I'm thinking of putting the twin I Beam suspension from a 73-79 F-250 in my truck. The frames width is the same and I know of the problems the suspension has. You just need new busings and coils. This way I can keep the wheels and have disc brakes. It was my birthday yesterday. I'm 16 now. I got a renewed subscription to Classic Trucks, a book about Ford Trucks and a Ford Racing hat.

Nathan

Yeah I can go for my drivers licence.
Doh I can't drive my truck yet unless I want to push a frame around. Oh well.

Keep on truckin!!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-Oct-02 AT 07:38 PM (EST)]Nathan

How will your ride height change using this method? I am not knocking your idea. I have just never seen it done. Hope you had a happy birthday.

'fenders

 

Happy Birthday Nathan!

Measure the frame width, height and thickness and compare the two. I don't know if you'll need to box your frame at the attachment points or not - measurements should tell the story.

Also check out the crossmember - the 70's is likely heavier than the 51 although they're both 3/4 ton setups.

Let us know how it goes - you're pioneering here!

 

I forgot about my ice cream cake with a picture of a red ford truck which I happen to be eating right now. The ride height would be about the same. The width is within 1 inch and thickness is the same. The frame is taller though. When I get the suspension I'm going to cut the whole front section off the truck. Would it be safe to cut out the bottom of the frame section(the bottom of the C channel) to weld in the crossmember. The brake to brake width is the same. I would have a professional weld the crossmember and shock towers in but I would tack them in the corners. We have a 78 F-250 so I can easily measure the frame. Another question when you install a new axle why couldn't you use the original leafs? I'm going to use a rear axle out of the same year F-250.

Nathan
I'm amazed I never got any stories of anyone at 16.

 

The twin I beam frame isn't boxed.

Nathan

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 31-Oct-02 AT 00:39 AM (EST)]Nathan

You usually can use the original leaf springs if you have an appropriate spring perch width. Not to hard to change perch. I think your 78 rear is going to be considerablly wider than a 51.

OK, here's a "16" story. I drove a 70 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 car. Rebuilt engine and good body. Sold it for $1300 as I recall. Sure glad I'm not stuck with that car today. Oh yeah, had a 74 Pinto with Starsky and Hutch stripes too. Probably never heard of those guys I'll bet

Most of the rest of the guys here rode horses and had outdoor plumbing when they were 16. That's why they didn't tell you any childhood car stories. Well maybe their not that old.

'fenders

 

Happy birthday Dueller!!! Glad to see some young guys in this hobby.

 

Happy birthday Nathan! Fatfenders is right. And we walked 5 miles to school, uphill both ways! My first car was a '27 T coupe, well, almost was a car. Actually just a body. Purchased in 1963 from a farmer for $10, had tin on the roof, broomsticks thru windows, used as a chicken coop, first running street legal car was a '54 Ford 2dr sedan with a 272 3 spd, #5 cylinder had a wristpin scratch and had to change that oil fouled plug weekly. Bought it to use motor/trans/rearend in above mentioned 27. Ended up trading engine/trans for an Olds engine that ended up in the coupe. Next was a bone sock '37 Ford 85hp truck. Mechanical brakes, had to start planning how you were going to stop as soon as you let the clutch out. Had no door glass, made for interesting nights at the drive in movies with a date. Traded that for a 46 Ford coupe with a '57 Olds J-2 engine with 3 2bbl carbs, 39 truck trans, closed driveline. Quickly learned how to change those solid steel driveshafts in a hurry. Starter went out 2nd day I owned it, push started it for a year. Amazing how I could always find a hill to park on. I have owned several hundred vehicles over the 54 years I have been around, if I could go back and get one back it would be the '37 Ford PU.

Happy birthday Nathan! Thanks for asking the question, I enjoyed going back to some good memories. But, always remember, the goo ole days are today and tomorrow!

 

Fenders forgot to mention Huggy Bear!

Stories? My first ride was a hand-me-down family station wagon - '64 Coutry Sedan with a 289 and 3 spd column shift. I crested a hill and came upon a disabled vehicle with a 'good samaritan' parked in my lane - drove it across a ditch and down a harvested cornfield at 70 mph to avoid an accident. Learned to solder shut damaged radiator tubes on that car after an evening changing a waterpump. And for some reason the parents of my dates never seemed too crazy about my car????

Look at the bright side - you won't get any speeding tickets pushing your frame around.

 

The rear axle is the same width. Any thing more about my questions. I don't mind the stories(I guess I should have kept my mouth shut)



Nathan

 

HEY!..WHAT about Huggy Bear?....Did I miss something?

 

See MT, you just mention Huggy and here he is. This FTE thing is World Wide baby! And stop pestering us with truck questions Nathan, we're busy reliving the 70's.

'fenders

 

Just because you are still in the seventies doesn't mean you can't help a guy out. I guess I won't get to the wrecker this weekend because a guy is coming to clean the corrals.

Nathan
Disco Stu is Back!
(Simpsons)

 

Nathan

See the smiley face icon. I'm kidding, this is obviously the place for your truck talk. Nobody here seems to have done this swap before. I thought we tried to offer input. If you are going to pioneer it, you better get busy measuring and figuring out what problem this will cause when I do that. etc. Lots of that with any swap. We'll be here for your questions.

'fenders

 

Hey Guys! We have another whole week to reminisce - dig out the doubleknits and 'fros and don't forget the platform shoes.....UHH, on the otherhand forget - some things should just disappear from the fashion scene. Actually, the 60's were more fun.....or was it the 50's?????

Sorry Dueller, got carried away for a minute (but thats what you get for hanging out with old farts) By the way, I had a bd on the 26th and I'm slightly more than 3 times your age at 49, but mentally I'm ?????

To make up for wandering off, I just went out in the EXTREME cold and crawled under my 77 150 to review the I beam setup. Pull everything off the donor truck that is part of the setup. I beams, crossmember and brackets, shock/spring towers, stabilizing arms/brackets, and mine has a separate crossmember at the back of the stabilizing arms.

On the half-ton, the frame only rises about an inch where the shock/spring tower bracket attaches. I have a '85 3/4 ton frame sitting here and the rise is much higher 2" at least I'd estimate. What I don't know is if the difference is due to 70/80's series or 1/2 to 3/4 tons.

Check this out - you might want to use an F150 setup (heavy Half) to avoid using shims/brackets normally used when adding a lift kit.

I think it would work for you without too much trouble. Take everything down to the bare frame before you start cutting and get accurate measurements from cab mounts to axle center.

I also don't know what an F3 frame measures so I'm clueless about leaving part of the 70's framerail attached to the crossmember. You'll have to do the math to figure that all out. Sorry, but this is as close as I can come.

On the rear, 'fenders already told you the axles swap easily. Use your old springs and save yourself a bunch of work. They all connect the same way. Keep us informed.