1991 F350 Crew Cab Diesel Dually Build - Project Brownie...

[bulletpruf]

After I sold my previous project truck (Brutus - 87 F350 CCLB DRW 4x4 7.3 IDI-T ZF5) it was only a matter of time before I found another one.

Anyway, once I moved home to Texas, I found a nice 7.3 IDI powered crew cab dually. It's a 1991 XLT Lariat, 7.3, ZF-5, Sterling 10.25 (with 4.10's and limited slip) rear wheel drive truck that came off a ranch in central Texas. It's a solid two-owner truck (I'm the third owner) with only 147k miles.

It made the 100 mile trip home with no problems, but it needs a LOT of TLC.

I posted a video on my YouTube channel of picking it up and driving it home; that has a lot of the details. Please let me know what YOU would do with the truck - do a solid axle swap with a D60? Turbo it? Leave it naturally aspirated? What else?

Thanks,

Scott

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[bulletpruf]

The first order of business was to do something about the rolling stock - mismatched dry-rotted tires on stock steel wheels.

I think shiny Alcoa's would look silly on an old ranch truck but I wanted something a bit better than the beat up stock steel wheels without breaking the bank, so I decided to powder coat the stock wheels satin black. It was $150/wheel and they turned out great! Yes, I could have blasted them in the driveway and painted them with a rattle can but that would have taken forever. I could have saved a few $ by not doing the spare or the inner wheels in the back but I went ahead and did all 7.

For tires, I spent way too much time agonizing over the decision, but I ended up going with a Hankook Dynapro AT2 in 235 - 85 - 16. From what I can tell, it's about as big as you can go without the tires rubbing in the back. I have more experience with SRW trucks than DRW, but the conventional wisdom seems to be that tires rubbing together is a bad thing -- can cause friction, and friction causes heat, and heat causes blowouts. There's also less air circulating around the sidewalls if they're mashed together. Yes, I could have gone with wheel spacers, but I decided against it, at least for now. As for the tires, they're only $160 each from Amazon with free shipping and they have really good ratings. Lots of anecdotal evidence out there, too.

I splurged and went with Alcoa lug nuts (about $150 for a set of 32), but mostly because I didn't want to have to blast and paint my stock ones.

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[rreegg]

Super nice truck, plan on keeping the front bumper/brush guard?

 

[bulletpruf]

Super nice truck, plan on keeping the front bumper/brush guard?

Already removed and sold. It wasn't the correct one for the truck so it was welded on and I'm not a big fan of that.

I sourced a stock front bumper but may scuff it and paint it black so it will match the wheels and the rear bumper that I sourced for it.

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[bulletpruf]

So, I got underneath the truck to change the oil a few days ago and it looks like someone did some off-roading at some point. I'm a bit concerned that the oil pump pickup is too close to the bottom of the pan. Think I'm going to drain the oil out and stick an inspection camera in there to see how much clearance I have. If it's too close, I figure I can use a stud welder to weld some studs to the pan and then pull it back into shape a bit.

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[KansasIDI]

So, I got underneath the truck to change the oil a few days ago and it looks like someone did some off-roading at some point. I'm a bit concerned that the oil pump pickup is too close to the bottom of the pan. Think I'm going to drain the oil out and stick an inspection camera in there to see how much clearance I have. If it's too close, I figure I can use a stud welder to weld some studs to the pan and then pull it back into shape a bit.

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From where I think the oil pickup is, you should be fine. I replaced the oil pump when I went through the 7.3 in my extended cab, it isn’t as deep as the pan, quite a bit of room down there, so I would sure be fine with running it like that.

I’ve seen worse dents on other motors that were still fine, for what that may be worth.

 

[bulletpruf]

From where I think the oil pickup is, you should be fine. I replaced the oil pump when I went through the 7.3 in my extended cab, it isn’t as deep as the pan, quite a bit of room down there, so I would sure be fine with running it like that.

I’ve seen worse dents on other motors that were still fine, for what that may be worth.

I think you're right, but I'll double check just for peace of mind.

Thanks

 

[bulletpruf]

Picked up a used rear bumper a few days ago. Hope to get some paint on it today.

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[IDIBRONCO]

Please let me know what YOU would do with the truck - do a solid axle swap with a D60? Turbo it? Leave it naturally aspirated? What else?

