[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]I sold my 1988 F250. (Should have kept it) I found a 97F350 4X4 with a 351 with AT. I don’t know the mileage yet. The truck is in fair shape. Rust on the doors and around the wheel wells on the bed. The truck was used by a land scraper to pull an enclosed trailer and plow snow. He has put in a new fuel tank, brake and gas lines and an alternator.

What should I look for when I go back to see it and drive it this weekend.

Thanks for your help

Bill

 

Had to remove someone's offer from this thread. Please use PMs or email.

 

According to my "The History of Ford Trucks" book, the 351 cid (5.8L) was only made up until 1996. The 5.4L replaced it in 1997.

If it is a 351 cid, being in a 1-ton truck with a trailer is a little light (210 hp). That engine was worked hard and the transmission probably had to slip to make up for that. Check to see if it has or did have a 5th wheel or goose-neck ball in the bed, if so it was used to pull very heavy trailers.

 

Ask if any front end work was done recently. If not, you are likely into a set of ball joints. If it is a 4WD truck and has auto hubs installed they will probably need to be replaced.

If the transmission was regularly serviced and the mileage is reasonable it should still be OK.

The brake line replacement and other corrosion mean that you should look closely at the rear spring hangars to see if they need replacement. This is common in high-rust areas.

Lou Braun

 

Sounds like the writers of the "History of Ford Trucks", were Chevy guys

The 351 was indeed offered in the F250HD on up in the 97 model year. Remember the old style we all miss and love ran with the then new style F150 and F250LD of which the 5.4 was during that model year later offered.

First it had better have 4.10's. Pulling a trailer snow plowing ect the trans could be ready to grenade. Pay attention to it closely on the test drive. Enclosed trailer tells me lawn mowers. Light loads compared to bobcats mini hoes ect. Depending on the gearing, price, and the way it feels when you test drive it while be a deciding factor. Also service records condition of the interior could also come into play. Good records and tight clean interior tell me it was taken care of. Possibly could need shocks and breaks perhaps exhaust? Not so cheap on a 1 ton. The things you listed that were replaced already are very common replacement items and if you hadn't listed them I would have probably said to look them over close they must be about shot. So that is a good thing. Does it come with the plow? Check over that wiring with or without it in case they removed it. Sometimes people really hack away. It could be a good truck with lots of life left in it or it could be a bomb. You'll have to make the call. Plow truck cancer will take the body so to preserve it plan on body panel replacement. Repair doesn't last long. On the plus side it is a 1 ton. Easy to side under it to service it and a solid heavy front axle. Of which check for play at the steering knuckles and the steering having been a plow truck. Good luck hope it to be what your looking for...

 

Thank you to every one. We are just south of Cleveland so we know rust. I am not too worried about the bed. I would like to put a flat bed on it. The truck is owned by a guy down the street. I only know him from doing stump grinding in the area. He has kept the truck clean and the inside is in excellent shape. All of his equipment is in good shape and that is the reason I went to see the truck. It dose come with the Western plow. The tires look like the have half there life on them still and don’t show any uneven were. They are calling for a lot of snow the rest of the week so I wont get back there until Sunday.