new member in Vegas

[MedicMoe]

Hey everyone. I'm new to the diesel world and acquired an 85 F250 XL with a dually conversion. Since I'm not towing yet, i want to swap the rear end gearing. I want to pull one from the local bone yard. What should i look for? My truck now has a 4 speed manual with a super low granny gear. I'm running stock size tires.

 

[icanfixall]

Welcome to the forum. What gears do you now have and what gears do you want... Picking up a complete differancial from a wrecking yard can be heavy and tricky. Look over the gears by pulling off the cover and check the brake drums too. Normally when you remove the diff from a truck you replace the u bolts and never reuse them... But plenty of people reuse them.. Its a personal choice but to be sure replace them..

 

[MedicMoe]

I have the 4.10 gears now. And freeway speed is very loud on the truck with the 4 speed. Since i have the dually do i need to get the gears from a dually or any rear end from that era of truck?

 

[icanfixall]

Saying its a dually conversion is telling us someone converted it to that. The differancial may have just been modified with some spacers to fit the dually wheels. Or it could have been swapped out too. The gears available for most any diff is 4.10, 3.73, 3.55, and the lowest is something like 3.08 gears. Finding the differancial with the gear you want might be difficult too. The tag on the cover bolt will tell you what gears the diff has in it. Take a wire brush to clean off the road dirt to read the numbers.

 

[MedicMoe]

Truck is still rolling down the road. All of the small bugs are starting to work themselves out. I've replaced the pivot arm bushing, had the alternator and batteries tested, replaced the voltage controller, installed a glow plug momentary switch, new dash-pad, replaced a door hinge and installed a CB radio. Still need a radiator shroud, or convert to electric fans. Also I realized that my T-19 needed the full 3.5 quarts of gear oil, after it made horrible noises letting me know it was empty. I thought I fried that thing for sure. I found a ford dually F350 at the local boneyard, supersweet 88 XLT lariat with axle tag of L10,( I gotta find the ratio) or looking for a gear vendor unit, but I just can't justify spending 3,000 on a truck I regionally bought for 500$

 

[icanfixall]

Ebay has gear vendors listed for much less than $3000.00. If you are looking for a gv just make sure the unit you buy is the P model and not the J model.. The P is the latest type. Even if you find an affordable unit with the wrong adapter on it buy it.. GV or a seller in Ca will sell you the correct adapter... Gear Vendors will only trade you a adapter and some cash.. They will never sell you an adapter without taking in yours that is not for what you have... Thats just the way they do business...

 

[91idi]

For towing I thunk this would be better then gear change alone

http://www.high-impact.net/rangeroverdrive.htm

 

[typ4]

If I had a four speed the ranger would be my first choice.

 

[riotwarrior]

Welcome to Oil Burners, the best place for finding info on these older trucks and engines.

Congratulations on your purchase, these trucks are sweet. You'll get your money's worth for certain from this.

Take some time if you haven't already, look at the FAQ, Tech, and lastly the Hall of Shame sections, very good pertinent info in there that can save you much money...Hall of shame, save you time, tech section and enlighten you as to some history n so forth on these rigs.

Also please take a moment and fill in your signature too , on the top right go to settings on the left of next page go to edit signature and put in your trucks info!

I'd say by your description of the tag (never mentioned it was on diff or not) of L10 that it's actually a 4.L10 meaning a limited slip 4.10 diff. I am also suspect that it is a Dana 70 axle too.

There should be a door frame tag on the drivers side around the latch mechanism on the cab with the VIN and some other info including a axle code, can you check that and report back here?

When you say dually conversion, have you removed the rear wheels to determine if it's bolt on spacers or actually a true dually diff?

I agree get a Ranger over drive, one less expensive, two simple to install.

Anyway, again Welcome to OB

Al

 

[MedicMoe]

Wow, I didn't know about the ranger model. My neihbor has an old overdrive assembly from an early 60's 3 speed. I thought that I saw that they could be placed on the back of a T-19. I was at the bone yard today and picked up some sweet window crank levers from a pimped out van. Also picked up extra of the fancy lug nuts with the built in washer/flange for only .28 each. i could only find 13. next time i see the 88 dually in the yard, ill grab the info. I noticed that it had an aftermarket roll down window in the rear. looked neat.

 

[MedicMoe]

Also what should I look for to see what kind of a conversion I have? I did replace the front brakes and noticed that I have the dual piston calipers. I do think i remember seeing a large "spacer" attached to the front rotors.