Hey Guys,

Thanks for the help, after many forum posts on numerous websites and plenty of searches, I have narrowed down to the truck I am going to buy.

My New Truck >>
Truck flatbed Ford F350 1985 diesel 4 speed standard 4x4

I was laying in bed though and thought of one thing and had to get up and rush to the internet to get an answer

How do I know if the duallys are factory or aftermarket hubs? I believe that is a valid question, but I have not clue or experience with duallys. He said he had hubs for it and right now hes running SRW.

But how do you know if a truck is built for SRW and someone just buys hubs adapters and throws two more wheels on the back? is that the way it works?

buying the truck this weekend so any input would help

Thanks Again Guys,


Devin
<!-- / message -->

 

Hmmm.....

Not really sure....

There might be a way to decode the VIN and Certification Label, the stuff in there could at least imply SRW or DRW, but I'm not sure if there's anything definite in there....

 

I'm with Chris - I don't see a way to tell. I just worked through the details in the Certification Label, the one on the door post, and don't find anything in there that would tell.

 

GVWR comes to mind somehow... I've seen somewhere the duallies had at least (some certain GVWR) but I don't remember where I saw that or how to find it again.

 

Wouldn't the tag on the differential tell you?

Other then that the brake drum sitting on the bed. Its hard to say from the pic, but looks like srw drum.


srw
http://partimages.genpt.com/thumbs/1328377.jpg

drw
http://partimages.genpt.com/thumbs/1328380.jpg

 

Or, the model codes - say, like F353 - a 1980/81 F350 2WD with a 10,000 GVWR. This doesn't definitively tell us dually or not, but, with some other searching, could imply it....

 

Not directly, still takes some investigation - maybe in the Parts List?

Attached is an example of what the catalog shows us. We could maybe go to a unique Parts List that applies to any individual axle and see if there's dually parts in it, but it still takes some work and a specific axle ID to look at (unless we want to wade through hundreds of parts lists).

Removing wheels and taking a gander at the parts might give some good information, too, but you'd need to know what to look for and how to recognize non-factory parts.

 

I thought about the GVW, but there isn't anything in the Cert or the decoding thereof in the MPC that says "DRW". Maybe someone knows where the break was?

 

Oh jeez, I didn't even see anyone had responded, I wasn't getting the emails for my own thread

Well If its a 350 that means its a 1 ton correct?

and if its a 1 ton does that mean the axle is the same as a dually axle?

or are there multiple 1 ton axles? ie SRW and DRW, or are there even more than that.

Also I have heard about budd (or bud) wheels, what does this mean, there are a whole lot of spares and extra tires/rims with it. Do I need a specific type of wheel to run duallys.

I did some searches online but I am still alittle confused, Is a bud wheel just run inside out???

Do the front wheels require a special rim?

do the rear wheels require a special rim?



I am hoping that those wheels will be good to set it back up as a dually.


Thanks Again Guys,

and sorry I missed your previous posts for a few days.


Devin

 

There are probably well over a dozen possible axles used in this one year just on one-ton trucks, it's not as easy as people seem to think.

Factory duallies used different rims that non-dually trucks and they could be installed on either side, allowing the truck to carry just one spare tire that could be used on both front & rear.

Check your SPAM filtering....

 

Yeah I got this one and all the other threads I am in, but I missed all the ones in this thread pretty much in between my previous post.

Anywho, So pretty much the dually rims are all the same for all 6 wheels correct????

So if he shows me rims they are either dually rims or not, there is no in between? correct?

 

Also in response, do these pictures help at all
>> Truck flatbed Ford F350 1985 diesel 4 speed standard 4x4 w title

 

I have no idea, sorry.

 

Mine is 2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive may differ, but yes all 6 rims are the same. Dually rims will have a tab that sits inside the other rim to align the air valve.

Looking at the other pics the front rims are solid without the cut outs, these are not dually rims.

I dont know looks like the current owner has done allot of mods on this truck. That may not be such a bad thing, but no way to know by looking at pic. The frame looks very good and the bed if you have a use for it looks good too. You could always find a rear from a newer 350/450 with disc brakes change out the proportion valve and have the dirve shaft cut.. (Ive been wanting to do this for some time (drum brakes suck on these trucks)).

GL keep us posted.

 

Yeah I've only ever had disc brakes so this will be one of many new experiences for me.

Anyways, I am hoping the other rims and tires on the bed are for the dually, I am going to talk to him on the phone tomorrow so hopefully I can smooth everything out.

Also what are people recommending these days for winter tires, I am thinking I am gonna get the good years for about 180$ from Sears on black Friday because they usually have a good deal of 160$ rebate plus 100$ gift card. But hopefully the rear wheel setup does not need new wheels that will be good in the snow and I will only have to replace the fronts.