# 1996 F350 Pics



## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

here's some pics of my 1996 f350 i bought back in may to replace my 1986 f250. the factory setup i was after and i found in this truck was 351 engine, e4od trans, 4.10 gears, towing package, cab lights, rear sliding window, and XL package - i didn't want power anything. manual windows, locks, no carpet - i like to keep it simple.

i searched for this truck for 7 months before finding it. body is in excellent shape. all original paint.

since purchasing it, i've done quite a bit of work - pulled motor to install new oil pan, new radiator support, FMS stainless shorty headers, bassani Y pipe, 70 series flowmaster, clean and paint engine, clean and paint frame to end of cab (will pull bed and do rest of frame in the spring), all new brake lines and transmission lines, transgo shift kit installation, rear end full locker, all new brakes, all new fluids. clean, paint, and swap plow from 86 f250, etc, etc - the list goes on.

the current rims/tires will come off probably next week and the stock steel rims with 235 85 16 snow tires will go on.

what do you guys think?


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

here's a couple more....


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## Mister Plow (Jan 21, 2009)

Sweeeeeet!!!


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## 06HD BOSS (Nov 28, 2005)

Nice man. Did you find it locally? If i could find a clean 96 or 97 with the 7.3 i would buy one.


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## KL&M Snow Div. (Jan 2, 2009)

Looks good, you can park it at my house


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## gkm (Nov 6, 2004)

loks like a work horse


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

Nice looking truck. I bet it must plow good.


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## tat2d_diver (Nov 26, 2009)

Awesome truck. I had a 1996 F350 with a 460 & 5 speed, 4:10 gears, and Detroit lockers front & rear. The thing was a beast, wish I still had it. Yours looks great!!


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

really nice truck. good luck with it.


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## f250man (Jan 28, 2005)

Nice looking truck and I wish you didn't have to take the bumper of with the old plow set ups


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

Sweet truck! I never liked how the old school Meyer and Westerns sat behind the bumper. Pretty hack to me. Fisher designed it right to go in front of the bumper.


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## SuperdutyShane (Mar 6, 2009)

Nice truck. I have a 1994 F350 and I just put new tires on the stock rims, they are 235/85/16 like you mentioned, and they looked so small on such a big truck.


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## EaTmYtAiLpIpEs (Aug 23, 2007)

Banksy;879310 said:


> Sweet truck! I never liked how the old school Meyer and Westerns sat behind the bumper. Pretty hack to me. Fisher designed it right to go in front of the bumper.


well thats because fisher knows what they are doing  how have ya been banks??


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

thanks guys. the front bumper can go back on, but it would be just spaced out from its factory location. i'm gonna leave it off for now and then make some brackets in the spring. 

i did find it locally. only about 5 miles from me. funny how that worked out after searching for so long...

can't wait to get our first snow and see how she does.


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## Mackman (Nov 3, 2009)

How many miles?


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

bought it with 95,000, has 96,000 now.


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## Nozzleman (Feb 6, 2003)

Nice truck. Now lets see the engine and interior.


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## JDWalkbehind (Oct 14, 2007)

Wow very cool. How do you like the shift kit? Feel like it's helped alot? I've got a 96 F250 and i've kinda been thinking about a shift kit but i'm not sure how much it would do? Would you recommend yours?


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

That truck is straight- pretty rare to see one so rust free. Post up some pics of the motor and frame. Real nice.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

here's some pics of the motor and engine bay prior to reassembly. i'll get some pics of the interior and completed engine compartment.

as for the shift kit, i love it. highly recommended. nice, firm shifts. that means less slippage, less wear, and lower trans temps. the e4od's die of high temps. an auxilary trans cooler is the first priority (the factory gave me one with the towing package), followed by a shift kit. i got my kit for $60. transgo makes a more expoensive kit used for serious towing, but i didn't need that. its cheap insurance to protect the most expensive (and overlooked) part of your drivetrain.


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## JDWalkbehind (Oct 14, 2007)

how hard was it to install your trans kit? What all did you have to do? I'm very interested in getting a shift kit for my truck. BTW The pic's of your truck look great so far!


