Guys I am thinking about buying a '83 F250 plow truck with a 351 for my long driveway and my parents drive. I have not seen the truck with my own eyes yet but I've seen a lot of pics. The owner is pretty clueless of what he has.

My first question is can someone tell me if the front axle is a d44 or d50 from the pic below? I've read here that you can tell by the size of the hub outside the wheel but I'm not sure. I can tell you it is 8 lug leaf sprung with 7 leaves per pack.

My second question is about the vin#? (2FTDF15G5DCA77652) From what I've read that # (which was read off the title and double checked by the owner) makes it a F150(1/2ton) not a F250 (3/4ton). Again from what I've read f150's of this era are coil sprung and f250's are leaf sprung. This truck is definitly leaf sprung 8lug. It has 250 badges aswell. Not that, that matters.

Anybody have an explanation of what is going on with the vin# thing?

 

250 axles on 150 frame man...

they never and will never make a 3/4 ton truck with a reg. cab short bed.
this thing has been hack and tapped.

looks great though, i would get it.

 

It looks like a D50 from the size of the hubs. It used to happen alot in the Northern States where you have a good running/driving 4x4 and the body rusts out, so you buy a nice 2wd and swap the body. It also has the 87-up box on it, so I am sure it was a body swap due to the original rusting out or damaged.

 

Can anyone else confirm it "looks" like a dana 50? That is the mojor sticking point on weather or not I buy. I can get this truck for well under $1000 and I'm trying to decide what to do.

I have a few more pics the guy sent via e-mail of the front and rear axle but I'm not sure how to post them. Can anyone here post them if I e-mail them to you?

From what I've read the rear looks like a 10.5 Sterling because it doesn't have a fill plug in the rear diff cover. It also appears to be a full floater. That is another important thing I would like to know for sure.

I really appreicate the help so far. You guys seam to be right on the money. I'd love to hear more about the '87 bed and anything else a guy with a good Ford eye might notice.

 

That Has to be the Dana 50 IFS axle due to the sheer size of the Hub, It is a very strong axle and I run an 85 F350 with the 460 and 38 inch Swampers that has that axle and it holds up great!. That rear axle is probably not a Sterling though because they weren't put into the trucks until 1987 and up, so it is probably a 60 or he swapped it out. Truck looks good though and for under a grand its a deal if you ask me.

 

Here is the only other pic I know how to post at the moment.

 

Ford stopped putting the solid front axles in all their 4wd's. in 79.
From 80-85.5 Ford put independent front axles in ALL of the 4wd. trucks to lower them.
After 85.5 they started putting the Dana 60 solid (straight) front axle back into the 4wd F350 only because plowing was reeking havoc with the IFS, while still installing the dana 50 IFS and the Dana 44 IFS in all other F250's.
F150's all got the D44's.
If the axle is a solid, it is a D60, if it is an independent (sizzors), it is a D50 or D44.
D60's and D50's share the same large hub that completely fills out the center hole in the rim.
D44's are much smaller then the center hole in the rim.
At the exact same time they did away with the IFS D50 front in the 350's and started installing the solid D60's (85.5), Ford stopped installing the Dana rear ends and started installing the Sterling rears. You will not find a Dana rear axle in an 85.5 or newer F250 or F350 from the factory.
You will not find a Sterling rear axle in an 85.5 or older F250 or F350.
Your truck is of the 80-86 vintage.
The bed is 87 or newer.
The rear axle is a Sterling 10.25 which denotes an 85.5 or newer truck.
The front hubs completely fill the center rim holes which mean D50 or D60.
The stance (height) looks like a F350 because Ford put positive arch springs on the D60 solid front axle only so it would not hit the crossmember on severe bumps. On the IFS axles the front leaf springs are flat.
If your truck has an IFS (independent front axle), is an F250 with the HD D50 front differential.
If it has a solid (straight) front axle, it is an F350 with a Dana 60.
I collect the 80-86 F250's and F350's.
I have owned and dissected at least 75 of them.
I currently have 26 at last count.
Steve G.
PS. If the truck cab was damaged beyond repair at one time, chances are the body shop could have replaced it with a cab from a 150 and not changed the VIN (did not want a salvage title)
Maybe they replaced the bed at the same time!

