Hi,
I have a 1997 F 250 HD 4x4 (old body style). 7.5L / 460 big block engine.
This truck has just recently been retired to my hunting ranch in Northern California...no longer gonna be a daily driver. I have already begun to attack the tires and suspension. What else can I do now that this doesn't have to be street legal anymore? Come on guys...its like a dream come true. Tell me all your wild ideas cheap and pricey....This truck will never see pavement again.

Can I remove all the smog crap? Remove the Cat? What are my 'bolt-on' power options?

I look forward to hearing all your ideas. Feel free to offer ideas on other overall truck improvements as well...no need to stop with the engine

TOM

 

545 stroker kit, if you want to keep the efi-mustang mass air conversion, if youd be ok with a carb- throw some trick flow street heads on there with an edelbrock victor intake and 1050 dominator carb and a nice hydraulic cam, but stroke it either way also some good headers.

 

Just make the thing f'ing loud as hell, I wouldnt put to much money into an offroad truck, just do the bare essentials. I would get a set of headers and 2 1/2 or 3 inch true dual and let thing scream straight pipe

 

Well,
I already have a Flowmaster installed. Did that years ago when it was still a daily driver. Just your typical cat-back system.
I would love to install headers and true dual exhaust but that sounds rather pricey. Would that eliminate the cat? What do you do with the computer when you eliminate the cat and various O2 sensors?

Tom

 

if youre sticking with the fuel injection, you just weld some o2 sensor bungs into the collectors on the headers- just make sure theyre equal distance from the engine- otherwise they can get thrown off... also the true duals would be a good choice and yes they eliminate the cats, and dont forget to put an x-pipe crossover so you keep both sides of the engine even. also, how many wires do your o2 sensors have? if theyre 1 or 2 then they need a muffler so you cant run straight pipes. if they have 3 or 4 then theyre self-heating and dont require backpressure to get a reading.

 

Might as well put in off-road gears--like 5.14's or lower--since you aren't gonna drive on roads. You might as well get the power you do have to the ground better, especially if you are getting a lift and tires.

If you are questioning putting on dual exhaust because of the price, then I guess a stroker or supercharger is out of the question? Most true off road rigs have the money in the drivetrain--as in from the motor back--to make sure they always make it home. Axles, brakes, tires/wheels, etc.

 

Well then,

That being said what do you think would be a good and cheap method of increasing traction? The rear 10.25 sterling axle has a factory limited slip....don't know if it is still working at 105,000 miles. I believe the front IFS is a Dana 50 axle with an open dif. Or did they ever put limited slip in the front of the Heavy Duty model F-250? I know I should go for a solid axle swap but I have yet to find an affordable way of doing that. Is there something else I can do to both the front and back axles to increase traction?

T

 

full spools? lousy for road, but great for offroad, and only cost about 200 each- you just unbolt your ring gears from the existing diffs and bolt them onto the spools... both sides turn at exactly the same rate all the time. you dont get better traction than that... turning just sucks with them. you also dont get more reliable- theyre just a solid piece of metal- you remove the carrier and install the spool- no spider gears or carrier to worry about anymore.

 

Great idea.

However, I have not been able to find a spool for the 10.25 sterling rear axle. Do you know of a place? And...do they make a spool for the IFS front axle? I cannot even find a locker for that axle. I know I should do the solid axle swap but so far the Ford TTB axle in front is doing just fine. If I could find a limited slip or locker for the front that would be great also.

Any help is greatly appreciated. If you're in my area and looking for 4 wheelin and hunting let me know. I own 800 acres of fun.

T

 

i have a powertrax locker in the rear of my truck works great ., i think they make one for the front also . chuck

 

i looked around and i couldnt find a spool for a 10.25 either, but i did find a couple lockers for the ttb setup. $365 for a lockright locker- part number pt 2510 at www.jawsgear.com