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## firelwn82 (Feb 14, 2006)

Very very nice. I'm lookin for another one. I want an entire fleet of these trucks. 351 is unstoppable but the ideal combo would be the TANK!! 7.3/e4od, 20+mpg depending on the foot behind it. Pretty much loaded or unloaded. Thats my dream combo but good luck finding one at a decent price.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

here's a few shots of the interior. i spent a lot of time in here cleaning it after i bought the truck. i never pulled and washed the seat cover and it looks like it could use it now.

originally truck did not have a tachometer, so i found a cluster from a bronco with tach that i swapped in. i was able to transfer my speedo and odometer over to the bronco cluster, so i am able to keep the original mileage on the clock.

i also threw in a shot of my tried and true 8 foot western conventional that will mount up to the truck.


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## GPS (Jun 27, 2008)

Looks like it's going to be a great truck for you. The '92 to '97 F-series is my favorite body style, and the 350s with the solid axle are the toughest beast ever, IMO.

After looking at the engine pics, I wanted to let you know of a small detail that could drive you crazy (like it did to me). On the 5.0 and 5.8 Fords, you can get a serious pinging/spark knock under load from induction through the plug wires. After lots of head-scratching on a Bronco I used to have, a friend of a friend at a Ford dealer showed me a TSB about plug wire routing. The #7 and #8 plug wires can't be run side by side, or crossfiring will occur. Anywhere they cross must be at a 90 degree angle. Same with #2 and #4. I was sceptical, because I had MSD 9mm top-of-the-line plug wires on there, but that was the fix.

Keep up the good work!


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## theonlybull (Oct 17, 2004)

nice lookin truck man. damn clean too. i'd be gettin some undercoatin' in that body before it gets asalted...... 

i just finished building a 94 f-250HD, with an 85 front clip, and 351W 4v HO. with an old school 8' fisher. should be a plowing beast. the extra 600 lbs gvw, and the solid front axle would be nice though


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## firelwn82 (Feb 14, 2006)

theonlybull;880741 said:


> nice lookin truck man. damn clean too. i'd be gettin some undercoatin' in that body before it gets asalted......
> 
> i just finished building a 94 f-250HD, with an 85 front clip, and 351W 4v HO. with an old school 8' fisher. should be a plowing beast. the extra 600 lbs gvw, and the solid front axle would be nice though


Show us some pictures man


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## theonlybull (Oct 17, 2004)

firelwn82;880801 said:


> Show us some pictures man


i will, as soon as it stops raining... just bolted the front bumper on last friday lol


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

JDWalkbehind;880498 said:


> how hard was it to install your trans kit? What all did you have to do? I'm very interested in getting a shift kit for my truck. BTW The pic's of your truck look great so far!


it was intimidating. espeically since the transgo instructions leave a lot to be desired. but once i got into it, it all started to make sense. you need to have a pretty good deal of mechanical ability, but it wasn't rocket science. the best advice i can give is to take your time and keep things very, very clean and organized. have a few cans of spray brake cleaner on hand. i used it to clean everything. be careful when dropping the seperator plate. this was the scariest part - all those check balls... and use a dab of vasoline when reinstalling the check balls to hold them in place. needless to say, replace the filter while you are in there. and be aware the e4od needs about 16-18 quarts of fluid. use mercon/dextron III (no mercon V). and get a stay-put filter clip kit. e4od filters are known to drop into the pan leaving you without reverse. the clip is cheap insurance.


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## PDQ Pete (Dec 22, 2002)

Nice truck, those trucks are hard to get in to with out a step aren't they.


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## timberjack (Dec 21, 2000)

Nice truck linckeil. I just sold my 95 F250, which was almost a twin to yours, aside from the dana 60, mine was black though, and had a 7.3, with a manual transmission. If i hadn't fell into a wicked deal on an '07 F250 i'd probably have kept it.

Here's a pic from 4 years ago, i had an 8.5' Western Ultramount on it.



I just completed the install of a 9'2" V-XT today on my 96 F250. Though it's pretty much an F350 now that i've got a "60" in it. Here's a snap.