 

I would not worry about it being heavy duty if you are only plowing the two driveways for your own use. I have a 7.5 foot plow on my f150, and have been plowing my church and a couple driveways for two years now with no trouble. It works very well, and it's not a truck that sits around and used for just plowing. It's used all year round.

 

Wow! Thanks 8lugs...that is some good tech there. If this thing turns out to have a solid d60 in the front I will do back flips all 100 miles there to pick it up.

I have a few questions for you, hopefully you don't mind.

You say the rear sterling is only in '85.5 and up but you also mentioned (at least that's how I read your reply) that this truck has the sterling? Are you implying that the truck is really an 85 or do you see something in the pics that clues you in that it is in fact a sterling. I did some searches on this site and read that if there is a drain plug in the rear it is a dana axle and if it has the plug in the front it is a sterling. I have some pics of the rear and there is no plug in the rear.

Oh, I also noticed (in some other pics I can't figure how to post) that there is lift blocks in the rear. Is that factory installed (I doubt it) or did someone do that for more lift? I'm thinking someone put a new axle in the front and had to use the lift blocks in the rear to mach the ride hight.

 

On a Sterling full float rear, the hubs will stick out a little more than a Dana full floater. Also the Sterling hub will look a little different, almost a cheeper or less rugged look than a Dana.
A Dana axle will have 10 bolts securing it's cover.
A Sterling axle will have 12 bolts securing it's cover.
With an IFS front end, you will have 2" spacers in between the rear spring and axle.
With a Dana 60 front, you will have 4" spacers out back to compensate for the positive arch springs in front.
Steve G.

 

Andy,
I got your pictures.
Your truck has the Dana 50 IFS (TTB) front axle.
The rear axle is a Sterling 10.25 (which makes your truck an 85.5 or 86)
It is a HD F250 (8600-8900 GVWR)
It has a 4" lift kit installed.
7 leaf positive arch front springs
drop brackets to lower the TTB pivot points
4" blocks added to the rear along with the factory 2" blocks.
Steve G.

 

Well, I'm going to toss this out, and maybe I can get answers. What I'm seeing is the small lockout hub, which I found to be the most common. My dad's 84 250 has the large hubs, which require the 1 ton lockouts, monstrous things. My 86 has the smaller hubs that are common on gas and diesel. Both our trucks are diesels. Did they use different lockouts, but stay D50's?
As far as the snow plowing goes, I wouldn't worry about it taking it, no matter which you use, they will handle it. The leaf springs will help out more than front coils will. All 3/4 trucks use leaf fronts on the 4x4.

 

to determine the type of front diff, look closely at the locking hub the 44 is smaller than the 50-60.
here are 2 pictures to see what i mean .
the first is a Dana 44 hub
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e261/tjctransport/D44hub.jpg
and this is a Dana 50-60 hub.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../d50-60hub.jpg
the difference in a d50 and a D60 is that a 50 is independent (hinged in center)
and the 60 is a solid axle

 

All F250 4wd.'s came standard with the Dana 44 8 lug (small hub) front axle with exception to;
snowfighter package (snowplow)
extended cab trucks
With those you got the Dana 50 (large hub)
Even the HD 250's (8600 GVWR) came with the Dana 44's
All F350's came with the Dana 50 up to 85.5
After that they came with the Dana 60 monobeam
Steve G.

 

Ok, that confirms what I thought. My 86 is a D44, my dad's 84 is a D50. It what I thought. I run pretty good loads with my goosneck, and parts failure hasn't been a problem. I realize that isn't quite the same as a plow on the front, but it still loads it. My 4wd does get used every so often as well.
I see what made the difference there, 8 Lugs, since his is extended cab, mine is standard...