I have a 1954 F250 I am resbuilding. This truck has a 4.86 rear end -- just the thing for plowing -- in a split hypoid. I would like to upgrade to a highway gear. I have the tech manual but it doesn't give me any info on gear options. Does anyone know if there are other ring & pinion gear sets for this truck? It sure would be easier to upgrade the gear set.

Thanks,

jim

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 03-Jan-03 AT 07:34 AM (EST)]Jim,

I doubt if there is much you can do to improve the original gear ratio. I would look at some rear ends out of a later Ford F-250 up to about 72. Some of these rear ends will bolt right into your 54 with no changes and some you may have to move the spring perches, but either way it would be an improvement over what you have now.

 

Vern's pretty much right on as far as getting alternate gears for the heavier F-250 axle. In my 1956 shop manual, the available axle ratios are 4.56, 4.88, and 5.88. I'm pretty sure I've got an original Dana (Spicer) 60 rear end and I haven't seen any big rush by vendors to supply highway gear sets for this unit.

Whether any of this 1956 info applies to your 1954 I don't know. I'm still pondering the highway RPM issue. Might just go with bigger tires all 'round instead of changing either the tranny or rear end.

 

Dont feel bad, I have 5.14's in my 54 F350. Unfortunately with the puny 239 I cant do much about it and still expect it to carry a load. With the 7.50 x 17 rubber it still cruises 55-60 OK.
When the 292 goes in, a Dana 60 and 4.10's goes under.

In your case a later 9" is possible with an aftermarket gear set around 4.10 but dont get carried away with short tires/wheels.

 

I do not what kind rear a 54 has. I think that you can get hiway gears for a dana 60. I had looked into it a wile back I talked to a gear shop about it they said it could be done. A lot of your big crysler cars used dana 60's in the 60's .I don't know if they are interchangeable. I just found a different rear for mine.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 04-Jan-03 AT 01:36 AM (EST)]Thanks for your thoughts. I really don't know who manufactured the rear end, just that the gear ratio is 4.86. It has the split hypoid which separates down the middle. I think it was used on the F250 and F350.

I swapped the 7.50 17 on stock split rims for 235 85 16s on aluminum. The 223 six seems to have enough power, but I am concerned about hiway performance. I am looking at a rear-end out of a 74 Dodge 3/4 ton with a 350 gear set -- to retain the eight lug wheels. This should give me 75 mph at the same rpm that maxes out at 55 now. I don't really intend to carry any loads, but I have thought about an engine upgrade -- maybe a 351.

If I can get it to hiway speed I will have a better feel about the need for more power. I thought if I put an engine upgrade in it I would also look for a 5 speed overdrive transmission -- first I need to put it back together and see how it runs as is.

 

Your original rear is the Spicer, no aftermarket that Im aware of.

Since I haul a lot of weight, a 9" is not strong enough so its the Dana 60. I already have it including the 8 lug wheels.
Did you adapt the front wheels also to 8 lug?

 

>Your original rear is the Spicer, no aftermarket that Im
>aware of.
>
>Since I haul a lot of weight, a 9" is not strong enough so
>its the Dana 60. I already have it including the 8 lug
>wheels.
>Did you adapt the front wheels also to 8 lug?

Carl,

If the 54 F-250 is the same as the 56 F-250 the front wheels already match the Dana (Spicer) 60 8-lug pattern. I don't think Jim had to do anything to get them to match.

George

Truck restoration - does the fun ever start?
See my 1956 F-250 in progress at www.clubfte.com/users/earl/index.html

 

I wish it was that easy George!

The 54 uses a wide spaced 6 lug wheel.
The front uses an adapter to the drum, I dont know if I can use a later 8 lug type, snow came too early and too much this year in NH to do any more boneyard snooping.
Got another 14-16" last night.

 

My F250 has 8-lug wheels on 6.5 inch centers. I think that was standard -- at least for 54. I haven't changed any of the running gear yet. I want to retain the 8-lug wheels, mostly to retain the F250 character. It would also be nice to change the brakes to disk, especially the front, but the conversion for the 8-lug wheels does not exist. That is likely to be a later project.

Thanks again,

jim