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## pro50guy (Sep 20, 2009)

love the older fords, ill work on some pics of my 93 f350 7.3 5spd


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

GPS;880684 said:


> After looking at the engine pics, I wanted to let you know of a small detail that could drive you crazy (like it did to me). On the 5.0 and 5.8 Fords, you can get a serious pinging/spark knock under load from induction through the plug wires. After lots of head-scratching on a Bronco I used to have, a friend of a friend at a Ford dealer showed me a TSB about plug wire routing. The #7 and #8 plug wires can't be run side by side, or crossfiring will occur. Anywhere they cross must be at a 90 degree angle. Same with #2 and #4. I was sceptical, because I had MSD 9mm top-of-the-line plug wires on there, but that was the fix.


really? i've owned small block fords since i was 16 and i never heard of this. do you happen to know what year/models the TSB references? ford changed up the firing order on the small blocks over the years, so i doubt its true for all small blocks all the way back to the early 60's. but thanks for the heads up, i'll definetly keep this mind.....


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## GPS (Jun 27, 2008)

linckeil;882193 said:


> really? i've owned small block fords since i was 16 and i never heard of this. do you happen to know what year/models the TSB references? ford changed up the firing order on the small blocks over the years, so i doubt its true for all small blocks all the way back to the early 60's. but thanks for the heads up, i'll definetly keep this mind.....


Best I could find on a search: http://www.supermotors.net/clubs/superford/registry/media/470416


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

linckeil;880627 said:


> here's a few shots of the interior...


I have never sean a plow controle mounted there. It looks like a pretty good spot for it.


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## theonlybull (Oct 17, 2004)

ok, lets see if i can make this work
this is a 94 f-250 hd, started as a frame, alxes, and a stripped out cab.
combined with the remains of an 85 f-250, and a 85 f-150. 351W 4VHO, C6 auto, 
truck was gone through from top to bottom, i did all the work, built the body,and painted the whole truck. 
has a built in mount for the 5th wheel rails, 
the back rack, slids into tubes that extend to the bottom of the frame for driver protection. 
this was mainly built for towing, hauling and plowing


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

heres a couple of shots i took today after washing the truck after the 5 inches we got during the week. she did all 50 driveways without missing a beat. all the fluids are at the same level they were a month ago. plows awesome too - and i didn't have any weight in the bed either. doesn't look as nice with the steel rims and skinny tires, but its all business when it comes to the snow.


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

Looks all business. Skinny tires kick a$$ in the snow. No ballast, huh? Do you have 4:10's or 3:55's?


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## dieselguy5245 (Aug 14, 2009)

you said that you were taking those rim and tires off and putting on stock steel ones. what are you gonna do with the rims your taking off??


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

4.10 gears. not the best on the highway, but great for plowing, towing, and around town. typically i do carry at least a half yard of sand, but didn't this time. 

wheels seen in original posting are in my shed right now and will go back on the truck in the spring. wheels seen im most recent posting are dedicated studded snows.


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## linycctitan (Aug 13, 2007)

Love it!! Wish my '86 looked half as good!


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## ProSeasons (Nov 30, 2000)

linckeil;879612 said:


> thanks guys. the front bumper can go back on, but it would be just spaced out from its factory location. i'm gonna leave it off for now and then make some brackets in the spring.
> 
> i did find it locally. only about 5 miles from me. funny how that worked out after searching for so long...
> 
> can't wait to get our first snow and see how she does.


linckeil,

That truck is too sweet to plow with. Bring it over my house and I will baby it to death!

Have you ever thought about picking up an extra bumper and cutting it in half to bolt to the pump tower on each side? Would that work? It would look like the pump and bumper were one unit.


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## theonlybull (Oct 17, 2004)

or what works even better, build a couple bumper ends, with a step in them so you can actually stand on to check the oil, or whatever... look at the front my my truck, you'll see what i mean.


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## ProSeasons (Nov 30, 2000)

theonlybull;902880 said:


> or what works even better, build a couple bumper ends, with a step in them so you can actually stand on to check the oil, or whatever... look at the front my my truck, you'll see what i mean.


Ok, sweet. Post up a pic so we can see it.

Doh! Never mind, I found it! That truck is the all around work rig, Plowing, Towing and strapping stuff down to the flatbed. You guys build cooler stuff than the dealerships sell.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

to tell you the truth, i'm getting used to it without a bumper. it makes life a lot easier when hosing the truck down after a storm. i can get all the salt off the frame rails and axle a lot easier with no bumper in the way.


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## theonlybull (Oct 17, 2004)

ProSeasons;902891 said:


> Ok, sweet. Post up a pic so we can see it.
> 
> Doh! Never mind, I found it! That truck is the all around work rig, Plowing, Towing and strapping stuff down to the flatbed. You guys build cooler stuff than the dealerships sell.


