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Just picked up this 1964 F600 with the 330 and 4+2 transmission and two speed rear end.
Looking to make this into a rig to pull a gooseneck/fifth wheel camper unit 30+ feet in length.
Does anyone have any of these trucks they have shortened for this purpose and maybe an ideal wheelbase? I believe it is currently around 174" thinking maybe down to 128" or so maybe shorter???
Priorities:
1. Sort out the brakes, they appear to be non-existent and the master was dry. No sign in the wheels of leaking cylinders either.
2. Remove bed/hoist.
3. Shorten Wheelbase.
I take it you are familiar with the ride and power, and thus top speed, of your truck. 4 + 2, that's the 4 speed + the 2 speed axle, right? Are you familiar with the two speed axle? I can get you Eaton videos if you like.
The shorter the wheelbase, the worse the ride is going to get, even with air ride. That big axle back there is hard to control over bumps. But--you knew that, right?
As to brakes, if you find the right person at NAPA, you can get all the parts EXCEPT drums. There are no new drums available. There are other sources for brakes as well. You will need to know the size, as there are usually at least 3 sizes offered in the rear brakes, not sure about the front.
In shortening the WB, one suggestion was to simply move the axle forward, and redrill for spring mounts. If you decide to change the rear suspension to air ride, that approach will be no more work than replacing the springs. In any event, you will have a solid frame without welds, fishplate, worries, etc.
Thanks for the welcome!
I am honestly very new to fords in general but, have grown up around farm trucks with the two speed rear ends. That said I will never turn down and extra information to learn about them.
The thought never really crossed my mind to move it over to air ride. Probably more than I am hoping to spend right now at least. Might rebuild the springs packs though when we shorten the wheelbase. To move it we will redrill mounting options instead of a cut and weld.
NAPA online has appeared to be the best place to find parts. When I try to find the size what am I looking for?
Also am gonna search out some 6 Lug 22.5 wheels to get rid of the widowmakers...
6 lug 22.5s are out there. Freightliner MT45/55s had them, and many are still in service. Model years with those were into the early 2000s at least. Hub vs. stud pilot is a concern of course, so watch for that.
Also, standard split ring 20" tube type wheels are available, but IMO tubeless is the way to go.
So enjoy reading the 10,000 threads in that link there!
That truck looks like it needs about 40 bails of hay on the back. 😁 Good luck on your mods! It looks great. I'm tackling brakes too (on a 350) but resivoir is full.
I will gladly haul the 40 bails but I'm not loading them!
Need to go out and start it this weekend and see if the vacuum helps pull the fluid into the system. Filled up the master cylinder and pumped the pedal and not much happening...
Originally Posted by Old Bobcat
That truck looks like it needs about 40 bails of hay on the back. 😁 Good luck on your mods! It looks great. I'm tackling brakes too (on a 350) but resivoir is full.
I believe that frame is wider in the middle of the truck than where the rear axle is mounted, you'll just about have to cut a section out of the center to make it shorter, if you do that do NOT weld a fish plate in a small section at the weld line, if that frame is doubled already, that makes it tougher to cut and weld together,if its not doubled then a long sleeve is what you want to do, I bulit a C-66 and it had a bent frame about 4 ft behind the cab, got it straightned and then put a 4 ft plate outside to act as a doubler, it got hid with the side fuel tank and tool box and was heavy to start with,with an American car hauler bed on it so it rides pretty decent.
I cut a chunk of frame out of my "57 and welded it back together to shorten the wheel base - not a bad job. Went from 154" to about 138". I think 135" was the shortest standard wheel base available.
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