I'm wondering how to keep my F250 working like a truck, but also steer and handle better on the twisty little goat trails that lead up to the cabin I call "home".
I've had a couple of GM trucks, and have liked the way they handled, and am wondering about what it would take to stuff the IFS and front cradle from a C20 or C30 underneath the front of my old truck. Maybe the C30, so i can possibly keep my original wheels...
Has anyone done this yet? And what does it do for ride height? Down a little doesn't matter... up a little and the truck gets to be a bit more level...
Please don't insult us all here like that.
Just go buy yourself a chebby and sell the Ford truck to someone.
Basketcase
Jeff http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=46251
SOLD-71 F-350 dually flatbed, 302 / .030 over V-8 with a "baby"C-6, B & M truckshifter, Dana70/4.11 ratio, intermittent wipers, tilt steering, full LED lighting on the flat bed, and no stereo yet (this way I can hear the rattles to diagnose)! SOLD!
Many Ford bumps / one 76' EB / and several dents through the years.
A lot of "oddball" Ford parts collected from working on them for 34 years now!
2008 Ford Escape 4 x 4
So the other replies WERE useless and pretty pig-headed.
How's this: As I look around I see far more F250s on the road than I do C20/C30s of the same era.
This could be because the bodys rot faster, or because the components used to build the truck were insufficient to stand up to the abuse.
I know the Twin I beam in your truck was one of the most durable IFS suspensions ever built.
So as I ponder your question I have to wonder if the components on the Chevy IFS are up to the task of keeping your F250 a working truck.
As for will the cradle work - I dunno, never worked on a Chevy truck built after '53. But since you would be swapping it in I am sure you could make it give you the ride height you want with just a little careful fab.
Good luck either way - keep us - or even just me, informed as it sounds interesting.
Eric
Got Ford?
2 EarlyBroncos (68,69)
2 Classic Mustangs (69,70)
1 F250 4x4 (71) - OB - 360, NP435, D24, HPD60 4.10, D60,
1 94 Ranger, 2.3, 5spd
1 Lincoln Mark VIII
If you want a Chevy, go buy one. Having actually worked on those IFS systems, I consider them utterly worthless and will not help someone butcher up a good, tough old Ford with that crap. Enjoy your FAIL.
Who pissed in your wheaties today? I thought this forum was a place for an exchange of ideas, not a place to get flamed for an idea.
Your most recent post at least had useful info... it is nice to hear someone who has experience with the system in question, but that doesn't mean you need to be an a-hole about it.
Is there some reason you chose to attack rather than just state that in your opinion the IFS system he was looking at was a POS?
Anyway, I am old enough that your flames won't even singe my short and curlies, so go for it.
Regards,
Eric
Got Ford?
2 EarlyBroncos (68,69)
2 Classic Mustangs (69,70)
1 F250 4x4 (71) - OB - 360, NP435, D24, HPD60 4.10, D60,
1 94 Ranger, 2.3, 5spd
1 Lincoln Mark VIII
There is a 76 f100 2wd runnning around with a chevy front end so he could lower it. I have looked it over real close to see how it was. It looks like an easy job to dau and the frame width was about the same. Now the flip side is he says it drives worse than the twin ibeam with drop beams he had before. If you try it out get some pictures and let us know.
As far as some of the other answers you got. It's not like that around here most of the time. I guess some people don't understand that no matter who stamped it out steel is steel. Paint it all red when you are done and call it aftermarket.
It's worth a try if it's really what you want, but I can't see how C20 suspension could be tougher than twin I-beam stuff. From my first hand experience my 70 F-100 2wd rode far nicer than my dad's 96 C2500. Shoot any highboy I've had with decent shocks and a tight front end rides better than that thing.
I have always been impressed by twin I-beam and cannot fathom anything being an upgrade from it. I think it rides great and is tougher than any A-arm suspension out there.
Thanks for the commentary, all who responded, whether helpful or utterly [censored] useless, helpless, hopeless, and retarded. Now I know who is whom, and whose opinions I can disregard out of hand, and whose questions I know not to bother reading, much less answering, even if I can, and also those whose answers were genuine and helpful and whose questions I will read and answer if I can. That's the way a forum works.
That said:
My complaint isn't with the ride of the truck, which I can't fault. It's darned comfy, and I know the twin I-Beams are tough as nails.
The problem is, it wallows around corners like a drunken whale on crack. The bushings are alright, if 38 years old, and the kingpins and steering members and whatnot are in good shape. I'm looking to help out the handling. Is there a good anti-sway bar, or SOMETHING that can help this situation? I've heard that the anti-sway bars for the bumpsides are weird, and less than effective, but haven't yet seen a good recommendation for remedy.
