1997 F-250 solid front axle question
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New User
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6
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From: Ft. Collins, CO
1997 F-250 solid front axle question
New guy here in Ft. Collins, CO. Last year I bought an extremely clean rust-free 1997 F-250 OBS crew cab short bed 460ci 4wd w/195K. It has the XL badging but has carpet, power windows/locks, cruise, abs and everything it seems an XLT would have. The seller said he purchased it from the original owner in AZ. It seems to be all original but it does have a solid front axle. I assumed the axle had been swapped at some point as this seems to be a fairly popular swap for these trucks especially among the 7.3 diesel owners.
I had a local mechanic do some minor work on it recently and he told me that he thinks the solid front axle came on this truck from the factory. He said he used to work for Ford during the 1990's and that the original owner could have special ordered it with the solid front axle. This sounds like it might like it might be plausible but I still have my doubts.
I guess it doesn't really matter as I plan to keep the truck for a long time but is there any way I can confirm or deny that this truck came from the factory this way or if someone swapped the front axle at some point?
A VIN decoder didn't give any specific info. about the front axle.
I had a local mechanic do some minor work on it recently and he told me that he thinks the solid front axle came on this truck from the factory. He said he used to work for Ford during the 1990's and that the original owner could have special ordered it with the solid front axle. This sounds like it might like it might be plausible but I still have my doubts.
I guess it doesn't really matter as I plan to keep the truck for a long time but is there any way I can confirm or deny that this truck came from the factory this way or if someone swapped the front axle at some point?
A VIN decoder didn't give any specific info. about the front axle.
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 635
Likes: 40
Check front frame rails where forward spring hangers are. 4wd frames were boxed there from factory, 2wd were not. Some fab work would be required to box frame properly to mount those hangers. May or may not be easy to tell if done well.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,623
Likes: 5,634
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
if it is a F250, it came with IFS. solid front axle was a F350 thing. no F250's made after 1979 came with a solid axle until the superduty line was started in 1999.
as for it looking stock, the F250 and F350 use the same frame, so a solid axle bolted into a F250 will look stock if done rite.
as for it looking stock, the F250 and F350 use the same frame, so a solid axle bolted into a F250 will look stock if done rite.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 20
From: Denton, TX
There can be some bolts that are hard to remove that may be left in place that would be a clue of a swap. Particularly the pivot brackets that have its bolts captivated between the crossmember and the oil pan. I cut mine short and then fished them out. But I was real tempted to just run the nuts back on and leave them.
Another 'shortcut' is not using a F350 pitman arm. If the F250 pitman arm is used with solid axle steering pieces, the wheels will not turn all the way to the stops cast into the axle/steering knuckles.
Another 'shortcut' is not using a F350 pitman arm. If the F250 pitman arm is used with solid axle steering pieces, the wheels will not turn all the way to the stops cast into the axle/steering knuckles.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,006
Likes: 72
From: Roseville, MN
This is definitely true, except that fleet order / special order stuff doesn't tend to follow the rules as well. Could Ford have accepted a special order to build an F-250? Probably. Did they? I don't know. Getting a "Marti Report" on your truck might tell you something. From what I gather, Ford kept records of every vehicle built, but eventually didn't want to manage them anymore, so they sold them to a guy / company named Marti who will now give you essentially the build sheet for your vehicle (for a fee).
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,006
Likes: 72
From: Roseville, MN
There can be some bolts that are hard to remove that may be left in place that would be a clue of a swap. Particularly the pivot brackets that have its bolts captivated between the crossmember and the oil pan. I cut mine short and then fished them out. But I was real tempted to just run the nuts back on and leave them.
Another 'shortcut' is not using a F350 pitman arm. If the F250 pitman arm is used with solid axle steering pieces, the wheels will not turn all the way to the stops cast into the axle/steering knuckles.
Another 'shortcut' is not using a F350 pitman arm. If the F250 pitman arm is used with solid axle steering pieces, the wheels will not turn all the way to the stops cast into the axle/steering knuckles.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 21,437
Likes: 76
From: Gilbert, PA
it is very simple
F250s did NOT come with solid axles in this era, it was swapped.
Looks at the spring code on the door jam
It should be a "QA" or something similar. Let us know what you have, that will say if it was a solid axle or a TTB
As for the interior, again a code will be there for that as well.
It sounds like your "all original" truck is not
F250s did NOT come with solid axles in this era, it was swapped.
Looks at the spring code on the door jam
It should be a "QA" or something similar. Let us know what you have, that will say if it was a solid axle or a TTB
As for the interior, again a code will be there for that as well.
It sounds like your "all original" truck is not
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i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,623
Likes: 5,634
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
you can not go by the center pivot bracket bolts, because the trac-bar bracket bolts to the same place the center pivot bracket does. remove one, bolt the other in it's place using the same bolts.
and Bob, there would be absolutely no reason for ford to tag a solid axle truck as a F250, the only difference between the 250 and 350 is the solid axle, and 4 inch rear blocks on the 350 compared to the 2 inch blocks on the 250.
if it has a D-60 in the front, it has to have 4 inch blocks in the rear. and then it becomes a 350 in fords eyes.
and Bob, there would be absolutely no reason for ford to tag a solid axle truck as a F250, the only difference between the 250 and 350 is the solid axle, and 4 inch rear blocks on the 350 compared to the 2 inch blocks on the 250.
if it has a D-60 in the front, it has to have 4 inch blocks in the rear. and then it becomes a 350 in fords eyes.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,006
Likes: 72
From: Roseville, MN
....and Bob, there would be absolutely no reason for ford to tag a solid axle truck as a F250, the only difference between the 250 and 350 is the solid axle, and 4 inch rear blocks on the 350 compared to the 2 inch blocks on the 250.
if it has a D-60 in the front, it has to have 4 inch blocks in the rear. and then it becomes a 350 in fords eyes.
if it has a D-60 in the front, it has to have 4 inch blocks in the rear. and then it becomes a 350 in fords eyes.
And no, I'm not saying it's at all likely, just that stranger things have happened.
Let me Google that for you!
Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 21,437
Likes: 76
From: Gilbert, PA
Exactly. So we can tell EXACTLY how it came from the factory
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 20
From: Denton, TX
Edited to add: I just went and ordered from one...thanks!