Hello, I need some help. I have a 73/250 non-power steering 2wheel baby that i'm trying to lower. I need some help.
If I'm going to lower the truck I want to change out the 8-lug rims to a pattern I can have more choices with. With that being said I currently have disks up front and they do work pretty good. I have spent way more then I wanted (who hasn't said that??) so I'm just trying to be as smart as I can be while I blow through even more money then I wanted to spend for my new love

1) I think AIM/Airbagit is the only source for lowering the front end. There web-site asks for measurements before they build your new beams. Am I correct to think I should switch out my 250 stuff for a 100 and see if my brakes can bolt up?

2) What shocks do I run around the corners (back is going down to match)

3) Currently I have a Dana60 (no idea on gear yet, but everything is stock). I need to make my rear a posi and I'd really like to add a cheap disk set up with built in E-brake. AGAIN, at this point I'd like to convert the bolt pattern of the rims.

4) Tranny: Switching to a AUTO.

The truck had a 360/3on the Tree and I just built a stroker from a 62 T-Bird and a Cruse-O-Matic tranny to drop in. I didn't go real crazy on the motor and its pretty tame right now. My very good friend owns a great machine shop so I built it with what I could afford but the good stuff is in it so I could add (better heads etc) later.

So... I have a great base truck, new built motor and need help making it sit the part. Thank you all for any help

if I forgot anything please let me know and I'll update any info needed.

 

Personally, I would keep it as an eight-lug thug just because it will be different and rarer than a lowered F100/F150 half-ton. Dare to be different!!!

1. Your call whether to switch out the axle and front end. That's alot of work just to get a wheel choice. I would look at different hubcaps instead of "custom" wheels.

2. Lowering beams in front requires no custom shocks... the suspension travel remains the same as I stated in the other post. Rear shocks should be a touch shorter but some guys just run the stock shock with the spring hanger/shackle setup. Alternatively, fab up some shock brackets to lower the bottom mounting points. You can weld, right?

3. Rear discs are largely unnecessary since the front discs do the majority of the work. If you're still set on doing it, Google it and options will pop up. Rear discs would be last on the upgrade list in my opinion. You've got bigger goals to attain before rear discs.

IIRC, the lowest ratio for a D60 is around 3.73 or something like that. Again, Google for a locker/limited slip for the D60. I'd go with a Detroit Tru-Trac: Eaton Detroit Truetrac Differentials 915A387 - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing

4. Going to a C6 .. easy. Column shift or on the floor? I recommend column shift since it's the least fabrication involved and all that is needed is a parts donor.

 

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to run the 8-lug and put some trim rings and some moonie hubcaps and leave it at that. Thanks for the comment about keeping it a 250... Pulled my head in the right direction. I think all you see is the 100 and I just followed the easy path.

 

I lowered just the rear on my 78 F250 2wd. i did the half flip on the rear hanger to level it out and left the front at factory ride height. im running 05 up 20 in SuperDuty wheels and 275/55/20 tires.
if you have the 7/8 king pins you can use the djm/airtech arms. Mine has the 7/8 kings pins but i dont think i will go that route

 

That sure looks good. What is a "half flip"...? Maybe that shows how little I know about suspensions.. I'll do a search now and see if I can find a write up. I'd be very happy with that look for awhile. I've been looking at tires and thought about the toyo R888's in 255/45-16. That's a little over 5" diameter smaller then the 215/85's it has now. I do need tires BAD, the tires I have now are maybe 14yr's old and where on the truck when I bought it. I'll try and post some pictures tonight after work. Great looking truck Mach1 thanks for the pic.

 

HIO Silver.. & 73 Mach1 thank you both... I know its been awhile but I took HIO's advice and jumped on the 'be different" stick with the 250/Plug. I took the rims off and sand blasted them and powder coated them gloss black and put 255/55-16 Toyo RA1 Proxies on the front and 275/55-16 M&H DragRadials on the rear. The Toyo's look FAT and LOW I almost wish I used them on all corners but I'm big on the street racing. I'll figure out how to post some pictures and let you see. I also ordered from MikesHubCaps some 16" trim rings and dog dishes.... They will be in this week. And I got a little to excited (maybe I'm not the only one who has done this) and was looking for a parts truck to steal the auto trans set-up from and bought a really nice and cheap 1968 F100 longbed ranger for $350. 360/c6/9". major rust but a good running truck. That in itself is a long story how that happened but I'll stay on point.
So rims and tires are good, I have factory disc up front and the dana 60 (still not sure gear yet) out back. I'm sticking with what I got and making the best of it. I do need some help.
1) my door tag says GVW : 6,900 and the Vin is F25YNS04738
so being 6,900 does that mean I have the larger 1-1/16" king pins? I was so excited to get the rim and tires on I forgot to look. I know I will need to measure myself and double check but would that be safe to assume? I'm gonna order the AIM drop beams this week and that leads me to my next question..
2)Rear question. Say I was looking to drag race and do some lite auto-cross stuff... I've been looking at FATMAN and the like. What suggestions would you make and maybe any member I should bug for help?? Its gonna be a driver so I don't need it in the weeds I need it to hook. Don't laugh but my buddy has a new 911 S4 or whatever numbers add up to euro-trash and I'd love to make him scratch his head and wonder why he hasn't lost me

I'm gonna spin off a few posts so as not to confuse and lump it into a mess but this is the start.

As I'm sure anyone who bought a truck and drove to the nearest parts store is... I'm very excited and realize its a marathon and not a race to have a finished product. Thanks in advance and if you haven't read my other posts I'm very sorry about my spelling. Believe it or not I have a collage degree and am semi professional and I just have trouble spelling. So sorry if it bugs ya.

73 F250, 62 390 with SCAT 445 stroker, build in progress. I'm on the FE forums and pretty much everywhere else when I have time. Mostly I creep and read your posts and learn so THANK YOU

 

Spring hanger flips... here's some links. I did a full flip on my 70 F100 but ended up with waaaay too much nose-up pinion angle to correct with shims. Correction would have required cutting off the spring hanger pads and welding them on with the corrected pinion angle.... I decided an axle flip was a better solution at the time.

Fordification Thread: Spring Hanger Flip Pics
Fordification: Spring Hanger Flip - Pictorial
Fordification Thread: Spring Hanger Flip Shimming

Straight line vs autocrossing... excel at one or compromise on both. You'll never get your rig to handle like a 911.. the power to weight ratio, overall weight, fore and aft balance, and center of gravity is all in the 911's favor.
If already running drag radials, then concentrate on straight line. However, swaybars fore and aft and a lower center of gravity can make regular driving more "spirited". In a curve, they mete the moment of weight transfer. As nose-heavy as these rigs are, a front swaybar (and shocks) should be first on the list.

You're welcome.

 

Real quick, just so people don't think I'm totally crazy... I was kidding about hanging with the 911 but I'd like make it handle as best I can with what I have to work with.

I was wondering about a 4link in the rear. I watched a YouTube vid of a f100 that was built to handle. Some flat black truck running a 390.

I'll try and post some pics this weekend and read up on the links sent.
Thanks all, it's the weekend!!

 

Keep looking at my FTE shop truck build.. Ill be going through the lowering of it using beams and shackles/ hangers...Ill detail all the issues I run into and how I addressed them.. seems like you want to go more extreme.. my truck will still be used as a truck