Thanks. My father and I run a machine shop, this truck is mostly for hauling equipment too and from our shop for customers. She was built for work, and a long life time, it'll get worked hard and put away wet, plenty i hope.

Good for advertising too. it's yet to get lettered, but the old ones sure get more attention then the new stuff

I don't blame you for leaving it clear to hose it off. ours gets a ton of undercoating, then get's power washed in the spring... occasionaly, it'll get washed if i happen to take it to the firehall


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## G.M.Landscaping (Nov 24, 2005)

Nice truck. You sure did a lot of work so far. Did you pull the motor just to change the oil pan gasket?
My 94 f150 needs an oil pan gasket also and I was hoping to just undo the motor mounts only to gain access(302 motor).


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

well the intention wasn't orignally to pull the motor. the stock exhaust manifolds were cracked and rotted. while trying to remove them, bolts started snapping. knowing the oil pan would be the next project, followed by replacing the rotted radiator support, i decided to pull the motor and take care of all 3 projects at once. then once the motor was pulled, i figured i'd replace all the fluid lines and clean and paint the frame and motor.... and so on and so on - the list just kept growing and growing. but now thats its all done, i'm glad it happened as it did. 

if you are just looking to replace the oil pan, then yes, you can loosen the mounts and get it up just high enough to take care of it. but its a heck of a lot easier to do on an engine stand - just a lot more work to get it to that point.


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## musicars (Dec 12, 2008)

I like improvements you've been making! How do you like the FMS headers? I'm looking at replacing the leaky manifolds on my '94 F-250 and was considering headers to try to wake it up a little. The FMS headers are the only ones that seem to bolt in while retaining the factory emission stuff. The fact that they are stainless is nice too.


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## cpsnowremoval (Oct 28, 2009)

clean truck 
looks like it handles that plow real well
i had the same problem my manifolds were cracked bought headers i broke one of the bolts off flush with the block. tried a screw extractor broke that off in the hole i drilled gave up and just put the headers on. leaks and i think i lost some back pressure


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

the FMS headers are great. i would have ideally went with long tubes as they produce the best torque numbers, but i really wanted stainless and they would have cost a fortune. and i try to use FMS stuff as much as I can, and they didn't make a long tube version. the headers would have been an ok upgrade on their own, but you really need to compliment them with a nice high flow cat and muffler. i love my exhaust setup. single best upgrade i did to the truck. 

but getting those old manifold bolts out was a real test of my patience. i used all the tricks in the books. on a couple i had to drill them out completely and pick out the portion of the bolt that remained in the threads. i was able to do it without damaging any threads at all - thank God. my worst fear was breaking off an extractor in the head. I knew i would if i tried, so i went at it with a drill.


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## green frog (Jan 2, 2007)

Great truck. I have started my quest for a 96 or 97 just like yours. Where did you end up finding it?


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## toyfarm (Jan 4, 2010)

I have a clean 97 f350 psd on ebay right now! Not sure if i can link it, but you could do a search on my number! 765-265-2119


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## firelwn82 (Feb 14, 2006)

toyfarm;1011222 said:


> I have a clean 97 f350 psd on ebay right now! Not sure if i can link it, but you could do a search on my number! 765-265-2119


Copy and paste the link..


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## toyfarm (Jan 4, 2010)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170448380873&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT


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## duramax-king (Oct 29, 2009)

how much you asking for the ford?


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## toyfarm (Jan 4, 2010)

sold....sold.....sold


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## snowplowpro (Feb 7, 2006)

*nice truck*

thats one nice truck i wish mine was that clean

what are you doing with rims since your putting stock ones back on



1996 f250 7.6 western unimount


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## My76f250 (Jan 5, 2004)

Linc, where did you get the plow frame on your truck?? and btw how come no front bumper?


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

frame was hard to find. western went to the unimount style in '94 so the conventinal frame wasn't available after that. ford made this body style from '92-'97, so thats a 2 year period that western made the conventional frame for this truck. luckily i found a guy in new jersey who was looking to swap this frame for a conventional frame from a 80-91 era ford - which i had, so i made the swap with him. i really love the old cable operated western pumps, so getting this frame was a must for me - otherwise i would have modified my 80-91 frame to fit this truck.

no bumper cus the 92-97 bumper is a wrap around and the western frame would push it further out - just one more obstacle to worry about when backing up in tight corners. i will be building a custom bumper for it.


