Thinking about converting my 66 to a 1/2 ton

[66camperspecial]

Since its been about 30 years since I driven a 60s 3/4 ton very long and found out my back could not handle the bouncing like it did when I was in my 20s so I am toying with the idea of converting my 66 to a 1/2 ton,I have a 78 that could donate the front suspension and a local junkyard has plenty that could donate a rear end and springs. I planned on driving the 66 long distances but there is no way I can so has anyone converted their 250 to a 1/2 ton,I wish I would have driven it further then I did before doing all the work on it.

[bmcgc]

There are way fewer 250s than 100s. Why not sell or trade the 250 for a 100?

[66camperspecial]

I might just try to find a nice late 80s or early 90s F150 XLT for my road trip truck and leave the 250 for a toy.

[Toyz]

I used to convert them the other way; just be aware the '77-up rears are considerably wider. Might just try removing a few (or a bunch) of the leafs in the rear and utilizing half-ton coils in the front. A set of good shocks and some P-series tires in place of the LT's will make a considerable improvement. Beams may require re-alignment due to the changed ride height.
Paul

[thenephilm]

If you want some improvement on ride quality, I would get rid of the beams entirely and put a mustang 2 crossmember in or a crown vic crossmember.

[Toyz]

A set of MOOG Cargo Coil variable rate springs for a half ton and a set of Edelbrock IAS shocks will definitely improve ride quality.
Paul

[Blackwaterforge]

Just throw a dozen or so anvils in the bed!

[bmcgc]

I had 350 lbs in the back of my F100 LWB on the interstate today. What a smooth ride.

[66camperspecial]

I have all winter to think about it but most likely will convert to 1/2 ton next spring after I get a 65 or 66 f100 9 inch and rear springs,I will rethink this if I can get a NV4500 trans reasonable as it will need o/d even with 3.54 gears if I drive alot on the highway which I want to do. One thing nice about the 9 inch rear ends are you can have plenty of gears to change when the need arises and easy to do with plenty of center sections in stock,since I have a complete 78 front suspension the change over to a 1/2 ton will be much cheaper then getting overdrive behind the 460 so with a 9 inch I can experiment on different gears to get it where I like it and wont have to go to the expense of a o/d trans.

[chris401]

Like Paul said 250 are less plentiful. When I redid the suspension on my F250 I learned that the frame and I beams, spindles and springs are the same as a half ton. I don't know about brackets on rear though. Wish I had a half ton to trade you.

[Shadow]

Before You Spend $$$ Changing Over To The 9" You Might Just Try A Set Of Different Rear Springs. The Camper Special Leaf-Packs Are Really Stiff & Ride Like A Stage-Coach. I Ditched The Stock Spring Packs And Put Reverse-Eye Mono's Front & Rear On Mine. It's Still An F-250 Only The Stance Is Greatly Improved And It Rides Like A Cadillac Now. Why Not Embrace The Fact That You Own An F-250?

[bmcgc]

If you swap to a 1/2 ton rear end how about one out of a 73-79?

You will have to move the spring perches but you will also even out the front and rear track, that should improve cornering and looks.

[bmcgc]

How much weight can you carry with a reverse eye mono?

[66camperspecial]

The ride is not the only concern,even with the 3.54 gears it is still going to need overdrive so I can go on the highways for long trips but there is no cheap way to get o/d behind the 460. I should have put a 351-w and AOD but got the fresh 460 cheap so I could not pass it up,I can change it over to a 1/2 ton and fix the ride problem and not tall enough gears at one time for much less money then a trans with o/d.

[Shadow]

How much weight can you carry with a reverse eye mono?

If You Are Planning On Hauling A Lot Of Weight I Wouldn't Recommend The Mono's. I Haul My Bikes And A Couple Ice Chests Without Any Issues. However, I Think The Mono's Are Rated Higher Than A Stock F-100 Leaf-Pack And They Sure Ride Nice. ...

[bmcgc]

Lots of 73+ f100-F150s had 2.75 gears. I have a set on my garage floor I pulled out of a rear end I bought for $50.

Lots of guys here don't like the 2.75s but Ford put a bunch of them in trucks and they know more than I do.

Im going to try taller tires first, if that doesn't improve the highway ride I will drop the 2.75s in. At the worst I wasted my time and $50 if I don't like them.

When did F250s go to the twin I beam?

[Toyz]

Lots of 73+ f100-F150s had 2.75 gears. I have a set on my garage floor I pulled out of a rear end I bought for $50.

Lots of guys here don't like the 2.75s but Ford put a bunch of them in trucks and they know more than I do.
Im going to try taller tires first, if that doesn't improve the highway ride I will drop the 2.75s in. At the worst I wasted my time and $50 if I don't like them.

When did F250s go to the twin I beam?

[color=#FF0000]While I agree with part of your statement; please provide some data as to Ford putting 2.75's in a bunch of trucks, particularly slicks or bumps./color]
As to your question; my guess would be about the same time as they were put in the F100's.
Also, based on my fuzzy calculations, (which you are welcome to challenge),dropping to a 2.75 numerical ratio, even from the next ratio offered in the slicks, is considerably different from a roughly 2 % change in tire diameter!

Paul

[bmcgc]

Paul look around in the salvage yards. Ive seen 5 or 6 2.75 rear ends in dents at the P-N-P. The one I have came out of a 75 with a 390 and a 3 speed. A guy down the street from me has a 83 F100 with a 300 and a 3 speed and 2.75 gears. He has had it since new and is getting ready to do a resto on it. It needs it.

As far as how many Ford put in trucks, I have no idea but the 2.75 geared 9 inch in a F series truck is not rare or unusual, there are plenty of them out there if you look around.

[Toyz]

Might want to do a little more research before you "drop" the 2.75's in.
Paul

[bmcgc]

What research is that?

Yes I will lose some low end.

99% of my driving falls between 5-45 mph or 70 mph.

I never tow.

I occasionally haul up to 400 lbs in the bed for short distances, that's maybe once or twice a year.

We like to travel to swap meets and car shows up to 3 hours away 3-4 times a year, all interstate. I often go to Atlanta, that's about 1-2 hours on the interstate.

My current tires are 27.4in tall. That's 2780 rpm at 70mph. 1793 rpm at 45 mph.

265/70/15: 29.65 tall. 2578 rpm at 70 mph. 1657 rpm at 45 mph.

Swap out the 3.25s for 2.75s and run a 235/75R15 which is the tire I would really like to run because it the tallest tire in a whitewall for under $100.

235/75/15: 28.9 tall. 2238 rpm at 70 mph. 1439 rpm at 45 mph.

Whats your take on these numbers, considering the use of the truck?