Here's my opinion. You already know what it takes to do a D60 swap and what a headache it can turn into. Unless you really need or want to do the swap, I think I'd leave it how it is. You're in Texas and if you sell the truck, chances are that it will probably stay there. With the lack of snow in Texas, I don't see a real need to D60 swap it. I would put a turbo on it for sure. I'd keep the boost numbers down enough so that it can run the N/A rods. That way you don't have to go through another engine rebuild with Turbo parts. I also think that the black rims look pretty good on there. If the paint's still in good shape, you may be able to buff it out. I think it would look good with shiny paint.

it looks like someone did some off-roading at some point.

Maybe someone tried to jack up the truck by using the oil pan?

 

[bulletpruf]

Here's my opinion. You already know what it takes to do a D60 swap and what a headache it can turn into. Unless you really need or want to do the swap, I think I'd leave it how it is. You're in Texas and if you sell the truck, chances are that it will probably stay there. With the lack of snow in Texas, I don't see a real need to D60 swap it.

Yeah, the D60 swap is a bit of an ordeal. If I want a DRW IDI ZF5 4x4 crew cab, I just need to start with a SRW IDI 4x4 ZF5 crew cab and add a dually bed and hubs.

I would put a turbo on it for sure. I'd keep the boost numbers down enough so that it can run the N/A rods. That way you don't have to go through another engine rebuild with Turbo parts.

I like the idea of keeping it NA for now, but maybe with an upgraded pump and injectors.

I also think that the black rims look pretty good on there. If the paint's still in good shape, you may be able to buff it out. I think it would look good with shiny paint.

I'd like to do some spot painting on the dually fenders where they've had some bodywork done, but otherwise, I think it'll stay as-is for now. If I end up keeping it long-term, I'd like to do a repaint in factory colors.

Thanks for the input.

Maybe someone tried to jack up the truck by using the oil pan?

I didn't think about that. Would have to be a real moron to try that.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

If I want a DRW IDI ZF5 4x4 crew cab, I just need to start with a SRW IDI 4x4 ZF5 crew cab and add a dually bed and hubs.

That would be the easiest way for sure.

Thanks for the input.

You're welcome.

I didn't think about that. Would have to be a real moron to try that.

I've seen several of our oil pans dented. Some like this, some not so bad. 4X4 or 4X2 didn't seem to matter much so I'm guessing that the low hanging oil pans are a tempting target for people with a less than average IQ.

 

[bulletpruf]

I've seen several of our oil pans dented. Some like this, some not so bad. 4X4 or 4X2 didn't seem to matter much so I'm guessing that the low hanging oil pans are a tempting target for people with a less than average IQ.

Yeah, I guess it does look tempting to the uninitiated.

 

[ttman4]

235 - 85 - 16. From what I can tell, it's about as big as you can go without the tires rubbing in the back. I have more experience with SRW trucks than DRW, but the conventional wisdom seems to be that tires rubbing together is a bad thing -- can cause friction, and friction causes heat, and heat causes blowouts. There's also less air circulating around the sidewalls if they're mashed together. Yes, I could have gone with wheel spacers, but I decided against it, at least for now.

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Nice truck!
As far as wheel spacers I've only found studs that I felt I could run 1/2' spacers with on my dually.
As far as tires rubbing together another problem with tires too close together is picking up a rock & it sticking between tires & rubbing out sidewalls in 2-3-4 miles. Been there!!!! It happened on Bessie, my '90 CCLB Dually coming from town headed home.

Also back in the '70's when I was semi truck driving I loaded big permitted load up at Cleveland, Oh inside BIG warehouse on a Fri afternoon. (Back then no permitted load hauling on weekends.) Somehow I picked up a wooden 4x4x4 stuck between trailer dual tires. About 2 miles & both tires blew. I limped back to warehouse & sat all weekend!!

 

[bulletpruf]

Nice truck!
As far as wheel spacers I've only found studs that I felt I could run 1/2' spacers with on my dually.
As far as tires rubbing together another problem with tires too close together is picking up a rock & it sticking between tires & rubbing out sidewalls in 2-3-4 miles. Been there!!!! It happened on Bessie, my '90 CCLB Dually coming from town headed home.

Also back in the '70's when I was semi truck driving I loaded big permitted load up at Cleveland, Oh inside BIG warehouse on a Fri afternoon. (Back then no permitted load hauling on weekends.) Somehow I picked up a wooden 4x4x4 stuck between trailer dual tires. About 2 miles & both tires blew. I limped back to warehouse & sat all weekend!!

Didn't think about the rock issue!

A 4x4x4 stuck between the tires must have caused quite a racket!!!

 

[ttman4]

Didn't think about the rock issue!

A 4x4x4 stuck between the tires must have caused quite a racket!!!

Well I was just trying to get on down the road to a Truck Stop for the weekend with that permit load!!! Never heard anything till they blew out on that Semi-Trailer.