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## My76f250 (Jan 5, 2004)

linc, its Brian....the one you go the frame off of lol.... i just bought a truck like yours.. a 95 f-250 5.8 with 50,000 miles and the same conventional western. i have a 97 f-350 that im pullin the rears an springs out of to swap into my truck. Your truck is sharp, gotta post some recent pics. i cant figure out how to put pics up of mine or i would. and btw i found the bumper brackets for your frame they are still on the spare bumper i have


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## BlackIrish (Dec 22, 2007)

Ultimate plow truck.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

My76f250;1047551 said:


> linc, its Brian....the one you go the frame off of lol.... i just bought a truck like yours.. a 95 f-250 5.8 with 50,000 miles and the same conventional western. i have a 97 f-350 that im pullin the rears an springs out of to swap into my truck. Your truck is sharp, gotta post some recent pics. i cant figure out how to put pics up of mine or i would. and btw i found the bumper brackets for your frame they are still on the spare bumper i have


hey brian - small world. i left you a private message about those bumper brackets. if you didn't get it, let me know.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

i did a bit of work on the truck over the past couple of weekends and snapped a few pics.

it was time to remove the bed and paint the frame. here's the pics of everything removed, the frame degreased and power washed. it was then sandblasted.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

Here it is painted


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

and assembled


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## MIDTOWNPC (Feb 17, 2007)

that is some serious work. wow!
I cant believe how good it looks. What do you do in your spare time


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## Salty dog (Dec 11, 2006)

Thoroughly enjoyed that thread

Have an 02 and 09 f-350 now , but sure do miss my 96 f-350 

Was my 1st New truck. Sold it in 04 with 128k 

Thanks for the good memories & enjoy all your hard work.

Robbo


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## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

awsome job man, it looks great!


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## ForestEdgeSnow (Aug 12, 2010)

That is awesome I have a 95 f-250 that I will never sell. You have inspired me.

Thanks for the photos


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## My76f250 (Jan 5, 2004)

I just started the same project linc. My bed came off friday i pulled my rear fuel tank an got the exhaust off. Yesterday i started power washing the frame, i got all the crossmembers clean and the ps rail and when i started the ds rail my quick coupler on the tip exploded....:crying::angry:....so i just primed what i had done for now


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

Your truck is in amazing shape. What did you use to coat the frame? Nice job.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

thanks guys. i brushed POR15 into every nook and crany, let it setup for about 3-4 hours, then topcoated it with Rustoleom that was applied with my spray gun. that goes for the frame as well as all the loose parts like the gas tanks, sway bar, driveshaft, etc.

it was a lot of work, but its a hobby of mine. i enjoy it. only thing is i have to slide under the truck with my creeper now that the bed is on to really appreciate it!

i got ball joints and universal joints in store for the dana 60 within the next month or so. the axle will be all prettied up at the same time. once thats done all thats left is to wait for the snow...


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## CAT 245ME (Sep 10, 2006)

linckeil;1067634 said:


> thanks guys. i brushed POR15 into every nook and crany, let it setup for about 3-4 hours, then topcoated it with Rustoleom that was applied with my spray gun. that goes for the frame as well as all the loose parts like the gas tanks, sway bar, driveshaft, etc./QUOTE]
> 
> I had figured that it was POR15 that you used on the frame just by the look of it. I've done some truck frames with that stuff, it is worth every penny.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

just finished the next project - XRF ball joints, Spicer U joints, Rancho add-a-leafs, energy suspension poly leaf spring bushings, and differential fluid change. while i was at it, everything got debreased, power washed, cleaned up, and painted. here's a few pics prior to re-installation.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

and here's the installation.


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## snowman6 (Nov 15, 2009)

Very nice work. Sweet looking rig and good luck this winterpayup


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

Man thats alot of work but the results are well worth it. Damn nice job.


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## J&R Landscaping (Dec 25, 2005)

Beautiful Truck!


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## Stik208 (Oct 19, 2004)

Nice work brah, get a bumper back on it and it will be complete.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

All the new paint looks awsome.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

linckeil;1085156 said:


> just finished the next project - XRF ball joints, Spicer U joints, Rancho add-a-leafs, energy suspension poly leaf spring bushings, and differential fluid change. while i was at it, everything got debreased, power washed, cleaned up, and painted. here's a few pics prior to re-installation.


