring and you will have minumum sag and will be just fine. I wish there was an easier way to determine what the spring ratings were for a given GAWR on the sticker.

 

So I found some replacement springs that I installed yesterday and they worked great. My trucks (92 F150) springs were sagging even without the plow so the springs were bad anyway. But I put these new heavy duty springs in and wow. What a difference. Stock height it raised it about 2.5" which was exactly what it needed. So now the trucks sits where it should, the camber is perfect and with the plow on it doesn't sag much at all. With the plow on the springs improved the height by about 3" so the camber is good even with the plow on. So if anyone else wants to put a plow on their 80-96 1/2 ton you need to get these springs. Way better than air bags IMO as I have run both. They were $167 shipped to my door from Michigan Truck Spring of Saginaw. Anyone with basic wrenching skills can do it. All you need is some 1/2 drive extensions to get down through the spring to remove the retaining nut, a breaker bar and/or ratchet, 1 1/8" socket, 9/16 socket and a 9/16 wrench for the shock. The part number is DP 351-824SD. Hope this can help someone.

 

That's strange.. how did your springs "go bad"? My truck is 2 years older with 375k on it and the springs are fine. But it's never had a plow on it, coincidence?

 

My 96 nosedives in the front and i'm 3rd owner, the truck has almost 160k on it, but the last 30k i've used it as a truck and i load the S**T outta it almost 2000lbs of scrap metal daily but i take care of er' as the pic in my sig you can see i'm gonna order 1.5 skyjacker coil springs and add a leafs, guess a coincidence ?!?!?