was wondering how well our trucks off road. i havent really tested it and i really dont want to find its max.

when off roading, with these trucks, what would you guys say are the limits and what to stay away from.

currently running 31" futuras which are great.
the truck is a standard tranny w/ a granny gear then 1-3. it is 4x4.

also, can anyone take a stab at the final drive for my truck? is the front diff a limited slip or are they both open ?

TIA

 

i dunno about off road yet, im still workin on my 83, just dropped a 400 in it and it smokes the tires down the road like crazy......

ill let you know when i hit the mud-hole, but i'd hate to get my freshly painted engine all dirty......

 

i know what you mean! i cant wait to get my motor done, but once i do i have to find a way to clean her quick!

 

Hey I have an 83 f-150 with piece of crap 28" Peerless on it. these trucks are unstoppable. if you ever feel yourself getting stuck, just crack the wheel and floor it and the monster will pull you out i love my truck, it just needs new tires. What engine do you have in yours? I have a 351m, and i love it besides the fact it eats gas. With your tires and everything you should be able to get out of anything

 

i have the 351w

 

stay away from deep mud! your truck is pretty capable, but your open diffs and smaller tires will really show their inferiority. just because it's a 4x4 doesn't mean you can't get it stuck, and stuck good. a rear locker will make a huge difference, and mud tires help as well. either way, i'm sure you've seen 4x4 magazines where some guy gets stuck even with lockers front and rear and 38-inch boggers. as long as you go out with someone else and are reasonably prepared (tow straps, etc.) you should be ok.

 

yep. thats what i thought. i havent done anything serious yet cuz i dont got a buddy in a jeep or nuthin to come w/ me.

i plan on getting some kind of LSD, but i need more information on the type of axels i have now. but i know really nothing except the engine i have!

 

These trucks do pretty well in stock trim IF you know how to drive...when to mash the throttle, crank the the wheels, how to use your gears. Most trucks came with open diffs front and rear, sometimes there are a few trucks with limited slips in the rear; and occassionally a couple were ordered with L.S. front and rear. I have never heard of limited slip diffs in the front only. In order to get into the serious wheeling, modifications are necessary...lift kits, big tires, gear swaps, lockers, limited slips, heavier duty suspension components, engine buildups, and the list goes on. I have an 84 F150 4wd with the 300 six 4spd, and this is what I have done. Engine: .040 bored, RV cam, hi vol oil pump, Holley 2bbl carb, EFI manifolds dual exhaust, MSD coil, K&N air filter, and added an electric fan as a booster for additional cooling on the trail. Drivetrain: heavy duty 11 inch clutch, 4.10 gears, locker in the rear, and a limited slip in the front. Suspension and steering: 2.5 inch Rough Country suspension lift, heavy duty steering stabilizer, Saginaw power steering conversion, and Superlift heavy duty traction bars. Tires: 33x12.50 Mud Kings mounted on factory aluminum 15x8 inch rims. Other stuff: Front tow hooks, brush guard, (2) 100 watt KC lights, rear receiver hitch, top mounted light bar with 5 100 watt KC lights. Recovery Gear (very important): (2) 2" looped tow straps, (1) 6" looped tow strap, (1) 12" double looped tow strap, (3) clevis hooks, (1) Hi Lift jack with off road kit, (1) 2 ton come-a-long, (2) compact military shovels, (2) full size shovels, and (1) ax. Like any other project this truck is nowhere near done. It performs very well on and off road, I just thought I would give you a few ideas for upgrades on your own truck.

 

I got a 1980 F150 with only a stock 3.02 in it, and it does great off road. 4x4 or even 2x4. Most of off roading is the driver. Just knowing what you can or can't do. When playing make sure you got someone to pull you out, because the 6 inches of water and mud may turn to 3 feet once you get in

 

pkupman82 your truck sounds nuts. there arent too many serious trails around here. i just get a little worried being that i got this truck about two months ago and dont know too much about it.

ill be swapping in another 351 soon. very soon. where did you get your clutch from? you like the 4.10 gears? also the tranny, is 1st gear more like a granny gear? because then i believe you have to same tranny as i do. anyhoo, thanks for the info, good luck with your truck.

o, btw where did you attach the steering stabilizer to? im looking at getting one just because.

 

Yes that is very true. Driver abilities are a very important, you don't want to over drive yourself or your truck. If there is an obstacle you are not sure you can handle, don't try it. There is no shame in avoiding potential disaster, don't think you need to hammer on your own rig to try to impress anybody. Let someone else break their stuff to please the crowd. It's fun to put on a good show, but it sucks when you get stuck really bad or break something. My advice is to take a friend out with you who has full size 4wd truck and go out and try a few things, get a feel for your rigs' capabilities. Try a couple small mud pits, sand holes, hills, try a little bit of everything. Also crawl underneath your truck and familiarize yourself with your under carriage, doing this you will have a better idea of the your vehicle's limits...ground clearance, approach, and departure angles. The biggest thing is to take it out and get comfortable with what kinds of terrain the truck can handle, learn how to use your gears to your advantage (different combinations of tranny and transfer case range selections), once you are done playing do a good clean up and inspection of your suspension and drivetrain components for damage. Anytime you have been running your truck in deep water you should change the oil in the diffs, transfer case, transmission, and repack the front wheel bearings. 4 wheeling is a lot of fun, it can put a little more wear and tear on your rig than normal street driving. You will need to perform preventative maintenance on your rig more often depending on how much off roading you actually do. Hope this helps

 

it helps alot! thanks. im putting together a nice tool kit and recovery kit for when i hit the trails.

 

Regardless of what off road mods you make to your Ford Truck - any truck - don't try to keep up with the modified Jeeps that climb the rocky and steep trails outside of Moab, Utah. Hard to determine in advance which will give out first, your truck or your heart. Been there and done that in a heavily modified F-250 and once was enough. Scary!

 

you def. made some good points, and a recovery kit is a must.... also add some starting fluid or silicon spray in case u drench ur motor....I was wheeling one day and my buddy's dakota got water logged and some wired got wet and it died....after bustin his chops I hit the hole in my 79 and got some water on the air filter and mine died too, luckily i had some starting fluid, and lettin my truck sit for 10 mins and giving it a spritz fired it up, and the silicon spray helped dry out the wires on the kota.... you may also want a spare set of U joints in ur glove box, i calways carried them and needed them a couple times...tire plugs are also good, along with a full size spare, U cant run a stock tire size if you have, say, 33's all the way around..unless u put it on the front and even then u must be in 2WD.. make sure u have a full windsheild washer fluid or an empty bottle to get water out of the mudholeto wash it....


also, if you see any terrain you dont know well, walk around and check for rocks or steep drop offs....I was wheelin in a co-worker's Jeep a few weeks ago after we got some serious rain, and we went up a hill climb in an old coal mine he knows VERY well, and a wash out had occured and as we crested the hill we were looking down about 300 feet, where a week ago there had been a flat spot the size of a football field....so make sure you know your terrain...

oh yeah....and have fun...

 

ah this is great. thanks for all the help