possible 92 and towing

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May 26, 2012 | 02:43 PM

akford1

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possible 92 and towing

greetings all. looking at maybe buying a 1992 f150 this afternoon. very clean about 100k and $2500. 6cyl and 4 sp 4wd. had afew questions if anyone could help me out. mainly getting to replace towing rig that has been aerostar. think i'm close to maxing it out (hard on auto trans?) with my 1000-1200 lb boat which i drag on 750 mi. round trips. fairly hilly, but asphalt road. been told truck has higher ratio gears, but not sure of exact ratio.
1- will i be down in 3rd alot pulling mild grades?

2- any special things to look for on 92 model?

3 - anything worse (electrical or fuel system) on 92

4- is it possible to remove belt from smog pump and airconditioning ( using shorter belt ) we rarely get to hot here in Alaska and don't have emission regs now

5- what kind of mileage can i expect? (non-towing)

many thanks for any replys dan

May 26, 2012 | 03:23 PM

Jacobs Daddy

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Joined: May 2012

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From: Maryland

Wish I could help on the belt size and and fuel economy but I can't. I've only had 302's or 351's. But from my experience I'm thinking if you remove the smog pump on a fuel injection motor you may have computer/running issues. I've only removed that stuff on carb engine's. Also I'm thinking the hills might kill the 6 cyl towing, althought the 4 speed will help. As far as rust and stuff, what I found to look for was floor pan, and gas tank rust (but of course I'm where they put salt on the roads like sprinkles on ice cream because people can't drive in the snow).

May 26, 2012 | 04:57 PM

Conanski

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From: Ottawa, Ontario

Depends what the seller means by "higher gear ratios", many of the I6 trucks were crippled with lincoln towncar gearing(2.73 or 3.08) which put the rating towing capacities as low as 2000lbs with a manual trans and meant there was a whole lot of clutch slipping necessary pull a boat up a launch ramp for example.. not exactly an ideal situation when you're in a remote fishing spot. Of course with 4wd you can always select 4low and avoid all that wear you just have to make sure the 4wd system is in good working order before you take off on a trip. That asside high gear ratios like that negatively affect high speed power as well so it won't perform very well in the hills at highway speeds.. even if that's only 60mph. IMO the ideal ratio for an I6 truck is 3.55.. assiming it has an OD trans and stockish sized tires, so maybe hold out for one with those specs if this one turns out to be setup all wrong.

May 26, 2012 | 07:50 PM

882tank

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Joined: Dec 2010

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Conanski is correct the ideal gear ratio for 300's is 3.55. The highest gear ratio available with a 300 and 4WD was 3.08. I have quite a bit of real world experience with the high ratio's as I swapped mine from 2.73 to 3.55. Though it sounds like your boat isn't very big, expect to put more strain on the drive train with a high ratio. Assuming the truck is equipped with 3.08's; answers to your questions follow.

1. You will be down in 3rd on steep grades.
2. Go over the entire truck and make sure everything works. Pay close attention to the condition of the trans. They are a weak point if neglected.
3. Smog pump delete brackets do not exist for the 4.9's at the moment. Leave everything on an EFI truck.
4. With a good tune expect anywhere from 14(in town) to 20(highway).

That is a great and nearly bulletproof drive train combo. Even with a high ratio it will pull a load of that weight with ease. Good luck!

May 26, 2012 | 08:07 PM

White 97 xlt

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Joined: Aug 2005

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From: Cleveland, TN

Yes leave the belt on the A/C,, even if you don't need it for cooling in the summer because it helps the defrosters defog the windows in winter. The A/C dehumidifies the air....

All the A/C compressor pulley is when it is not turned on is an idler pulley... You won't gain any MPG by removing the belt from it... None____Zero!!!

May 26, 2012 | 08:40 PM

DPDISXR4Ti

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Nov 2011

Posts: 1,823

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From: New York

Just removed my smog pump from a '91 4.9. It runs fine. New belt length is 80" (no A/C). It was suggested that I needed a 78.5" belt, but that was too short.