1988 f250 w/ dually package. I want to get rid of my trailer and make this truck a ramp hauler. I looked at the price for a Hodges conversion. Not in my lifetime. Thought about lengthening the frame. This would be just to take my race cars to the track. I looked at some old time haulers on some early 60's Ford trucks and it doesn't seem to be much of a problem doing the conversion. Don't know how they handled. Any thoughts?

 

They didn't make a F250 dual rear wheel. Is it one of the conversion kits with spacers and single wheel rims? Or did someone change the rims? It would not have the spring rating to hold a full bed and car on it. They get heavy real quick.

If you were going to make just a set of simple ramps(like the old days) then maybe, but still would need more spring.

I have a couple friends with old school hauler trucks, but they are 1 ton chassis with LOTS of springs in the back. Not your std pickup set up.

 

A pickup is useful for many tasks, including pulling a trailer.

A stripped down ramp truck.....

JMO find a way to live with the trailer. Pickup pulling a trailer ain't broke--don't try to fix it.

 

Start with a heavier truck..........F250 with duals???? Aftermarket conversion since such a thing was never produced by FOMOCO..........Not enough truck for what you want to do.........

 

It has the F350 dually rear springs although it has that aftermarket conversion of the dualyl standard steel wheels.

 

It's certainly possible, here are some pictures of a friend's 1991 F350 2wd that had two feet added to the rear frame.

 

I wouldn't build a ramp truck on anything less than a F550 platform that started with the right wheelbase to begin with.

Keep in mind, the welder/fabricator that does the work holds your life in his hands when the stretch is done. The "splice" that marries the original frame to the new donor frame section should have a "Z" cut and be fishplated with large diamonds on both sides. I wouldn't want just any old Joe Scabwelder doing this work.

Yeah, a ramp truck would be cool but you really don't have enough truck to start with. The addition of F350 dually springs really doesn't bring anything to the table. Keep in mind, the truck is only rated for a maximum of 8800 GVWR. The truck is going to weigh at least 6000 lbs so that leaves . . . not enough to make it worth fooling with, in my opinion.

You need a bigger truck.

 

That stuff is not rated for what you are going to put on the truck.
I did some quick Googl'n and couldn't find that kind of kit anymore using std steel wheels. I had a friend with one of those about 15 yrs ago. He just hauled an open trailer with it. Nothing heavy. It was more about stability then added weight carrying ability.

 

I went to a Ford truck specific dealership to see how they extended the frame. No welding. They drilled and bolted the extension. This was for a 450 series. I'm thinking that I might be short on the suspension and brakes with my 250. Saw so many 350 roll offs, that I thought that it would be simple. Maybe not.

 

Yes, our '99 F450 has a bolted/riveted extension behind the cab for the 16ft bed that is on it. Much easier to make the front half and then just add on the length they need for the bed instead of a half dozen frames made to length.

 

Source yourself an 87-97 F-Super Duty (F450). That will handle what you want to do with it.


The F-Super Duty 1987-97 (the original super duty prior to '99 pickups) was Fords introduction of the class 4 medium duty truck. It was a commercial cab & chassis 2WD dually only optioned truck.They came with 460 gas engines all through the production run, with the optional 7.3l idi diesel engine from introduction through '94,then the optional 7.3l di (power stroke) diesel from '94.5 - '97.
Known at the time as the "One Ton Plus." It sports a HD frame,the hydroboost brake system w/ 4 wheel disc brakes.Though they are 2WD trucks,they are equipped with 4WD transmissions but,rather than a transfer case,they come with a drive line parking brake. A HD dana 80 rear axle that came from ford with gear ratio options intended for two purposes; heavy hauling & towing.They came in various wheelbase lengths with up to a 15,000 LB GVWR.It's widely known as the F-450 equivalent with many auto stores listing parts under either name.
These trucks are easy to spot with their pickup size cabs,yet unique F-Super Duty fender emblems & 10 lug wheels.
axle code 72 = 4.63
axle code 73 = 5.13 (most common and what log truck has)
axle code G3 = 4.30LS (rare)



Here is mine with a custom stretch.

 

I've got a '97 F-Superduty (F450) That was converted to 4x4 by Quigley.......they are definitely a beast......The only down side is the 5:13 gears and a 460 = 7MPG ........LOL