Hey I like what you're doing, I have a 97 that I've been building up and I've been looking for add a leafs with no success, the ones you installed look as if they are for the rear since they're pretty short in length. I assume you have the p/n and I'd like to know what it is.

thx
David


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## DugHD (Nov 1, 2005)

Very nice job!


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## trickynicky17 (Feb 12, 2009)

awesome ford great job. Bump it up for fords in ct!!!!


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## PLOWTRUCK (Sep 25, 2010)

nice I have a 97 f 350 with 126000 miles on it they are great trucks for plowing.


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## fordpsd (Aug 23, 2008)

Wow that looks awesome! I hope to someday have some extra money and time to go through my 97 psd like you did.

Good luck this winter.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

thanks guys. it takes alot more time than money. all in, this axle project cost me around $350-$400, but it took 3 weekends to do it all. i don't need the truck during the week and only have weekends to work on it.



BUFF;1085657 said:


> Hey I like what you're doing, I have a 97 that I've been building up and I've been looking for add a leafs with no success, the ones you installed look as if they are for the rear since they're pretty short in length. I assume you have the p/n and I'd like to know what it is.
> 
> thx
> David


i've had front add-a-leafs on several of these era trucks. they come in both short and long versions. the biggest concern is to get a "full taper" spring. this means the thickness tapers down as you get to the end of the spring. you can see that in the pictures. the springs that are the same thickness along the entire length are a much stiffer ride. and in my experience, the shorter springs hold the lift longer. the springs i ran are skyjacker (not rancho like i said earlier). they were the highest qualty i could find. they use US steel whereas others use cheap steel from china and taiwan.

skyjacker offers 2 springs for these trucks. F35G is for 300/302/351 engines - this is what i used. F46D is for the 460 and diesel. the F46D is a full length spring. either spring will fit any truck regardless of the engine, but skyjacker recomends using the longer F46D spring with the heavier engines, although i ran a F35G on a 1996 PSD i used to own and it held it up just as well as it holds up my 1996 351.

and if you are doing add-a-leafs, definetely do the poly bushings as well. i can guarentee your old bushings are compressed and you're losing a 1/2 inch of clearance due to the bushings alone.

i gained 1.5 inches of clearance which just about the levels the truck out. 1 inch because of the add-a-leafs, and a half inch due to the bushings.

here's where to buy the parts. cheapest place by far and i got free shipping.

http://www.autopartsdealer.com/energy_suspension_leaf_spring_bushing_sets_4_2121g-p17488-p.html

http://www.autopartsdealer.com/skyjacker_softride_addaleafs-p378364-p.html

http://www.autopartsdealer.com/skyjacker_softride_addaleafs-p85465-p.html


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

*Hey thanks*

Linckeil thanks for the info, I did the bushing kit on my old 96 PSD and it makes a world of difference. Also I ran a set of long rancho add a leafs on this truck and they ended up being a POS so I decided to pull the springs and had them re arched/tempered with another leaf at a spring shop in Denver. This worked out very well but it also was close to $300.00 and truck was down for 3days. I'm thinking I'll go with the Skyjackers this time, if they work then great if not then I'll go the way I did on my 96.

So a few post up someone mentioned you needed a bumper, don't mean to poach your thread but I recently built one of for my 97, the truck had a Meyer Classic Easy Mount on it. I wasn't a fan of the push bar approach, the look and I wanted more front end protection cause of wildlife. So check it out, the lights are mounted with dowel pins to locate on once they're lined up, the lower pump mount is on a receiver and the top is just bolted on at the pivot point. I gusseted the bumper to the plow mount for extra support to prevent sag.


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## jo2fst4u (Dec 20, 2003)

Here is my old beast

460 With Holley Pro Jection system C6 TRANS


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

got over a foot of snow on its way. just gassed her up, got a bit under a yard of sand, and hooked the plow up.

beginning of november i went through the plow and pump, rebuilding and repainting just about everything. went over all the welds and repaired a few elongated holes. also put in 3 new gauges a couple of weeks ago - trans oil temp, egine oil temp, and vacuum.

so the trucks ready, now its time for me to get ready and take a nap.


