• Help Support Hardline Crawlers :

88 F250 Crawler on a budget

toreadorranger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
199
I recently parted out my buggy I was building and picked up a 1988 F250 7.3L IDI from a guy at work for $1500. It was going to be my winter beater but I decided to make a woods truck out of it instead. Its a Regular Cab Long bed, plans are to leave the wheel base alone and bob the bed. Going to build an internal cage. Major specs as follows

7.3L IDI non turbo diesel, 5speed ZF, Bronco BW1356 (fixed yoke)
D60, 35 spline outers, spartan locker
Sterling 10.25 Welded
38.5" SX on recentered H1's

Plan is to run the suspension all stock for now and cut the fenders for tire clearance.

IMG_20150619_193622_365_zpsrh4ikraz.jpg


Grabbed a 86 F350 Parts truck for $500, I kept the axles and suspension and sold the rest off so I ended up making $100 on the deal in the end.

20150715_133455_zpssxpec9ps.jpg


20150715_133518_zpsbhaecao5.jpg


20150715_133847_zpsnkofvuoc.jpg


20150715_133736_zpssv07c64g.jpg


Friend of mine decided he wanted a set of 43" SX so I picked up his 38.5" SXs for $450 and a set of H1s off of him for another $125 for 5, I already had a spare 38.5" SX.

izozoUbUgfakBZtUt9EwEUNvxbPvjt8XyF9w6Ml0x68=w368-h653-no
 
Built a cheap axle stand out of a old harborfreight engine stand. Got the front axle up on the stand. rolls around nice and easy and is pretty sturdy. In the future I may add a brace or two for some extra reinforcement

KMbmwBSVXlcUpzHcAnbwST_zEemQzdsxOJ3qLlCoTq8=w1161-h653-no


T5x1IVMaMb-zwQg1YwQutq-YgXO8bKt22Kj2nm_X_Hg=w1161-h653-no


HStgFYmw8_okde59wRjLul0C_1p0IxS-v4rlHGsK3nUXGQr_pLOTfSJtk2dJexSaWZBIYWtcVUsUKMe5azHFo6W3kyEcu5QRcAvl1etO9B6qIZZuyZWpRrXsxaE37OZujqh9iLV0RZ_11TZfweRHYgsbOMCnNOtKOM9o2nZjYfImTHS_cnICd_NkT322HhCfgRO5-sI7C3fJBPEiWTnc3AKWrH1kWnzm_pADSPik9natQCMoqNwWfhZS80eljIX-DjRlat8t5yQqou5t0TTL2f7pxNiGtnNUN3oYox1nAEnvdzVcdkUDcunQfQQXw8Q9LYRjMa79giHJpFCtMJjWFOwRFh5XWFI2W5SU6GTJoXQkvGaQ8exyB8rCG4SC-5ZSxgVIPk0ryGXbW3WlzgsITt4JJHIZRS9cCQczeegfTtHfPNwYhwok8VTx1PoQJp4VVwT8oXNY_MQJzKaI53UifSZZzSZ-oOnxUVSFPVo410b4LKhLtCWGTTGF50ePHgcII9eKEvauDAs1691U-TRNbw8=w655-h325-no


All the misc parts all cleaned up.

MYQPCVqKqZWusvDJBjCDFiXRBmOu0sY_G6o1uFExvjITGRPeInsPs80G8_KfpSyZxm1jGKNtTv9GEoFZfKNI0WG17SFv12WdjkZSjnasVAH9t77pD2UG-kWRvNaF3XNf5bLo_aUQ5IXk41NQG1-M3VlwhxktCutQMIqgDiwMzI1wmuuWPvepsUmkof1952QVUJy-fpFReHj5Bd7K9lZVowZognvNfruDTcfjtvpktm9R_HWWhsicCV-qIjfrvlz1Dws0tpJn4tjJ9ZqXOABAfXHixOfCWVBLnuy4B2lQxtgnl2DrLgiFw8xA72S_khRshTJLmFYz8WiR9khYbgE2Lb0SieAoDNk4eGv_Dq63uB3N79xlk4DhDwjlSAZDMMf4PLJb3i6xuQQOgdBZQElVHstfAoMmm_kJxKUDe3aVdgriUw7rXn5V1D-onOpLY6-PkDXh2PxCsubpRMsfol0ya6p5f8tscWT9KqbFY6NMWaAHbmAMP4AXOGjbz6pUhCvlmjTWswPhj0Ufbf5SiKv47vg=w368-h653-no
 
I traded the stock 3.54 D60 gears for a set of 4.10s to match my current Sterling 10.25. Sold the stock knuckles and picked up a set of Solid Knuckles off of here for cheap. I was originally going to plate the stock ones but for the price is was a no brainer to get the aftermarket ones.

