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Bill - Thanks, but I really want the nerf bar approach rather than running boards. So, I've set up with the seller to go see those in the morn, and expect to come home with them.
As for the rain, we are doing our best to keep it here. Got more rain yesterday and today. I can't mow and I can't put the boat on the lake.
Bought the Westin Platinum nerf bars for $50. They weren't perfect as one has a scrape, so I'll have to refinish them. And, the mounts aren't right for my truck, but I think I can make new ones, and this lets me put them where I want and attach them how I want.
Also, yesterday I disconnected the sway bars based on this comment by Ken on the Rough Ride thread. What a huge difference! No, it doesn't ride like a Caddy, but there is actually some give in the suspension now, and bumps in the road don't cause your teeth to fall out and your neck to snap. And, while there may be a slight loss in steering precision, that may only be a perception. But the ride difference is night and day different, so unless and until we have a tall load to carry I'm going to run with the sway bars disconnected.
And, over the last few days I have been adjusting the doors to close properly, tightening the hold-down bolts for the tool box, and generally making sure things are properly attached. That and the ride improvement have stopped the vast majority of rattles such that Big Blue sounds and feels solid.
Gary, that is kind of strange, Darth rides and handles a lot better with the sway bars on and connected. Or course that could be because Darth has front coil springs. I will say on a rough road you can damn sure tell he's a 1 ton truck, give me a smooth raod and you better have the cruise engaged. My late wife drove him back from our scout camp on a smooth 2 lane, not straight either, and looked down, she was doing 80 on a 55 mph road.
Gary, that is kind of strange, Darth rides and handles a lot better with the sway bars ....
I haven't driven a 2WD 1 ton Twin I Beam, but that basic suspension is the standard for desert racing. The overall geometry gives great travel, and really good unsprung weight.
The 3/4 and 1 ton leaf spring versions of the 4WD Twin Traction Beam on the other hand are not known for good travel. So it doesn't surprise me at all that a coil sprung F-350 could ride significantly better than a leaf sprung F-250.
I'm not sure about the unsprung weight, mine is old enough that the beams are the forged ones and king pin knuckles rather than the ball joints and stamped beams of the later trucks.
I'm not sure about the unsprung weight, mine is old enough that the beams are the forged ones and king pin knuckles rather than the ball joints and stamped beams of the later trucks.
I don't think that Twin I Beams ever went away from forged beams (although I could be wrong). The 4WD TTB always had stamped steel, but the 2WD Twin I Beams were always pretty solid from what I know.
But only aboult half the weight of the beam is unsprung. Since the fixed end is attached to the frame the spring isn't carrying all of the weight of the beam. And if you look at any other suspension design that will give nearly the travel a Twin I Beam gives you generally have a lot more unsprung weight.
A coil sprung 4WD Twin Traction Beam can be really good too. They have more unsprung weight than a Twin I Beam with the drive components also hanging there, but a lot less than a solid axle. And I think that the 2WD Twin I Beams are longer than the 4WD TTB versions. But the desert race crowd still gets some pretty crazy travel out of full size Bronco or F-150 type front ends.
The newer ones after they started putting ball joints in them went to stamped design at least on the lighter duty ones. I am just glad mine has king pins and not ball joints, I don't think the ball joints would last as long as the king pins have (still the originals).
I got the plan for the nerf bars figured out today, with the help of my wife. Then I got the material cut out for the new brackets and even tack-welded one up - as explained here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post17188167.
And, I replaced the struts in the toolbox. Sure is nice to have the kids go up and stay up.
Got the driver's side nerf bar brackets made today, with a bit more to do tomorrow to have that bar bolted on solidly. Then I'll start on the other side, but they'll be mirror images so that's going to be easy. Then, once they are done I'll pull them, media-blast them, and powder coat them.
And, while working on the bar I discovered that the fill hose for the mid-ship tank wasn't secured to the tab on the fender, so fixed that. One more layer peeled.
No, it doesn't ride like a Caddy, but there is actually some give in the suspension now, and bumps in the road don't cause your teeth to fall out and your neck to snap. And, while there may be a slight loss in steering precision, that may only be a perception. But the ride difference is night and day different, so unless and until we have a tall load to carry I'm going to run with the sway bars disconnected. 