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## Omran (Oct 10, 2009)

Man, you have DONE a very Very beautiful job on your truck, I swear I respect you Man.
Thank you for sharing.

Omran


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## JerseyGreen (Sep 8, 2008)

*F350*

I love this truck


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## plowingkid35 (Nov 16, 2010)

thats a sick looking truck, i just repainted my F-250 w/7.3 diesel. I have wanted to put a plow on it put with the truck having IFS in the front its not going to happen, Anybody on here got a 1999-2003 Diesel they wanna sell? Anyways man nice work on the truck give you a lot of credit to do all that work. Good luck to ya!


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

plowingkid35;1203777 said:


> thats a sick looking truck, i just repainted my F-250 w/7.3 diesel. I have wanted to put a plow on it put with the truck having IFS in the front its not going to happen, Anybody on here got a 1999-2003 Diesel they wanna sell? Anyways man nice work on the truck give you a lot of credit to do all that work. Good luck to ya!


Go to a bone yard and pick up a solid front-end, it's a pretty easy swap


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## timberjack (Dec 21, 2000)

BUFF;1203805 said:


> Go to a bone yard and pick up a solid front-end, it's a pretty easy swap


+1 Thumbs Up

If the truck's in good shape, why not? That's what i did a couple years ago.



You can plow with the Dana 50 too, while you source the axle and other parts.

I ran my 95 F250 with an 8.5' Ultramount for 5 seasons, with a set of timbrens in the front. While i didn't work it full time plowing, about 3-4 hours after each snowfall, it handled it fine. In fact, the company that bought it is still running it as a dedicated plow unit for their residential accounts. I think it's still on the same ball joints i put in when i got it in '02.

If yours is a 97 Crew short box 4x4, and you do decide to sell, shoot me a pm, i'd be interested in seeing more of it. I've got my eye on a mint one in MN for a personal rig, but my friend isn't ready to sell it yet.


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## snowplowpro (Feb 7, 2006)

linckeil;879150 said:


> here's a couple more....


That's bad ass I love the color looks good even with a ridgid mount plow I miss those style they also made the truck look bigger and badder


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

so last weekend i installed some strobes. the front hideaways are from strobesnmore.

the cab light strobes are a kit i put together using relays and a sho-me flasher. after seeing some of the kits atomic makes for the newer trucks, i figured something similiar could be done for the OBS trucks at a fraction of the cost.

here's a video. the video doesn't really show the intensity of the lights all that well. its brighter in person.


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## BDTRUX (Sep 21, 2009)

linckeil;1085156 said:


> just finished the next project - XRF ball joints, Spicer U joints, Rancho add-a-leafs, energy suspension poly leaf spring bushings, and differential fluid change. while i was at it, everything got debreased, power washed, cleaned up, and painted. here's a few pics prior to re-installation.


Are the backing plates orginal or replacement ? I've been trying to find some, I guess no longer available from ford


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## snowplowpro (Feb 7, 2006)

plowingkid35;1203777 said:


> thats a sick looking truck, i just repainted my F-250 w/7.3 diesel. I have wanted to put a plow on it put with the truck having IFS in the front its not going to happen, Anybody on here got a 1999-2003 Diesel they wanna sell? Anyways man nice work on the truck give you a lot of credit to do all that work. Good luck to ya!


I have a 96 f250 that has the ifs suspension I plow with it.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

here's my annual update. new this year is a set of cooper studded snow tires mounted on a set of factory ford xlt aluminum rims. the rims came from a truck I owned years ago. the polished aluminum finish was in terrible shape, so I sandblasted, primed, and painted them.

I also got rid of the cable control pump and went with a solenoid control unit. there was nothing wrong with the cable unit, but I have a unimount on my other truck and I'd rather have the same pumps between the trucks. I left the cable joystick in the cab and built a bracket to sit on top of it for the solenoid controller. I designed it so I can rest my palm on the joystick handle while operating the solenoid controller. worked out pretty good. I can quickly remove the bracket if I ever need to put the cable control pump back on. the cables are still there too tucked behind the grill.

a few other upgrades here and there along with routine maintainance. shes ready for another winter and still boasts all her original sheet metal paint!


