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Hey guys. I have this wield idea. I have 2 1997 F350 Crew cab long trucks. One dually which is in perfect condition w/160,000 miles on it. The other is 4x4 (spend last 3 days trying to cut off the seam welds holding the boxed frame in. Little did i know there were 3 rivets also holding the boxed portion in. ) and the frame is might be bent from a car crash it might not. the top side of the frame on passenger side is about 1/2" closer to the driver side of the frame.
I was thinking of cutting that frame in half (top from bottom) and welding it to the good truck frame. would thickening the frame help increasing the GVWR of the vehicle? I am wanting to convert the brakes to hydroboost (like the super duty had) along with disk rear brakes.
Going to change the injectors. (I am not sure what chip to use edge evolution cts2 or the hydra chip w/edge insight). larger turbo with a valve diverter (50% more hp and 40% more tq). K&N or S&B intake with MBRP Exhaust. I am going to put the 4x4 from the totaled truck (thats why I'm removing the boxed front end) w/ ZFS5-47 tranny. Im also going wield and wanting to put in a gear splitter so id get more gears (instead of 5 ill get 9). Going to put HD springs up front (3,486 + 1,300 add-a-leaf) and rear (4,295 + 1,300 add-a-leaf). Im not going to cut into the good truck frame so I'm going to order a reverse shackle kit which also would help with ride quality
The gear splitter will give me +50 Hp, +60 Tq, 22-28% better mpg, 23% less rpm. So when I'm going 75 Mph (going 2500 rpm normally), I'd get same mpg as 55 Mph (~1950 Rpm).
This is the good truck.
Bad truck frame. The Dana 60 is out along with the transmission and transferase.
Just say no to the edge, and the K&N....larger turbo with diverter valve? What the heck is that, and it WILL NOT give you 50% more HP, I guarantee it, only more fuel can increase HP.
Explain to me again how a gear splitter will give you 50 more HP? 😑
Lower the RPMs while towing could very well decrease your milage, there comes a point where your lugging the engine and efficiency goes backwards ....
If your doing an RSK I dont think you will need to box the frame, but you better ask who ever you are buying it from.
Just say no to the edge, and the K&N....larger turbo with diverter valve? What the heck is that, and it WILL NOT give you 50% more HP, I guarantee it, only more fuel can increase HP.
Explain to me again how a gear splitter will give you 50 more HP? ��
Lower the RPMs while towing could very well decrease your milage, there comes a point where your lugging the engine and efficiency goes backwards ....
If your doing an RSK I dont think you will need to box the frame, but you better ask who ever you are buying it from.
Larger turbos speed up slower and give you power at the high end of the rpm range. BD have a T4 turbo diverter valve. From what I am understanding about it is that it funnels the exhaust into the turbo so that the larger turbo will speed up faster.
An add on gear splitter can/will have different gearing inside of it because it is like a second transmission behind yours. Without having the splitter gears are 1-2-3-4-5 on a ZFS5-47 transmission correct? With gear splitter it will be 1 - 2 - 2 high - 3 - 3 high - 4 - 4 high - 5 - 5 high (not recommended for towing).
Why wouldn't you use Edge products or K&N?
Im building this truck to handle a 20-30ft gooseneck trailer that has 8-10 tons of grape during harvest along with tractors. Im in california so there are hills and mountains that i need to climb so more hp/tq. better fuel milage with be awesome.
Larger turbos speed up slower and give you power at the high end of the rpm range. BD have a T4 turbo diverter valve. From what I am understanding about it is that it funnels the exhaust into the turbo so that the larger turbo will speed up faster.
I'd spend my money elsewhere but that is me. If these truly worked as well as they claim they'd be on almost every truck out there, as well as the new technology of the manufacturers. That is not going to magically increase your output by 50 hp and 40 ft lbs...as a general rule you gain in a 2:1 ratio tq:hp on these motors... I doubt this thing does much at all outside of a drag truck application, and you are needing to switch over to a t4 setup w turbo...2500 ish $ minimum... I can't spew negative thoughts about it as I have not tried one... so let us know how it goes
An add on gear splitter can/will have different gearing inside of it because it is like a second transmission behind yours. Without having the splitter gears are 1-2-3-4-5 on a ZFS5-47 transmission correct? With gear splitter it will be 1 - 2 - 2 high - 3 - 3 high - 4 - 4 high - 5 - 5 high (not recommended for towing). Agreed, are you using a gear vendors unit? It does not gain you a single .00001 HP, just applies what you have differently
Why wouldn't you use Edge products or K&N? K&n Filters do not filter proper dust particles on these motors and will destroy the turbo/engine...just do a general google search of all of the bad experiences... do a 6637 filter from Riffraff diese: filter better and flow equally if not more.
