My Ford Truck Project (And Other Projects)

[joesregalproject]

The weather was decent today so I spent several hours washing the truck and doing some touch up. I vacuumed it out too.

I installed the new windshield trim clips and got the trim installed. These clips were better than the other ones but they still kinda sucked. The trim doesn't fit great but it's on and I can live with it.

I touched up around where I put seam sealer and I probably should put a second coat on it but for now it ought to be fine.

Also replaced the radiator cap with a new OEM one. It didn't need one but it had an aftermarket cap and I prefer to stick with OEM for caps and thermostats when I can.

This is probably where the truck is going to leave off for the winter. I'll still be driving it until there is salt on the roads, but I don't think I'm going to be doing a whole lot more work on it at least until spring.

 

[joesregalproject]

I know I'm contradicting myself already but I have an itch to work on this truck even though it doesn't really need much. I'm thinking about upgrading the rear axle to a Sterling 10.25. It's a far more durable, readily available and fairly inexpensive axle. It would mean 8 lugs though, which is fine, but that means making the front axle 8 lug too.

It is possible to convert a twin traction beam Dana 44 to 8 lug. Most people opt not to in favor of a solid axle swap, but I don't know if I want to go that route. Swapping the front hubs to 8 lug pattern involves replacing the knuckle with an earlier style Ford knuckle, and using square body Chevy spindles, hubs, brakes and axle end shafts. It's mostly a bolt together job, just a matter of getting all the parts. Durability really isn't an issue with the Dana 44 TTB, it just has a bad rap because it's not a solid axle and they can be a bit of a pain to get aligned correctly. It's not like I'm beating on this thing anyways. I'm thinking about starting to collect the parts for the 8 lug front swap and then I'll do the 10.25 rear once the front is done.

 

[pagrunt]

Whats the odds of getting aftermarket five stud axles & get a rear drum set up to work?

 

[joesregalproject]

Whats the odds of getting aftermarket five stud axles & get a rear drum set up to work?

I can't think of any reason it couldn't be done with custom axle shafts on a semifloating 10.25, but that would pretty much defeat the point of swapping. I don't think there is a 5 lug pattern that is big enough to fit around the hubs on a fully floating 10.25 which is what I'm after. Those full floating hubs are enormous.

 

[DRIVEN]

Your Buick is lonely.

 

[Turbolq4]

The rear end you have should be an 8.8 right? If so then it's basically a carbon copy of the GM 12 bolt and is plenty strong enough for whatever you plan on using the truck for. Sterling 10.25s had an update on the outside axle seal. Somewhere around model year '93 they added wipers to the seal to increase service life/reduce leaking. That is one seriously heavy axle, i wouldn't swap from what you have now. The f250 TTB trucks used a Dana 50 front diff.

 

[DRIVEN]

IIRC those rear seals are about $100 each too. At least that's what my service writer used to tell me.

 

[Turbolq4]

They are expensive. I replaced one and it was $60. The price has come way down but that is still steep for a single seal. I guess it's cheaper than replacing all of the brake components after they are soaked with gear oil.

 

[joesregalproject]

Your Buick is lonely.

I know it is. I'm trying to get back my interest in working on it. I did get some parts for it today.

I've replaced a few axle seals on Super Duties but I think the Super Duty 10.25 uses a different seal than the earlier ones.

For now I'm probably just going to collect parts when and where I can find them and come spring I'll see what I've got and go from there. As Driven mentioned, I've got a lonely Buick in the garage that I really should get back to.

 

[joesregalproject]

I did find a Sterling 10.25 on Craigslist for $150. It's in a 1990 F250 so its the early style axle seals and short pinion, but it's complete drum to drum and it's got the right gears in it (3.55).

I'm going to check it out Saturday.