OT Another Super Duty Thread

[jermfab]

So I chimed in a couple times on the powerstroke thread. I was honest there and will start here the very same.

I’m neither a Ford guy or a diesel guy. My girlfriend has horses and a horse trailer. She bought a 97 F350, fleet model, 2WD diesel with an automatic a while back to tow with. I was driving it yesterday and got hit. Hard. Surprisingly hard in the worst place possible:

From an insurance standpoint I’m certain both vehicles would be totaled. Biggest difference was that mine drove off while the Hyundai left on a wrecker, most likely headed for scrap. All the same, despite driving off under its own power the F350 isn’t really drivable.

There’s no need even thinking about an insurance claim on our part as the insurance isn’t there and wouldn’t help if it was. We couldn’t replace the truck, right now, for what the totaled value from insurance would be. The truck only has 120k mile. It runs good, shifts good and handles/stops as well as it ever will. It’s not totaled because it’s worth fixing. That said, I’m convinced that “fixing” is gonna mean a new cab.

Despite my worst nightmare of getting in a bad accident in a borrowed vehicle, serendipity was shining on me yesterday. Less than an hour before the crash happened, this truck became available to me at a pretty good deal:

It was too good to pass up at $3500. 140k miles, 4WD, 5-speed 3/4-ton. With the gas big block 460.

I don’t know Fords... I do know they took the opposite approach to GM and tended to put a different transmission behind each of their engines.

The girlfriend is taking things well enough so far. I’ve told her the brown 250 is hers until I can get the white 350 fixed. Most importantly, at least she can take the horse and trailer when need be. I’m pretty sure I can find a cab for the white truck. I don’t WANT to, but it’s within my means to swap the cab. Of second most importance to my girlfriend is having a diesel engine. She’s SOLD on the 7.3L mystique. She doesn’t need 4WD and isn’t very comfortable shifting, but towing the horses with her girlfriends is the most important thing.


So...




To the Ford guys out there:

Will the 7.3L mate to the 460 trans? She would LOVE the brown truck... if it was a diesel. If so I figure it’s about the same amount of work as swapping the cab on her white truck.

As I have the entire diesel truck sitting there, that is my easiest option and I think Megan will be cool with it. I may have to spend a bit more and paint it white for her.

Otherwise it’ll be swapping the cab on the white truck and probably making it a flatbed with the E350 school bus axle I scored at work the other day. With the acquisition of that axle I had finally convinced her to let me build a flatbed... and then was at the wheel when her truck got hit.





Another question for the Ford guys:

How different are the chassis mounts for different cab layouts? Girlfriend doesn’t want a single cab, but would have no issue with a 4-door cab. I’m assuming the front cab mounts are all the same and I’ll likely just have to fab two or four mounts to go from extended cab to crew cab... but I would love it if someone out there that knows these trucks better could confirm.



Anyhow. I could use some advice.
I tend to appreciate, and typically respect, the judgment of this forum. Even when it gets mean-spirited. Do your worst. I can log off here, no matter how well she’s taking it, eventually I’ll get worse than this crowd can hope to give unless the girlfriend gets her diesel-powered big girl truck back.







Be safe





Jeremy

 

[moonlight machine]

So I chimed in a couple times on the powerstroke thread. I was honest there and will start here the very same.

I’m neither a Ford guy or a diesel guy. My girlfriend has horses and a horse trailer. She bought a 97 F350, fleet model, 2WD diesel with an automatic a while back to tow with. I was driving it yesterday and got hit. Hard. Surprisingly hard in the worst place possible:

From an insurance standpoint I’m certain both vehicles would be totaled. Biggest difference was that mine drove off while the Hyundai left on a wrecker, most likely headed for scrap. All the same, despite driving off under its own power the F350 isn’t really drivable.

There’s no need even thinking about an insurance claim on our part as the insurance isn’t there and wouldn’t help if it was. We couldn’t replace the truck, right now, for what the totaled value from insurance would be. The truck only has 120k mile. It runs good, shifts good and handles/stops as well as it ever will. It’s not totaled because it’s worth fixing. That said, I’m convinced that “fixing” is gonna mean a new cab.

Despite my worst nightmare of getting in a bad accident in a borrowed vehicle, serendipity was shining on me yesterday. Less than an hour before the crash happened, this truck became available to me at a pretty good deal:

It was too good to pass up at $3500. 140k miles, 4WD, 5-speed 3/4-ton. With the gas big block 460.

I don’t know Fords... I do know they took the opposite approach to GM and tended to put a different transmission behind each of their engines.

The girlfriend is taking things well enough so far. I’ve told her the brown 250 is hers until I can get the white 350 fixed. Most importantly, at least she can take the horse and trailer when need be. I’m pretty sure I can find a cab for the white truck. I don’t WANT to, but it’s within my means to swap the cab. Of second most importance to my girlfriend is having a diesel engine. She’s SOLD on the 7.3L mystique. She doesn’t need 4WD and isn’t very comfortable shifting, but towing the horses with her girlfriends is the most important thing.