Edge prgrammers fry PCMs...which cost used about 500$...google that as well, the Edge insight is simply a monitoring device
Im building this truck to handle a 20-30ft gooseneck trailer that has 8-10 tons of grape during harvest along with tractors. Im in california so there are hills and mountains that i need to climb so more hp/tq. better fuel milage with be awesome.
You'll have 16-20,000 lbs inside the trailer? plus a 7,000 lbs of enclosed trailer? If so buy a different truck or save up 10k+$$$ to build the truck to pull it, stopping is a different animal.
So are you trying to lower hwy rpm, or increase your hwy MPG??? Cuz with a heavy load at speed the LAST thing a V8 diesel needs is lower rpm. Your gunna want high rpms to stay on the high end of the power band. The PSD makes 225 hp @ 3,000 rpm, not 2,000, not 1,600....
That turbo thing might work, I personally know a few NTPA tractor pullers and they weld in a similar thing to increase the velocity of the exhaust charge hitting the wheel, basically spins it faster on the low end. But the trade off is restriction on the top end, but hopefully by then your at full sing and going 25 mph and momentum will carry you through.
I have been thinking that Ill tow less (4-5 maybe 6 if possible tons at a time). It'd be easier to transport with a smaller trailer and easier to get out of the field.
Ill be using a flat deck trailer, not enclosed. No need to waist weigh when the grapes go to wineries and same day start wine making. I can pick up a 20' deck with 5' dove tail trailer really low. The bins are 4'wx4'lx2''t and are half ton capacity and will be stacked (2 bins high) to make 1 ton. The area of the trailer used on the trailer will be 12' deep.
The bins can hold up to 1,000 lbs but I've seen ranges from 500lb-800lb in the bins including the bin. So really 12 bins x 800lb= 9600 lbs max. 20 bins x 800lb= 16,000lb max plus the weight of the trailer. Is this more realistic?
We got way off topic. I was wondering if i double the thickness of my frame of my truck was worth it?
I have been thinking that Ill tow less (4-5 maybe 6 if possible tons at a time). It'd be easier to transport with a smaller trailer and easier to get out of the field.
Ill be using a flat deck trailer, not enclosed. No need to waist weigh when the grapes go to wineries and same day start wine making. I can pick up a 20' deck with 5' dove tail trailer really low. The bins are 4'wx4'lx2''t and are half ton capacity and will be stacked (2 bins high) to make 1 ton. The area of the trailer used on the trailer will be 12' deep.
The bins can hold up to 1,000 lbs but I've seen ranges from 500lb-800lb in the bins including the bin. So really 12 bins x 800lb= 9600 lbs max. 20 bins x 800lb= 16,000lb max plus the weight of the trailer. Is this more realistic?
We got way off topic. I was wondering if i double the thickness of my frame of my truck was worth it?
It will tow 16k just fine, just slow being bone stock.
To answer your question on the frame, no its not worth the effort for what you are doing. If done properly it will be stronger, but at the end of the day the truck will tow much heavier just fine.
Like I mentioned, its not a matter if it can tow it, more so if it can stop it.... better have good trailer brakes.
Id assume they will be electric trailer brakes disk or drum, it doesn't matter. Should have electric drums on it already correct? What are you planning on for the truck?
I'm planning on doing the super duty set up. Hydroboost brakes, disk conversion rear, upgraded rotor and pads with exhaust brake and downshifting.
Understood, might be better off simply swapping axles out of a SD and dropping in the hydroboost. I say this as its likely cheaper as SD axles are fairly common and cheap.
05-25-2016, 11:41 AM
I have 2 1997 F350 Crew cab long trucks. One dually which is in perfect condition w/160,000 miles on it. The other is 4x4 (spend last 3 days trying to cut off the seam welds holding the boxed frame in. Little did i know there were 3 rivets also holding the boxed portion in. 
) and the frame is might be bent from a car crash it might not. the top side of the frame on passenger side is about 1/2" closer to the driver side of the frame. 
