F550 towing build thread
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
The red could be Redkote tank lining. I tried that too. Not cheap. Hot acid bath, then apply the product and slowly rotate tank to get it everywhere. It failed too.
Do the in-tank and pre-pump mods. I do this for $20 in parts you can probably get 100% locally.
If the WIX 33972 has a short service life, get the RACOR PS120.
Replace tank is best option.
Do the in-tank and pre-pump mods. I do this for $20 in parts you can probably get 100% locally.
If the WIX 33972 has a short service life, get the RACOR PS120.
Replace tank is best option.
Super Moderator
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,308
Likes: 6,081
I have the bigger Dana S135 and I have seen it at a max GAWR of 16,500 lbs in bigger trucks. I think they de rate it on the F550 to 15k or 15,500 lbs due to tires and wheels. I was overweight on tires but bumped up to a higher rating. I probably should do wheel bearings since the axle has almost 400k on it.
The Dana S135 is rated for 13,500 lbs,
Ford did have a 15,500 lb GAWR axle, but that axle was a Dana S150. (not available in an F-550)
The major distinction is in material thickness of the housing...the housing is thicker on the S150, and that is a key determining factor in the axle's rating capacity.
(some) managed to crack the housing to the S135, right at the spring perches.
Ford did have a 15,500 lb GAWR axle, but that axle was a Dana S150. (not available in an F-550)
The major distinction is in material thickness of the housing...the housing is thicker on the S150, and that is a key determining factor in the axle's rating capacity.
(some) managed to crack the housing to the S135, right at the spring perches.
The oil wetness surrounding the spring perches is the same indicator, symptom, and manifestation of the cracked S135 axles found on F-550's with aerial lifts (bucket trucks).
For your axle oil fill level to be as low as it was, and for there still to be as much oil as there is surrounding your spring perch, suggests that there is a crack in that axle housing, right where cracks typically occur in that particular axle housing, when the axle is overloaded.
The S135 axle housing is 7 mm thick.
The S150 axle housing is 8 mm thick.
The S135 housing material is HSLA (high strength low alloy), which is where some strength in lieu of additional unsprung weight is recovered, but the axle is rated at 13,500 lbs, not 15,500 lbs.
It's good that you caught it at home, rather than out in the middle of the desert.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 7,460
Likes: 85
From: Kent Station, WA
Pretty sure they use to say that on Pirate about FTE.
Super Moderator
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,308
Likes: 6,081
But a "crack" (haha) welder can fix it. And if the welder knows the procedures for pre heat and post weld heat on HSLA material, the repair will likely last until the truck meets it's maker in the clouds, surrounded by nuns.
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 546
Likes: 261
The oil wetness surrounding the spring perches is the same indicator, symptom, and manifestation of the cracked S135 axles found on F-550's with aerial lifts (bucket trucks).
For your axle oil fill level to be as low as it was, and for there still to be as much oil as there is surrounding your spring perch, suggests that there is a crack in that axle housing, right where cracks typically occur in that particular axle housing, when the axle is overloaded.
The S135 axle housing is 7 mm thick.
The S150 axle housing is 8 mm thick.
The S135 housing material is HSLA (high strength low alloy), which is where some strength in lieu of additional unsprung weight is recovered, but the axle is rated at 13,500 lbs, not 15,500 lbs.
It's good that you caught it at home, rather than out in the middle of the desert.
For your axle oil fill level to be as low as it was, and for there still to be as much oil as there is surrounding your spring perch, suggests that there is a crack in that axle housing, right where cracks typically occur in that particular axle housing, when the axle is overloaded.
The S135 axle housing is 7 mm thick.
The S150 axle housing is 8 mm thick.
The S135 housing material is HSLA (high strength low alloy), which is where some strength in lieu of additional unsprung weight is recovered, but the axle is rated at 13,500 lbs, not 15,500 lbs.
It's good that you caught it at home, rather than out in the middle of the desert.
time to figure out the next step!
