Gotta few questions!
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Manitoba Canada
Gotta few questions!
Hey all im new here i have a 1980 f150 with 4.9 first off what is the biggest tires i can fit under this beast without a lift i haven't desided weather i want a body lift or not lol 2nd what is a good rear end to get i want be able to go atleast 60-65 mph on the highway yet i wanna have some more power to spin bigger tires what would you recommend?? thanks alot
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what trans do you have? what rearend ratio do you have now? 4x4, right? without an overdrive trans, it's hard to have nice low gears without overrevving on the freeway. I've got 31's and 3.55 gears, a 300 straight six, and a 4 speed granny tranny, and I turn about 2800 RPMs at 65mph. a little high for me.
I'll just say that I don't like body lifts. (so I wouldn't get one) With no lift, you should be able to clear 33's just fine. maybe 35's with the right bakpacing and if you don't turn too sharp. kinda depends on how much arch is left in your springs, and if your truck still rides nice and tall.
I'll just say that I don't like body lifts. (so I wouldn't get one) With no lift, you should be able to clear 33's just fine. maybe 35's with the right bakpacing and if you don't turn too sharp. kinda depends on how much arch is left in your springs, and if your truck still rides nice and tall.
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Manitoba Canada
Im not sure what trans i have but its a 3speed with overdrive. I have 2.75 gears right now. I just have a 2x4. 2800 rpms is way to high for me i want it at around 1800 so like a 3.25 if they make them?
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: San Diego
Chances are you have the greatest transmission there is (not)... I am in the same boat, but I am going to transplant a different tranny into mine. Still debating the rearend (I have 2.75's as well)
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From: Almost Heaven
32x11.5's would probably fit. 31x10.5's will fit for sure. I have a 3'' body lift. No complaints from me. If you go with a 32'' tire or larger, I recomend either a 3.55 or 3.73 gear set. If you go with 31 or 32'' tires, 3.55's are all you need. 3.73 would be okay too but don't go any lower.
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Well, you've got overdrive, so you won't turn as high of RPM's as me anyway. If you do get a body lift, make sure you use Grade 8 hardware. you don't want to break a bolt and have you and/or somebody else be injured by it.
bill, don't you have 4.11 gears?
bill, don't you have 4.11 gears?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Almost Heaven
Yes sir I do. That's how I know not to go any lower than 3.73. The torque is amazing with these gears but they just aren't neeeded for a half ton daily driver that sees much highway. My RPM's are roughly 2,200 at 60 mph. A little higher than I would prefer. I like to be able to cruise at 70. In-town power is amazing tho. I wish there was some way to split the gearing.. 4.10 in town and 3.27 for the highway would be ideal.
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....A two-speed rear end!!!
(like out of a delivery truck or a dump truck)
Yeah, but that truck must really pull though for such a little truck. I bet you light 'em up a lot too...
I always refer to my dad's 95 f150 for comparison, the difference in power with that EFI is pretty amazing, (compared to my truck) how it pulls the heavy SC LB truck up hills with 3.08 gears. You can tell it's outgeared, but it just keeps pulling. Then I think about a light little EFI 300 with 4.11 gears... thing must burn!
(like out of a delivery truck or a dump truck)Yeah, but that truck must really pull though for such a little truck. I bet you light 'em up a lot too...
I always refer to my dad's 95 f150 for comparison, the difference in power with that EFI is pretty amazing, (compared to my truck) how it pulls the heavy SC LB truck up hills with 3.08 gears. You can tell it's outgeared, but it just keeps pulling. Then I think about a light little EFI 300 with 4.11 gears... thing must burn!
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,021
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From: Almost Heaven
Man I know it, I'd love to have a 2 speed rear end. Is your dad's truck an automatic or manual? Your carb'd 300 makes a lot more low end power than it's EFI brothers. I've heard numbers close to 270 lbs at 1,400. EFI makes 260 at 2,000. Do you have headers on your 300?
My truck doesn't haul like you think it would. She's no race truck for sure. I think it has a fuel delivery problem. 217,000 miles tho, the fact that she runs good and gets 16 to the gallon is good enough fo me my friend. It's a fun little truck to drive around town tho even so. I just love these old Fords.. They're all built like tanks.
Are you eating pork and sour krout too?
My truck doesn't haul like you think it would. She's no race truck for sure. I think it has a fuel delivery problem. 217,000 miles tho, the fact that she runs good and gets 16 to the gallon is good enough fo me my friend. It's a fun little truck to drive around town tho even so. I just love these old Fords.. They're all built like tanks.
Are you eating pork and sour krout too?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Almost Heaven
The manual makes a difference too. More free power. Lucky dog, I wish I had steak n'taters.
My truck doesn't have a cat either. Well, there's a shell there, but I don't know for sure if it's gutted. My truck sounds just like a tractor down low, I like it. I just wish I had ran a short Gpack instead of the flowmaster.
No headers for me. Just the factory manifolds. My engine is all stock too besides the exhaust as just mentioned. My truck is mainly left alone. I'm too lazy and don't have enough knowledge to really dive into it, lol. That's why I'm so fond of the I6 engines; most of them are bullet proof and that's just the kind of thing I need!
My truck doesn't have a cat either. Well, there's a shell there, but I don't know for sure if it's gutted. My truck sounds just like a tractor down low, I like it. I just wish I had ran a short Gpack instead of the flowmaster.
No headers for me. Just the factory manifolds. My engine is all stock too besides the exhaust as just mentioned. My truck is mainly left alone. I'm too lazy and don't have enough knowledge to really dive into it, lol. That's why I'm so fond of the I6 engines; most of them are bullet proof and that's just the kind of thing I need!
