since u are building a '50 F250, i was wondering if u can do some measuring for me on the rear.. i've got a '49 F2 and would like to replace the rear for better gearing. i'm with the understanding that '57 to '72 F250 will fit..
numbers needed..
out side drum to drum
centers of the leaf spring mount
shock mounts.
if u can fit it in, i can see your up to your eye ***** busy..
bill
ps, here or a PM will be fine.. tks

 

Bill,
Ford used the same rear frame width, rear axle width, and spring perch spacing 1948 -72. So any rear axles from those years will bolt right in to your 49. Different models will have different bolt patterns however with some of the heavier duty models having 6 or 8 lugs. The shock mounts are part of the spring mounts and are interchangeable and/or aftermarket mounts are available. Check www,classic haulers.com and/or Home - Mid Fifty F-100 Parts (many of the parts for 53-56 will work on 48-52 just call and ask them, they will know. The two companies are "sister" companies, owned by sisters and are the best/most knowledgeable people to deal with.)

Almost anything you want to know about rear axles can be found here:
1948 through 1960 Ford F-1 and F-100 Rear Axle (differential) Swaps .: Articles

 

Good info above which I wouldn't know, especially since this is a 1951 F1. Not sure where the F250 came in!

Back to this pig. As a reminder this is a budget build and I dont spend money unless I have to. So I need to box the front rails and I just happened to have some steel on hand from a car I parted out, I save everything. I think this was from a 55 packard frame.



pattern



plasmoidal



Tacked and then full welded. Welds are still a litte heavy on the wire amount, just changed welders and I am not as familiar with the settings as my other one. Plenty of penetration, just a bit heavy.

 

Since you have solidly mounted the Jag crossmember you can do away with that "unique" Jag U joint, it is only needed if you use the soft mounts, and use a standard one. Borgeson makes ? shaft to Jag U joints.

edited. I had worded it badly the first time, sorry!

 

Thanks, planned on taking it off but havent done it yet. Started pricing the steering ujoint to replace it, after seeing the price I am hoping to find a used one or a factory similar joint I can grab at the boneyard. There must be some other car that uses a similar joint without the swivel.

 

Subscribed...

 

What year Jag, or does it matter? Watching this one.

 

For IFS donors would be 1987 and older XJ6/XJ12 (body style with the round headlights), and the XJS up through I believe 1996. My unit is from a 1986 XJ6. The XJ12 has even stiffer front springs that I assume would need to be cut down to lower the truck, I will know shortly how much my XJ6 springs are going to drop with the engine and trans installed. Plans are for updates this week, would be nice to not have to work for a living and just play in the garage every day.

 

Another update, got some time today to mess with the truck. Started in the back so I could get the rear suspension apart and figure out which way I am going to go with it.

Cut the welds and removed a sheet of steel that was welded in the bed only to find remanants of yet another sheet of steel!



Cut those welds and got down to the original base



Bed removed



And down to the suspension.



Rear was removed and is now out as well.




OK so now how do you remove these, I assume they are spanner nuts? Is there a special socket for them?

 

OK found an exploded view of the rear suspension and found that those are just machined slots in the end of the spring pin, not sure why they are there but they are. Time to get the rear suspension apart.

 

You'll need to drill a hole through the inside of the crossmember for the front shackle pins on the rear springs in order to drive them out.

 

Thanks, I looked and noticed that there was hole to get a clear shot at the front pin, but now I am off with another idea so it wont matter.

With the rear axle off the truck it was obvious there was a lot of play in the spring bushings, and sure enough when I removed the rear pins I could see that the bronze bushing in the rear leaf spring eye was egged out and the pin had wear.<p>
Plans were to keep these springs and do a rear axle flip and C notch, but this would of given me a static drop around 6 to 7 inches which I think may have been too much. A 4" rear drop would get the frame level to the unloaded front and the front should come down another 2" once the engine and the nose are on, but I am thinking I should keep the back up just a bit to allow for hauling stuff. After all it is a truck!

So the combination of the worn bushings and probably too much drop lead me to the plan to swap out the springs and hangers with a modern set that already has the axle on top of the springs. This way I can set the static drop myself and if I need lowering blocks they can be added in the future.
I went to the boneyard today and scored a set of rear leaf springs and hangers from a 2000 dodge dakota 2wd pickup, research showed these would be longer than the originals (better ride) with a higher load rating, but will still fit the chassis with some rearmost running board mount mods. Pics to come!

If anyone needs to research leaf spring info this site is awesome. This is the data for the dakota spring, you can search on just about any make and model.

1999-2004 Dodge Dakota 2wd - Leaf Spring (Rear - 3/1 Leaves) - 34-1477 | $169.95

 

These are the springs I picked up from the 2000 dakota



Frame stripped down. I also had to remove the rearmost running board mount to allow for the longer springs to mount up.



Started mocking up one of the springs, but I absoulutely cannot get the shackle bolt out of the rear mount, so I cannot put the rear mount where I want it with the shackle angle I want. Springs are newer so those bolts came out ok but the shackle bolt is siezed. Tried heating it cherry red and beating the snot out of it and it will not move. The Dakota must not have rode too nicely with siezed shackles. So I am sure the other one will be the same way so I will have to cut them apart. Ordered new shackles and bolts from rockauto, not too bad at around $50, but now I cannot continue in the rear until I get them and the axle pads which are also on order.

So I will move on to other areas while waiting for the parts.

 

Since I am stalled on the rear suspension until parts arrive I figured I better do something, so started mock up for the engine and trans mounts.
This is the engine and trans, 1993 LT1 T56. Came from a wrecked trans am I parted out a few years ago and has been sitting waiting for a home. I know it isnt a Ford but it was in stock and I am on a budget here



Flipped the cab into a cabover to get access to the frame.



Frame was leveled front to back and side to side, then centered and dropped the engine on some wood blocks for height set.



Plenty of room for everything, even the A/C compressor. I think the factory compressor can be used with a vintage air system so may give it a try.

 

Trans is sitting on the factory crosmember right now. Rather than cut it and then make another trans crossmember I think I am going to just move the factory one back and modify as needed to mount the T56.



Tons of room over the jag rack



Thats it for now, will proabaly be no updates for a few days. Hope you guys are enjoying me getting dirty!