Started working on a set of rock sliders, had a ton of 2x2x.25wall square left over from my buggy build. They are long, at 93" they are only about 1" shy of a wranglers wheel base haha. I left a little room at the ends since I will be cutting the fenders to fit the 38's.

20160308_174739_zpsncigfit8.jpg


Cutout of my H1 centers at a friends shop with the plasma cutter, doing them by hand would have sucked.

20160328_182504_zps9a9ry9mo.jpg


The outer rings I kept from my buggy and they were already ford Blue so it worked out perfectly, I liked the look so much Im going to paint the inners gray and leave the outers blue.

20160329_190657_zpspqeqmgys.jpg
 
Got all my wheels welded up. I managed to not line up two of them the right way and now the studs can't be put back into the wheels, which is unfortunate, but not the end of the world. Ill run bolts in those wheels instead of the studs, which is what I had on my other set of H1's anyways.

20160406_181853_zpseixiy6zh.jpg
 
Wheeling the stock suspension on these trucks sucks ass.

I had a 95 reg cab f350 on 40s and then 37s, welded, Spartan, etc etc.

It would "go good" but absolutely beat the **** out of you.

I'd be looking at swapping some multi leaf pack springs in the front and softening up the rear pack.
 
TBItoy said:
Wheeling the stock suspension on these trucks sucks ass.

I had a 95 reg cab f350 on 40s and then 37s, welded, Spartan, etc etc.

It would "go good" but absolutely beat the **** out of you.

I'd be looking at swapping some multi leaf pack springs in the front and softening up the rear pack.

Ill have to take a look at that stuff. Right now I have the 460 Solid axle springs out of the F350 parts truck going in the front when I swap the axle, since everything I have read says the F250 TTB springs are way to stiff for after the swap. My plan is to get the axle swapped and see what the height of the truck ends up at. If I need more Ill do a shackle reversal up front and flip the rear shackle. Which depending on cash flow I might just preemptively do anyways.
 
I'm hoping next week to tackle the gear install. First time doing that so, it should be interesting. I have a few buddies who have done it and will help out and I have setup bearings so I should be good to go.
 
Steering was ordered today, ruffstuff was having a 20% sale on their steering kits so, I took it as a sign and had to order.
 
I finally got my gears setup in the front 60, which was easier than I was expecting for my first time. I'm finishing up the D60 overhaul. Figured id replace the kingpins while everything was apart. They actually came out without a big fight but Had a question about putting them back in. Any reason I shouldn't use some red Loctite when I crank them back down?
 
toreadorranger said:
Any reason I shouldn't use some red Loctite when I crank them back down?

I would. You damn sure don't want them coming loose.
 
Axle is slowly going together, regeared to 4.10, Solid knuckles and cover, Lockrite locker, 4340 35 spline stubs and stock inners for now. Waiting on new wheel bearings and then it can go together and I should be ready to throw it under the truck.

20160605_150408_zpssi1po9an.jpg


20160605_174004_zps2nezl2dk.jpg
 
Axle is finally done, Ill be leaving for vacation next week so install will have to wait for now, but I'll be very glad to get rid of the TTB.

20160608_194308_zpsnyd1784v.jpg


Side note, I'm not pumped about the G2 hubs I bought, I was trying to be cheap and I don't think they are going to last. They don't appear to be even as strong as the stock hubs. We will see but I might pull them and get something else before it hits the trail.

20160608_192612_zpsp926hpp6.jpg


20160608_192807_zpskcagqfqa.jpg


20160608_192840_zpsg39nbnzy.jpg
 
Been slowly plugging away at this when I have time. Been working 7 days a week for the past couple weeks and wont be back to normal schedule for another 5 or 6 but I did get the crusty TTB out. It was in really rough shape which would explain the nasty death wobble I had with it. Got the front leafs all refurbed with new bushings and center pins, and the axle under the truck. Need to get sometime to measure and build the steering.

Anyone know which Hardline vendors are PSC dealers? I need a SC2200K 1.5x8" Single ended Ram for my hydro assist, would rather support someone here than amazon if I can help it.
 
Save those TTB axleshafts, you can make yourself some spare 1350 driveshafts out of the pretty easily

Love this build!
 
Neal3000 said:
Save those TTB axleshafts, you can make yourself some spare 1350 driveshafts out of the pretty easily

Love this build!

My truck is one of the rare diesels with the HD D44 not the D50 front end. I don't thing they are 1350s in the 44s are they?
 
Pulled it back apart today and got the ubolt plates all straightened out so the u bolts actually sit flat and clamp. Need to dig the ruffstuff steering kit out of the attic and start measuring and getting that going.

out with the old:

20160810_202904_zpsaafrdgrx.jpg


In with the new:

20160830_181551_zpsr81fn6ji.jpg
 

Latest posts

Top