Hey guys, noob here.

Just bought a 1992 F150 Flareside Limited Edition, 117"wb. 2WD, 302/E4OD. Been cleaning mud and junk off it and noticed that the engine has been offset about 1.5" or so towards the passenger side, leaving over 3"s space on the drivers side and not much on the passenger side at the frame rails. Why is this? There seems to be enough clearance to center the engine. I'll be taking the body off soon and that seems a good time to center things up. Is there some reason I shouldn't do so? The trans crossmember mount is also shifted over, and the rear end too.

Is this some sort of balancing scheme or what? To make more driver room in the cab? For the mid-chassis fuel tank? also mounted on the drivers side.

I'm out to build a stout drivetrain so the rearend would not be a problem as I am going to go with an aftermarket posi that gets rid of the c-clips and adds rear discs. The fuel tank can be removed or down-sized.

I'd appreciate any info,

Rob

 

OK, I actually used the search function and read about the equal length axles stuff. I'll have to ask the rearend guys about that, maybe use a car-type. Thanks anyway.

 

There's no need to center anything up, you can beef up the driveline up the way it is. Moving it may cause the transmission to rub on the underside of the cab and the stock motor mounts probably wont work either, as well as the transmission crossmember mounting points.
I think the offset is mainly due to the 4x4 applications (transfer case, driveshaft and differntial housing) though someone else may chime in, with some factual info, that supports why there is an offset.
As for the getting rid of the C-clips, (c-clip eliminator) I've read quite a few stories where they leak shortly after the eliminator conversion is installed. I'd personally leave the rear braking system alone and beef up the front (slotted and/or vented rotors with better pads) being that the majority of the stopping power comes from the front brakes anyway.

 

I don't know about that being factual but it sure does sounds logical.

 

I appreciate that info. I hadn't heard about the elimination of the c-clips causing leakage. Some of the rearend builders, like Strange, etc, offer that as a matter of course, along with setting things up for discs. My thought there being perhaps a small savings in unsprung weight, tho given the size of the tires I like to run - 30" to 32" - that probably wouldn't amount to much real benefit, aside from a bit better stopping power.

The tranny is another matter. The E4OD that's in there is about shot. Fluid slightly brown w/ small air bubbles, no 1st gear, no OD, no truck movement below about 1800 rpm. Thinking of trashing it and going to a manual, save about 75/80 lbs, don't have to cool it, don't need a computer to run it, no fluid HP losses. In a heavy vehicle like this, maybe a Z-spec T5 close ratio, or a TKO600 if I decide to add nitrous. Both of these have top mounted shifters near the centerline of trans.

A couple other considerations occur to me. The tendency to lift the drivers front wheel during hard accelleration would be helped a bit by shifting everything back to the center, towards the drivers side. Not to mention the general balance of the vehicle.

Decisions, decisions.

Thanks,

Rob


1992 F-150 SWB Flareside Limited Edition
EFI 5.0L/E4OD/3.55 2WD
Metallic Cherry ext/Grey & Black int
Factory 7.5" Chrome wheels w/31x15's

190k very hard miles. I'll be redoing everything.

 

Ahh... yeah.... You're new to trucks I see. There won't be any lifting of the front tires unless you do something about the vehicles excesive front end weight bias, it's probably something like 75/25 front to back on a reg cab 2WD. Even with drag radials and lowered suspension a pickup will have traction problems.

 

Ah - oops, I'd forgotten about that little detail. Although I did read an article about these guys who put a 460 in a Ranger and managed to get a 54/46 fr/rr balance. I think that involved some major surgery, tho.

Rob

 

That tendency is from the torque of the engine which I doubt will change with then engine centered or not...good luck.