For those who have responded that I should just buy a Chevy, well, you see, I could have. For the same $500 I paid for the Ford, I could have had my choice of Chevrolets that ran as well, and were in similar shape. I bought the Ford because I wanted it. It reminds me of the Ford my Grandpa had when I was a little kid. I've never been a "Ford guy", and after my experiences with a '97 F250 with the retarded-assed way they stuck the spark plugs way up underneath the cowl, making them nearly impossible to replace, I vowed I would never ever EVER buy a new Ford. But I wanted THIS Ford, and I'm looking at buying a shortie to turn into a mileage-getter that still says "Hillbilly" as I drive it around Silicon Valley.
In short, haters can go to Hell. I didn't ask YOU a question, and I would appreciate it if you'd just keep your vitriol and ignorance the Hell to yourself.
Those who have something USEFUL to say, and who are interested in lending a hand, or knowledge, are more than welcome to post, and I will do what I can to return the favor, if I have knowledge you need.
Thanks for the commentary, all who responded, whether helpful or utterly [censored] useless, helpless, hopeless, and retarded. Now I know who is whom, and whose opinions I can disregard out of hand, and whose questions I know not to bother reading, much less answering, even if I can, and also those whose answers were genuine and helpful and whose questions I will read and answer if I can. That's the way a forum works.
That said:
My complaint isn't with the ride of the truck, which I can't fault. It's darned comfy, and I know the twin I-Beams are tough as nails.
The problem is, it wallows around corners like a drunken whale on crack. The bushings are alright, if 38 years old, and the kingpins and steering members and whatnot are in good shape. I'm looking to help out the handling. Is there a good anti-sway bar, or SOMETHING that can help this situation? I've heard that the anti-sway bars for the bumpsides are weird, and less than effective, but haven't yet seen a good recommendation for remedy.
For those who have responded that I should just buy a Chevy, well, you see, I could have. For the same $500 I paid for the Ford, I could have had my choice of Chevrolets that ran as well, and were in similar shape. I bought the Ford because I wanted it. It reminds me of the Ford my Grandpa had when I was a little kid. I've never been a "Ford guy", and after my experiences with a '97 F250 with the retarded-assed way they stuck the spark plugs way up underneath the cowl, making them nearly impossible to replace, I vowed I would never ever EVER buy a new Ford. But I wanted THIS Ford, and I'm looking at buying a shortie to turn into a mileage-getter that still says "Hillbilly" as I drive it around Silicon Valley.
In short, haters can go to Hell. I didn't ask YOU a question, and I would appreciate it if you'd just keep your vitriol and ignorance the Hell to yourself.
Those who have something USEFUL to say, and who are interested in lending a hand, or knowledge, are more than welcome to post, and I will do what I can to return the favor, if I have knowledge you need.
If you want to keep the I-beam setup (which I see as a far superior and much stronger IFS frontend), but want it to handle reasonably well, scare up a swaybar from a F350 (or select F250s). I just hate to hear about someone butchering up a perfectly good, hardworking old Ford to swap in an inferior front suspension system, such as Chevy A-arm....and it is entirely possible that I may have had a one or two drinks too many to remain civil. My apologies.
Thanks! That's the kind of info that might lead me to the promised land. Between this, showing why the bumpside antisway bar is undesirable (interferes with headers, more an afterthought than an integrally-designed suspension member, not able to work as well as the standard-type bar) and the info others have posted in the Suspension forum about the Addco, I may have a way forward with the bumpside I-beams.
You aren't limited to just bumpside swaybars. You can use the stuff up through 79, it bolts right up. The later F-350 swaybars are pretty darn big. I've never had installed a swaybar on a bump, but I have driven dentsides that had them factory and they did handle very well.
I'd say first and foremost absolutely replace the rubber bushings in the front end if they are original or look old. I used the urathane ones with great results.
I have to say The twin-I-beam does very well in rough road situations. My 70 F-100 was a beater, but the drivetrain was super, the front suspension was all new. There is a local to me over a mountain gravel road shortcut that's a lot of fun to push the limits of a beater old truck on. I'm not talking some Nascar sanctioned, timed event, but in my seat of the pants opinion and in some serious hillbilly 70 F-100 VS 70's chevy gravel road race action the Ford always came out miles ahead. I could bump my ego by saying driver skill, but I really think I owed it all to twin-I-beam and 300 six power.
Addco sway bars are sid to work great. I have a couple on order for my 68 f100. If yo usearch the forum you will find many post about them. Also the front springs go to hell on these trucks. A new set will make a world of difference. They are like 80 bucks or so at autozone and only take a few hours tops in the driveway to swap them out.
I use KYB gas Adjust shocks and a sway bar from LMC mine is a f-100 but, with the stroker and wide tires, it corners and handles very well. None of that side to side motion associated with the twin I beam.
Found them for f250 here
