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1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

84 250 vs 85 250HD, differences?

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Old Oct 18, 2010 | 02:17 PM
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84 250 vs 85 250HD, differences?

Looking at a donor truck. The '84 has a 351/D60 and my '85HD has a 460/10.25"


Are there any big differences between a HD and a non-HD? Steering? Brakes?

My '85 was in near perfect working order before the accident. I want to buy the other to fix it up, but I'm wondering if it'll be more work than it's worth.... I might just try and fix my frame...
 
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Old Oct 18, 2010 | 03:08 PM
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GVW
so anything associated with carrying more weight. Rear brakes are 1/2 inch wider, higher spring rate, better rear diff.....
If 4x4 you'll get the D50 front rather than the D44HD......
 
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Old Oct 18, 2010 | 04:28 PM
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One of the differences you can make at a glance. Regular F-250s built after the introduction of the F-250HD will have a semi-floating rear axle simular to the F-150. The F-250HD will have a full floater. This you can tell at a glance, because the full floater will stick out several inches, where the semi floater will be flush with the brake drum.

Not sure when they started the F-250 HD?
 
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Old Oct 18, 2010 | 05:50 PM
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The steriling rear axle you can pull the drum without pulling the axle
 
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Old Oct 19, 2010 | 01:07 AM
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Originally Posted by littlehusky
GVW
so anything associated with carrying more weight. Rear brakes are 1/2 inch wider, higher spring rate, better rear diff.....
If 4x4 you'll get the D50 front rather than the D44HD......
Mine is 2wd... I wanted to know what things contributed to it being a higher GVWR... Obviously the axle and springs, but I'll be swapping those over to the new frame... hence the million dollar question.... what parts do I have to swap to turn a F250 frame into a F250 HD? I already have the 3" brakes...

I will swap the rear axle/brakes, are the front springs/ brakes different? Frame? Is a '85 F250HD the same frame as a '85 F250?

Originally Posted by 81-F-150-Explorer
One of the differences you can make at a glance. Regular F-250s built after the introduction of the F-250HD will have a semi-floating rear axle simular to the F-150. The F-250HD will have a full floater. This you can tell at a glance, because the full floater will stick out several inches, where the semi floater will be flush with the brake drum.

Not sure when they started the F-250 HD?
The F250HD started in '85 from all my reading. I've got the full floating Sterling.... I'll keep it... Mostly, because of what the next guys says...

Originally Posted by Diesel_Brad
The steriling rear axle you can pull the drum without pulling the axle
Thats the #1 reason I want to swap it... Capacity is #2.... I want to be able to pull my drums whenever I want.... and I have a pile of new shoes/hardware for the sterline brakes....
 
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Old Oct 19, 2010 | 04:30 AM
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not sure how different the frames are. They will look the same but as for guage and such i really dont know.
 
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Old Oct 19, 2010 | 03:11 PM
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I'm mostly concerned with mounting points, etc....
 
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Old Oct 19, 2010 | 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Handegard
I'm mostly concerned with mounting points, etc....
It will all swap, 2wd to 2wd.
 
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Old Oct 19, 2010 | 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by littlehusky
GVW...

If 4x4 you'll get the D50 front rather than the D44HD......
Just dotting the i's and crossing the t's here. The above statement is not true.

Normally a truck with a full floating rear axle came with a dana 44hd front axle. The dana 44hd had a high enough GVW for a f250hd. The dana 44hd did not have a high enough GVW for a f350, or a f250 extended cab. I have also heard of some dana 50's special ordered under a regular cab f250hd, but I haven't seen one myself in person.
 
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Old Oct 19, 2010 | 08:52 PM
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Every F250 I've ever had (3) was equipped with a 50
my only current F250 i have now is a 90 reg cab w/50.
last 2 were ext cabs 86, 91 both with 50's.
all with 8600, or 8800 GVW respectively. 4410 GAWR front.
both ext cabs were diesel
reg cab (90) is a 351

I suppose its possible that an F250HD has a 44HD....but I've never seen one in person, and it seems pretty stupid considering they had the 50.....but....maybe thats just me.
 
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Old Oct 19, 2010 | 10:59 PM
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Originally Posted by littlehusky

I suppose its possible that an F250HD has a 44HD....but I've never seen one in person, and it seems pretty stupid considering they had the 50.....but....maybe thats just me.
I've got one in my driveway with the diesel in it, the full floater in the rear, and the dana 44hd in the front. I've got another in the yard, set up the same except for the zf 5 speed. The one in my yard was the zf donor, mine had the c6 auto that I swapped out. And I also plow snow with that poor dana 44hd under the front, but I don't plow commercially. And on top of that I have a 4 inch lift with 35's. I don't believe I could put that frontend under any worse conditions, but it's holding up so far.
 
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Old Oct 20, 2010 | 04:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Franklin2
I don't believe I could put that frontend under any worse conditions, but it's holding up so far.
IMHO everyone is quick to jump all over the "junk TTB's", i think they are a pretty damn stout IFS. I abused the hell out of my 50's and they were fine.
I know of one thats been running for about 5 years in a 480ci puller truck and never broke. Its worn out now but still.
 
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Old Oct 20, 2010 | 08:14 AM
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Originally Posted by littlehusky
Every F250 I've ever had (3) was equipped with a 50
my only current F250 i have now is a 90 reg cab w/50.
last 2 were ext cabs 86, 91 both with 50's.
all with 8600, or 8800 GVW respectively. 4410 GAWR front.
both ext cabs were diesel
reg cab (90) is a 351

I suppose its possible that an F250HD has a 44HD....but I've never seen one in person, and it seems pretty stupid considering they had the 50.....but....maybe thats just me.
You have to remember this is the 80-86 forum.Ford put D44s in most every F250 application except supercabs. D50 were saved for supercab f250s and f350s. In 87 they started being more giving w the d50
 
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Old Oct 25, 2010 | 07:37 PM
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Im so confused now. I dont no for sure what mine is and I cant look at it and tell the differences to help either. I got a 250 with the 460ci and extcab, so that means I have the 10.25" full floater and a D50? Why would the brake shop need a special tool to remove my brake drums if the axle doesnt need to be removed? So many say this and so many say that.
 
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Old Oct 25, 2010 | 08:53 PM
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Originally Posted by 00Boss
Im so confused now. I dont no for sure what mine is and I cant look at it and tell the differences to help either. I got a 250 with the 460ci and extcab, so that means I have the 10.25" full floater and a D50? Why would the brake shop need a special tool to remove my brake drums if the axle doesnt need to be removed? So many say this and so many say that.
If you have a full-floater rear axle, the ends will stick out from the tires like this:

In the picture above, the axles need to be removed to remove the drums.

What year is your truck? With a 460, that tells me 1983+.
 
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