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

a few of the controller and pump


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## Triton2286 (Dec 29, 2011)

Not a bad idea leaving all the cable components intact as a backup plan.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

linckeil;1678457 said:


> here's my annual update. new this year is a set of cooper studded snow tires mounted on a set of factory ford xlt aluminum rims. the rims came from a truck I owned years ago. the polished aluminum finish was in terrible shape, so I sandblasted, primed, and painted them.


You've had a couple storms with the new tires, so what do you think about them? I need to put new shoes on my 97 and was looking at the Coopers.


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## Buck331 (Aug 19, 2010)

This is my 3rd year on a set of Hankook Dynapro ATM Tires. Before purchasing I read numerous tire threats on this site, and conducted hours if due diligence and research. I'd love to run studs, however the fine state of Minnesota outlawed them years ago. Running on my 2008 Ford F-250 v-10 (primarily used for snow plowing contract work). I could not he happier! Based on researching information I found on PlowSite, the Hankook Dynapro ATM's, Boss Power V-XT, and Odyssey battery upgrades are by far the most worthwhile dollars I've ever spent!


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## Glenn Lawn Care (Sep 28, 2009)

That is one clean truck!


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

BUFF;1688050 said:


> You've had a couple storms with the new tires, so what do you think about them? I need to put new shoes on my 97 and was looking at the Coopers.


the tires are awesome. i can't say how much of the excellent traction i attribute to the studs versus the tire itself. i can tell you the tires come siped from cooper and i know that makes a big difference. we've had 3 storms so far - 3", 5", and 4" - so nothing major, but i hardly spin the tires at all. i always make a conscience effort to not spin the tires, but the occasional times i punch it harder than i should, the tires still don't break loose on me. i carry 1 ton of sand in the bed and also have a locker in the rear - which also helps.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

Glenn Lawn Care;1688146 said:


> That is one clean truck!


thanks - its not easy keeping an 18 year old plow truck in good shape. i see 3 year old trucks that are worse off. it's a labor of love i suppose. in the 5 years i've owned it this truck has paid for itself 10 times over just pushing snow alone.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

linckeil;1689121 said:


> the tires are awesome. i can't say how much of the excellent traction i attribute to the studs versus the tire itself. i can tell you the tires come siped from cooper and i know that makes a big difference. we've had 3 storms so far - 3", 5", and 4" - so nothing major, but i hardly spin the tires at all. i always make a conscience effort to not spin the tires, but the occasional times i punch it harder than i should, the tires still don't break loose on me. i carry 1 ton of sand in the bed and also have a locker in the rear - which also helps.


Hey thanks for the feedback, I've been running GY Duratracs years round and siping makes a huge difference. Currently the tires on my 97 still have life in them but not enough for plowing. I'm going switch to run a set of studded tires for the winter and have an extra set of wheels to mount them. For the price I don't think I can go wrong, they're about $60 a tire less than the GY's in a 265/75/16E.
I have a Trac-Lock in back and carry about a 1/2 ton in the bed, and yes the diff and weight really make a difference. I prefer plowing in 2wd when ever I can and think with studs the Cooopers will be great.

Thanks again.Thumbs Up


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

i got the tires from here:

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/home.do

size 235 85 16. 4 brand new, studs installed, and delivered to my door for $700 on the nose (no tax).

by far the best price anywhere. but i bought them in April right after snow season, so I'm betting I got them a lot cheaper than you can right now.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

linckeil;1689869 said:


> i got the tires from here:
> 
> http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/home.do
> 
> ...


I use and have Discount tire stores in my area, 265/75/16 "E" mounted,etc... out the door for $694.00, I need to call to get cost on the studs. I figure/hope another $20.00 a tire.


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## weareweird69 (Dec 10, 2010)

You did a ton of work to this truck.

I wish I had the patience to do what you did to yours. A ton of preventative maintenance goes a long way.

Also. Did you convert the original cable solenoids to the electric?


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

weareweird69;1849662 said:


> Did you convert the original cable solenoids to the electric?


i wish!!! i got quite a few of the western cable controlled units laying around. but unfortunately they cannot be converted the the solenoid style. however the pump and electric motor does swap. but the valve bodies are completely different and cannot be swapped.


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## weareweird69 (Dec 10, 2010)

That's what I thought. The valve body just looked odd lol


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## snowplowpro (Feb 7, 2006)

thats sweet wish my truck looked like that


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