Hey guys its been a while since Ive been here and I had always wanted to get into off roading but didn't have the time or money. I paid off my 08 ranger figured i should lift it put some good tires on it and hit it up. Then it came to mind that there is a good chance i am going to break a lot of stuff so i should get a older truck to make my first off road rig. So i got some ideas and hopefully you guys can point me in the right direction.

So i was thinking an 87-97 F-150 there are a lot of them and parts are cheap so i figure that's an area where i am good to go pick it up with 4x4 and all is good.

Now there seems to be 3 common engine sizes the 4.9 I6, the 5.0 302 and the 5.0 351. Is there an engine that is going to be better suited for off roading? For gas mileage reasons alone the 5.0 and 4.9 are something i am more interested in already and then even more in the 5.0 because its been around for ever... am i on the right track here??

I am going to assume there is no worthwhile locker in the rear of these so can you guys recommend a good locker for this that will also be streetable for driving to the trails?

Whats going to be better for getting around in the mud and rocks with the most stability lifted. regular cab short box? regular cab long box? extended cab shot box? extended cab long box?

Lastly i have not done to much research on theses would a 6 inch lift and 35's be a good starting place for some fun in the mud? or should i go higher i know new truck are jacked way up there and i am not too sure how high up there these sit stock.

 

Personally Id try to find a 78-79 F150/Bronco or preferably a 77.5-79 250. Their components are better from the factory and are easier and most often cheaper to upgrade later.

As far as engines go a 5.0 is a car motor and has no business in a truck. For trails I think Id rather have the 300-6 but you also mentioned mud which means RPMs that the 300 wont have.

Nothing wrong with a Detroit in the rear for a street driven truck.

For trails you want the shortest wheelbase possible.

2-4" of lift for 35s, no more.

 

A few things, my friend. Firstly, there is no 5.0 351. The 351W is a 5.8L. Second, the 5.0 302, in my opinion, is worthless in a truck, unless it's built right. It's great for a Mustang, but in a truck where you need more power down low, it just doesn't cut it. The 4.9 is a great engine, has alot of low end torque, easy to work on, and damn near impossible to kill. However, it lacks the high rpm horsepower you might need for deep, thick mud. If you're dead set on an F-150, I'd say the 5.8 would be the way to go. If you're not dead set on an F-150, step up to an '83-'97 F-350 with a 7.5L 460. The 460 will provide more horsepower and torque throughout the rpm band, giving you the wheel speed that you'll need for thick mud, and it still has enough low end torque for rocks. Yes, it's a big block, yes it's going to get relatively crappy gas mileage, but as long as it's tuned up and running right, you shouldn't get any less that 10-12 MPG or so, regardless of whether or not it's loaded, and it won't be lugging trying to turn big tires. Another thing to keep in mind is that the 4.9, 5.0, and 5.8 will all get pretty crappy gas mileage with oversized tires, and the chances of them lugging and working too hard to spin those tires are higher.

Also, 6" lift and 35's on an '87-'96 F150 can be detrimental. It's very expensive to lift the TTB system that the '80-'96 & '97 F-150's and F-250's are equipped with, and you'll have problems with tire wear and alignment, and it won't flex very well. The TTB works great for what it's designed for. But as soon as you start lifting it and adding tires, the TTB brings the suck unless tons of money and time is dumped into it. If I were you, I'd either budget for a solid axle swap, or start with a vehicle that had a solid axle to begin with, like a late '70's F-Series, or an '86-'97 F-350. If all you're going to be running is 35's, I think you could get away with running a Dana 44 front axle out of a late '70's F100/F150. Any bigger though, and the chance of breakage increases exponentially. For maximum strength, your best bet is to just start with a truck that had a high-pinion Dana 60 front axle and a Dana 70, or Sterling 10.25 rear. Like a 77.5-'79 F-250 or F-350, or an '85.5-'97 F-350. Keep in mind though, that the '92-'97 D60 fronts had balljoints instead of kingpins. While those will still work, the balljoints will limit you to tire size. Run too big of a tire with balljoints, and you can start crushing the balljoints. Not good.

