On looking in the 'Articles and Specs' menu at the top of the FTE web site, I see no specifications for pickups older than 1953. Can someone direct me to specifications for the '51 - '52 F1s if such exists on the FTE web site? I am wondering how long (bumper to bumper) a 51 F1 would be. I am also wondering about the weight of the same vehicle. Trying to determine if there is any hope of the one I have purchased fitting on my trailer.

 

Bob,

I don't have exact specs at hand here as I keep my manuals at work, but I can tell you this: I hauled my F-1 on my 18 ft. trailer this fall and it was plenty long enough. I'd say you wouldn't want to use anything shorter than 15 or 16 feet. As for the weight, these trucks are fairly light. No more than 3500 lbs.

 

My car hauler has 14' of deck and I have had F-1's F-2's and F-3's on it. it has dual 3500lb axles and brakes.
F-1's are 114" wheelbase if I'm not completely losing it??

Only truck I had problems hauling with fishtailing when going much more than 50 mph was a 53 F-250 with the Ford script Stakebed on it, I probably could have loaded it on backwards and the weight distribution probably would have been much better? sometimes I wish it was a couple feet longer but then I would probably just get myself into more trouble...

good luck
Josh

 

This is a 52 M.H. F-6. An F-1 should be no problem.....

 

I have all the specifications from the 1951 Salesmans Handbook scanned and in a gallery (not the albums). You can check there. Specs for the 51 and 52 (with the exception of the 6 cylinder engine) will be almost exactly the same. Dimensions are the same. Stu has a 52 Salesmans Handbook.

I also sent them to Bob Jones (bob49f2) to post on his web site. You can find that link on his signature on any of his posts.

Let me know if you can't find it or if you need some more help.

PS. There is no measurement "bumper to bumper." The standard 51 F1 pick-up was issued without a back bumper - it was an option. The number you are looking for is that "189.09." Add 8 inches if it does have a back bumper.

This may help for now:

 

For what its worth, the bumper to bumper measurement isn't what you wanna go by. A truck that is properly loaded, will almost always be overhanging the rear of the trailer. See my pic above? Even if that air deflector wasn't on the front of the trailer, I still would not want to pull the F-6 any farther forward. Notice how the F-150 is almost perfectly balanced? That's the way you want it. Don't worry about what hangs off the back. Here is a more practical example:

Even though this is a 20 foot trailer, I still have some rear overhang. So, Judging from the dimensions that Julie provided, you should have no problem fitting it on a 14 foot 5,000 pound trailer.

 

I believe as Hillbilly said you want it close to balanced - but with 60% of the weight forward of the front axel and 40% behind it.

Be absolutely certain you do not have a majority of the weight aft of the axel (like if you load extra parts or an engine in the bed of the truck for transport), or the trailer will be changing lanes on you without your permission.

 

Actually, 60/40 can be too much for a bumper pull.....depending on how the trailer is balanced. Most towing equipment is only rated for 500 pounds tongue weight. My 20 foot trailer has nearly 500 pounds on the tongue empty. So, I always try to load 50/50. The trailer I used to haul the F-6 was borrowed from a friend. It was a custom built trailer and is not balanced correctly. The thing felt like it had a 1000 pound tongue weight when EMPTY. When I loaded the F-6, I actually loaded it with a rearward bias....to balance the trailer. The truck was loaded approx 45/55, but I STILL had a net tongue weight of about 500 pounds. Basically, you're walking a fine line. You do not wanna overload the tongue. And, as Julie said, you DEFINITELY do not want a NEGATIVE tongue load.

 

Wow, thank you everyone. What a wealth of information this group can provide. I have an all aluminium R&R barnd 16 foot trailer with two #3500 axles. It appears that the truck will fit. I will put the front bumper up towards the front of the trailer within 6 to 12 inches of the "air dam" where my ramps mount on the front of the trailer. I was noticing from the diagrams that Julie provided that there is right at 36 inches from the cneter of the front hub to the end of the front bumper. This will have the forward D-ring tie downs well under the front end of the truck, but I am sure I can hook a tie down strap to the frame somewhere behind the engine and pull from the center forward. I am now a little concerned about loading. I had planned to hook a chain to the front tie downs and use a ratchet cable pull to hand winch the old beast onto the trailer. I am now a little worried about damaging or pulling the D-rings out of the trailer. Fortunately the trailer has a dove tail and the incline for loading should not be too great. Perhaps I can position the trailer wheels in a hole, a ditch or a slight depression. The old truck runs on fuel fed through the throat of the carburetor (no way from its own fuel system) and it has not moved under its own power for many years. The brakes are completely gone on it too. The loading operation will need to be done with great care. Thanks again to everyone for the many useful responses.

Respectfully yours,
Rob Blubaugh - Rensselaer, Indiana

 

Good stuff. I am currently building a trailer out of the back half of a 51. I went and visited a local trailer manufacturer her in San Diego and asked about any particular items I needed to be concerned with. The mentioned abot having more weight forward of the axel both loaded and "Dry." So when I built the tonge on it I had to be sure to use enough stock to weigh it down in the front. The goal was to be able to pick it up dry and both maneuver it around in the yard, and lift it to mount it onthe truck. I would estimate I have a tounge weight of about 30 pounds. I can't imagine 1000 pounds of tongue weight - I'll bet that thing is fun to maneuver!

The main point is that you aren't back heavy. I know when I went to pick my truck 1000 years ago, the engine was in the bed so it was back heavy We had to load it rear end first to keep the trailer from being back heavy....just food for thought.

PS I think your loading operation will go much smoother than you think - takes two people Bring a few (4) of foot long 4x4s and a cigarette lighter powered tire pump - you'll know why once you get there. Two 4x4s up on the trailer at the stop point. The other two are used as chocks as you push it a foot at a time up onto the trailer.

 

My 24' enclosed race trailer fully loaded has close to 1K# tongue weight, but I use a load distribution hitch and anti-sway. The trailer itself weighs 6000# without the toolboxes and 3 sets of tires in the front so it isn't something you grab the tongue on and move it around the yard. I have an electric tongue jack on it to do the lifting, the truck to do the moving. It gets much more "lively" if I don't have enough tongue weight!

 

Oh come on AX! Just "reaf" that sucker up on the hitch! Tee hee.

 

Ax what you mean by lively , can't go over 40 in a 65 mile zone with the trailer wagging its behind, left to right.

After you load a trailer for camping don't let the Boy Scout''s mothers throw six cases of soda on the rear end because you have space there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dale
Ford52F2

 

http://www.fordbarn.com/earlyv8/foru...F-1%20Info.pdf

 

You shouldn't have a problem fitting the truck on your 16' trailer. Like everyone said, load balancing is important. I would agree with the 60/40 rule. As a general rule, most of the weight should be distributed around the trailer axles. One more thing I'd recommend is criss-crossing your straps (in an X) when tieing down the truck.

I have an 18' 7000lb trailer and only had a problem one time when I loaded a huge F6 with an 16' flatbed on the back. I couldn't go over 35 mph.