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It's a Van Gogh
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,813
Likes: 1,335
From: Elk Grove, CA
Nice progress, fun to watch!
A good weld on any cracks will put it right. Clean it up to find the cracks. Unless you are really good at welding I'd hire the best pro you can find. A bad weld will just crack again, deeper, since the heat treatment of the steel will be compromised.
A good weld on any cracks will put it right. Clean it up to find the cracks. Unless you are really good at welding I'd hire the best pro you can find. A bad weld will just crack again, deeper, since the heat treatment of the steel will be compromised.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
Nice progress, fun to watch!
A good weld on any cracks will put it right. Clean it up to find the cracks. Unless you are really good at welding I'd hire the best pro you can find. A bad weld will just crack again, deeper, since the heat treatment of the steel will be compromised.
A good weld on any cracks will put it right. Clean it up to find the cracks. Unless you are really good at welding I'd hire the best pro you can find. A bad weld will just crack again, deeper, since the heat treatment of the steel will be compromised.
Here’s some heavy reading on the subject.
https://www.twi-global.com/technical...sla-steels-098
I worked with boilermakers and pipe fitters most of my life. I often tell people I know the difference between a welder and a welding machine and that I have a welding machine (or 3) at home and sometimes a welder shows up.
Banned
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 3,541
Likes: 458
The oil wetness surrounding the spring perches is the same indicator, symptom, and manifestation of the cracked S135 axles found on F-550's with aerial lifts (bucket trucks).
For your axle oil fill level to be as low as it was, and for there still to be as much oil as there is surrounding your spring perch, suggests that there is a crack in that axle housing, right where cracks typically occur in that particular axle housing, when the axle is overloaded.
The S135 axle housing is 7 mm thick.
The S150 axle housing is 8 mm thick.
The S135 housing material is HSLA (high strength low alloy), which is where some strength in lieu of additional unsprung weight is recovered, but the axle is rated at 13,500 lbs, not 15,500 lbs.
It's good that you caught it at home, rather than out in the middle of the desert.
For your axle oil fill level to be as low as it was, and for there still to be as much oil as there is surrounding your spring perch, suggests that there is a crack in that axle housing, right where cracks typically occur in that particular axle housing, when the axle is overloaded.
The S135 axle housing is 7 mm thick.
The S150 axle housing is 8 mm thick.
The S135 housing material is HSLA (high strength low alloy), which is where some strength in lieu of additional unsprung weight is recovered, but the axle is rated at 13,500 lbs, not 15,500 lbs.
It's good that you caught it at home, rather than out in the middle of the desert.
Banned
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 3,541
Likes: 458
What did the little screens in the sending unit look like? You can probably just re-use that tank if you do the hutch mod to eliminate that and add the PS120 deal mounted to the frame rail, so you can see if crud is building up in there. Theoretically only so much tank lining can delaminate and end up in the filter before the problem corrects itself right? (lol)
Good thing you caught that drain plug. If that thing fell out you'd have heard about it pretty quickly.
Good thing you caught that drain plug. If that thing fell out you'd have heard about it pretty quickly.
Super Moderator
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,308
Likes: 6,081
The amount of welding required to rework any given S150 housing to match the spring perches, shock absorber mounts, anti sway bar brackets, and pinion angle would be a significantly more substantial effort than repairing the existing axle.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
There was no S150 made for an F-550.
The amount of welding required to rework any given S150 housing to match the spring perches, shock absorber mounts, anti sway bar brackets, and pinion angle would be a significantly more substantial effort than repairing the existing axle.
The amount of welding required to rework any given S150 housing to match the spring perches, shock absorber mounts, anti sway bar brackets, and pinion angle would be a significantly more substantial effort than repairing the existing axle.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,442
Likes: 993
If it were me I would clean it up good, v-groove the housing and lay 3-4 passes with a good cap weld. I wouldn't even disassemble anything as it looks on the inner side of the perch weld. In my experience those stamped housings weld easy.