As far as wheelbase is concerned, just remember that the longer the wheelbase, the easier it is to get high-centered on a rock/boulder/whatever.

 

get off my schnuts

 

:swinging:

 

eeeh, Im used to it. Enjoy.

 

seems his post is what weve been trying to tell him for months now!!


and 35's is as big as you can go on halftons? BS i personally ran 38's on my stock dana44 from 77 for almost 2 years with out breakage and when it did break it started with spiders then my ******* welded them.... never again in a front axle!

 

i agree with larry...however not best on all stock stuff, ive seen plenty run 37's and 38's with no problem on the half ton stuff...another thing to remember is that a built half ton with chromos and all that junk is as strong as a one ton axle...now you have to weigh your options...half ton and money, or one ton, and watever the hell you want to do to that....hmmm....the plot thickens!

 

my short side shaft and both outters are still factory the long side snapped with the welded front... as did my pinion rung them both off same with the 9" snapped a axle there too when it breaks i replace lol

 

That is 1000% wrong.

A D44 with the best chromo shafts (warns, now, I think) and CTM u-joints are not as strong as stock 60 shafts and ujoints. There is no comparison, really.

 

I am not dead set on the F-150's but as far as the F-250s and 350s go its hard to find them with 4x4 and those that are for some reason in my area are crew cab long boxes and that's not what i am looking for.

Earlier mentioned was the broncho I could get down with those for sure there seems to bee good availability in my area and at decent prices.

Are there any years that are not very good for off roading. Also i don't want to limit my self to a 35 inch tire going bigger is really just the smallest i want to go.
I want to get into some deep thick mud and have some fun on the rocks too.
Also the 360 5.0 was a type-o i now its a 5.8

so I am thinking Broncho with 6-8 inch suspension lift with 35-40 inch tires although 37's are probably more realistic, and a good locker on the rear.

not sure if this applies but most of my off road performance parts research in the past has been on the ranger and there was not a way to lock the front. Can this be done on the broncho it seems to make sense to me that turning would be very hard on a vehicle with a locked front end. Any input?

So am i getting on a better path for finding the right rig?

 

Go with a 78-79 Bronco. The 80-96s will have the same TTB front axle as a F150.

37-38s will be the extreme upper limit for reliability with a D44 front axle but they will work a while. Look for Pauls (Captainp4) Bronco 60 swap in the tech sticky.

I turn just fine with a Detroit in the front but a LS would make it easier.



You are on the right path but your budget and mechanical ability are very important things to consider. What is a realistic budget and time frame to be wheeling it? Do you have a shop to work on it and are you fairly proficient with a wrench and welder?

 

Shop no garage yes.
wrench good welder no experience
Budget limited but i would say its with in reason no set number but i am not keen on putting in thousands and thousands of dollars for something that i am going to use for relatively light off roading.

Time frame May 2012

 

well then i stand corrected as ive been told by numerous people on several forums that a built d44 is as strong as a normal non built 60

 

A D44 will never be as strong as a D60. Period. To the OP, do what Kris says and get a 78-79 Bronco. Or a late '70s F-Series, for that matter. The '78-'79 Bronco and the F-100/F-150 will have the Dana 44 front, which, like I said, should be good for up to 35" tires. If you plan to go with tires bigger than 35's on the D44, be it the solid variant or the TTB variant, be prepapared to get really good at changing axle shafts and other various axle parts. We're not trying to tell you what to do here, we're just trying to give you some factual information. You can be like Larry, and run 38"+ tires on your half ton gear. But remember, even his shizz broke at some point too.

Also keep in mind that a crew-cab longbox CAN be shortened, depending upon your budget and how much work you're willing to do. If it were me and crew cabs were all I could find, I'd actually get the crew cab and shorten the frame until the rear axle sat just a little behind the back of the cab and bob the bed, or do either a flatbed or a tube bed. (Which is what I want to do with an '86 F350 at some point in time) That way you've got more room for your gear/passengers/lady friends. Plus, chances are greater that you'll find a 460 in one of those crew cab/long bed trucks. Which, like I said, you'll find will come in handy when you hit the mud. Just sayin'.