weight reduction
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Junior User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 72
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From: Omaha NE
weight reduction
Hey all I have a 92 350 dually 4by4 crew cab long bed with 460 iv been working on getting the truck lighter was wondering if anyone has ideas of parts that could be replaced with lighter weight ones and if anyone has tried some of these lighter parts thanks for your input
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 71
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Other than aluminum wheels, maybe lighter seats there really isn't much weight to take out that isn't going to be detrimental to the truck working as designed. What's your goal with the truck? Most people don't buy the absolute biggest/longest/heaviest thing Ford made with light weight as a goal.
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 520
Likes: 4
From: Deepwater Mo.
Not really much you can do.
Only things I can think of but I would not recommend is take a fuel tank out, the spare tire, remove your A/C and all it's components, Smog
Pump and all it's components, Cruise control and it's components, Shave your metal antenna and install a plastic one inside your dash. Remove your decals and your trim from the exterior. Remove your tailgate. Install a fiberglass hood. Remove your rear view mirror. If you have electric mirrors-windows install manual hand cranked ect...
All of that and you might have a weight reduction of 100 lbs. lol
Other then that, the best thing you can do to get some more power to get that beast moving a little better is do a little head and exhaust work on it.
Only things I can think of but I would not recommend is take a fuel tank out, the spare tire, remove your A/C and all it's components, Smog
Pump and all it's components, Cruise control and it's components, Shave your metal antenna and install a plastic one inside your dash. Remove your decals and your trim from the exterior. Remove your tailgate. Install a fiberglass hood. Remove your rear view mirror. If you have electric mirrors-windows install manual hand cranked ect...
All of that and you might have a weight reduction of 100 lbs. lol
Other then that, the best thing you can do to get some more power to get that beast moving a little better is do a little head and exhaust work on it.
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Junior User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 72
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From: Omaha NE
I was more or less forced to get the truck and now I like it and won't give it up lol just looking to see if there is anything people have done to cut weight it's a lot easier to take weight off then add power. Truck is mostly a bad weather vehicle but would like to take it out and have fun. Like has anyone put on the Ford lighting front bumper or swapped out some of the cross members for aluminum ones
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
Likes: 149
From: South Dakota
Nothing would come even close to being cost effective. Even if you could drop a thousand pounds, you would see very little improvement in gas mileage or power. Considering you have the 460 engine and dual rear wheels. Just my opinion, of course.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 71
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I was more or less forced to get the truck and now I like it and won't give it up lol just looking to see if there is anything people have done to cut weight it's a lot easier to take weight off then add power. Truck is mostly a bad weather vehicle but would like to take it out and have fun. Like has anyone put on the Ford lighting front bumper or swapped out some of the cross members for aluminum ones
There is lots of room under the hood for a turbo (or two) if you wanna go fast without swapping an engine.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,338
Likes: 293
From: Laramie, WY
You have it backwards. Power is easier to add then weight is to reduce. In the powersports world, lightweight is very expensive. We use the general rule of thumb $100/lb to cut weight (after maybe 25lbs of $30/lb reduction). Power is easier, and you don't sacrifice anything but some fuel.
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 284
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Maybe not cost effective but aftermarket crash parts are significantly lighter than their factory counterparts. Bumpers, core support, fenders, inners, hood, and door shells. Maybe bed sides, floor, and tailgate are available too. A lot of that stuff is as light/lighter than "quality" 'glass and a whole lot cheaper.
Manual windows/locks and bench seat are significantly lighter than their power counterparts. Non-tilt column may shave a little too.
Don't forget to take out the 500 lbs of tools, trash, chains, parts, nuts, bolts, etc. that accumulate in all of the hiding places in a truck that big.
That said, cutting even 500 lbs out of a 10,000 lb truck (or even 8,000 lb) is a lot less noticeable than cutting 500 lbs out of a 4,000 lb truck. May not notice a difference even with all of the above.
Manual windows/locks and bench seat are significantly lighter than their power counterparts. Non-tilt column may shave a little too.
Don't forget to take out the 500 lbs of tools, trash, chains, parts, nuts, bolts, etc. that accumulate in all of the hiding places in a truck that big.
That said, cutting even 500 lbs out of a 10,000 lb truck (or even 8,000 lb) is a lot less noticeable than cutting 500 lbs out of a 4,000 lb truck. May not notice a difference even with all of the above.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: On the Edge of the Desert
I'm still wondering why your trying to make a f-350 lighter. Are you drag racing it? Like others have said. Even if you take 1000 lbs off, it won't make hardly a difference. One thing nobody has said yet is removing the duals and converting to SRW.
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Junior User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 72
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From: Omaha NE
The plan is to add power as well looking into a remote oil less turbo. That being said dropping weight makes a big difference you said 1000 lbs is negligible let's check some math my truck weighed 7300 lbs when I got it say after some performance upgrades I'm at 300 horse power say I drop the 1000 lbs the 7300 lb truck would have to make an extra 50 to be equal. I do understand that some weight reduction parts are expensive but a lot of stuff on the truck needs replaced anyways so if I can save alittle weight in the process I would like to
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Junior User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 72
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From: Omaha NE
The price per lb of weight removed you quoted is true in some cases but I hardly believe it to be that in this case iv already dropped a good bit of weight by swapping out the rear bumper for a fiber glass roll pan that was dirt cheep at the junk yard I would also imagin the Ford lighting front bumper is a lot lighter then the stock chrome one I have junk yard sells bumpers for $30 I believe
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Junior User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 72
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From: Omaha NE
Racing might be something I do down the road a bit but for now the truck is just a bad weather/ Hialeah stuff around truck when it's decent out I take the motorcycle so anything I could do to make it more of a general interstate truck would be good