83 f-150 question
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Joined: May 2001
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83 f-150 question
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've got an 83 f-150 manual reg cab 2wd. Does anyone know the differences between these and the late 80's early 90's trucks? I think it has the I-6, I haven't seen the truck yet and couldn't refuse because it was free. Are there any weaknesses of these trucks?
Another question. What oversize tires work well on ice? I'm looking at 33-35 inch.
Another question. What oversize tires work well on ice? I'm looking at 33-35 inch.
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Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 1,100
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From: Durham
83 f-150 question
I think the '80-'86 trucks are some of the toughest that Ford built. They typically have the rugged 9" rear and the C6 auto tranny is almost bullet proof. The 300-I6 will pull darn near anything and has as much torque as most small block V-8s. One problem with these trucks is the rear wheel well and rear quarter panel tend to rust out.
Tires: I think the standard tire is a 15" that stands about 28-29" tall. For ice, you'll want to go with some nice fat radials to get more tread on the ground. The taller tires will reduce your rear end gearing which is good for ice, but bad for towing. Make sure you add some weight above the rear tires for that added traction and if you use sandbags, you have built in help if you get stuck. Open a sandbag and dump some sand under the wheels to get you going again. Personally, I think the 33-35" tires are too big for the 2WD; I don't think you should go over 31" and you will probably have clearance problems at 33".
'82 F150 2WD w/351W (orig 300 I6)
Slik
Tires: I think the standard tire is a 15" that stands about 28-29" tall. For ice, you'll want to go with some nice fat radials to get more tread on the ground. The taller tires will reduce your rear end gearing which is good for ice, but bad for towing. Make sure you add some weight above the rear tires for that added traction and if you use sandbags, you have built in help if you get stuck. Open a sandbag and dump some sand under the wheels to get you going again. Personally, I think the 33-35" tires are too big for the 2WD; I don't think you should go over 31" and you will probably have clearance problems at 33".
'82 F150 2WD w/351W (orig 300 I6)
Slik