So...




To the Ford guys out there:

Will the 7.3L mate to the 460 trans? She would LOVE the brown truck... if it was a diesel. If so I figure it’s about the same amount of work as swapping the cab on her white truck.

As I have the entire diesel truck sitting there, that is my easiest option and I think Megan will be cool with it. I may have to spend a bit more and paint it white for her.

Otherwise it’ll be swapping the cab on the white truck and probably making it a flatbed with the E350 school bus axle I scored at work the other day. With the acquisition of that axle I had finally convinced her to let me build a flatbed... and then was at the wheel when her truck got hit.





Another question for the Ford guys:

How different are the chassis mounts for different cab layouts? Girlfriend doesn’t want a single cab, but would have no issue with a 4-door cab. I’m assuming the front cab mounts are all the same and I’ll likely just have to fab two or four mounts to go from extended cab to crew cab... but I would love it if someone out there that knows these trucks better could confirm.



Anyhow. I could use some advice.
I tend to appreciate, and typically respect, the judgment of this forum. Even when it gets mean-spirited. Do your worst. I can log off here, no matter how well she’s taking it, eventually I’ll get worse than this crowd can hope to give unless the girlfriend gets her diesel-powered big girl truck back.







Be safe





Jeremy

Leave the brown one be. Fix the white one. I would fix the white cab, it's not that bad. If you can get a cab cheap enough change it. I would imagine there are rust free cabs around there.

 

[jrmach]

why a 350 w/only 2wd ??why Lord

 

[john.k]

Possibly because there are parts of the world that arent entombed in snow and ice eight months of the year.......parts where the sun always shines on 2 wd pickups and front drive is just more parts to wear out.............the sill and pillar repair isnt difficult,and another door from the wreckers,good as new.

 

[Demon69]

With a former life in body repair, it doesnt look at all bad to me and id echo moonlights sentiments going for the repair.
If you have the carpet up, front fender and door off and take some top and bottom pictures of the damage itd help.
Cheers D

 

[jermfab]

Ford guy.
Diesel guy.
Body-man.

What is things I am not for $1000.

My options do not include repairing this cab.

My option is to REPLACE cab. Possibly replace With a 4-door cab?!?

Independent research has confirmed my suspicions: the diesel will not bolt into the brown 250 transmission, so yeah. No reason to do anything but keep the gas one running as is.

Its cherry as f*ck. 140k miles. All the anecdotal stuff I’ve always heard about these trucks. 4WD works real good. First gear is useless without a load. 460 is a good torquey engine. I’m certain it uses a whole bunch of gasoline.

It’ll use more pulling a trailer.

So did the diesel.





Gas truck works in the interim and I fix the diesel one with a new cab.

Probably some sort of paint job back to all white.


Hopefully I’ll be able to interest someone with the brown truck before 2022.



If the community keeps showing interest, I’ll keep posting pictures. Off to find a truck cab.


Be safe




Jeremy

 

[steelsurgeon]

Ford guy.
Diesel guy.
Body-man.

What is things I am not for $1000.

My options do not include repairing this cab.

My option is to REPLACE cab. Possibly replace With a 4-door cab?!?

Independent research has confirmed my suspicions: the diesel will not bolt into the brown 250 transmission, so yeah. No reason to do anything but keep the gas one running as is.

Its cherry as f*ck. 140k miles. All the anecdotal stuff I’ve always heard about these trucks. 4WD works real good. First gear is useless without a load. 460 is a good torquey engine. I’m certain it uses a whole bunch of gasoline.

It’ll use more pulling a trailer.

So did the diesel.





Gas truck works in the interim and I fix the diesel one with a new cab.

Probably some sort of paint job back to all white.


Hopefully I’ll be able to interest someone with the brown truck before 2022.



If the community keeps showing interest, I’ll keep posting pictures. Off to find a truck cab.


Be safe




Jeremy

The good thing about the 460 is the opposite of what you expect. 8-10 mpg empty and 8-10 loaded to the gills. Atleast in my experience.

A cab swap wouldnt be too hard to do if you have the means.

On the other hand, if you have even a small welder and some patience you could buy another door and fix that cab it appears.

Disclaimer, I am not a professional body man, but Ive fixed my own fuck ups a few times and helped fixed some friends.

 

[moonlight machine]

Ford guy.
Diesel guy.
Body-man.

What is things I am not for $1000.

My options do not include repairing this cab.

My option is to REPLACE cab. Possibly replace With a 4-door cab?!?

Independent research has confirmed my suspicions: the diesel will not bolt into the brown 250 transmission, so yeah. No reason to do anything but keep the gas one running as is.

Its cherry as f*ck. 140k miles. All the anecdotal stuff I’ve always heard about these trucks. 4WD works real good. First gear is useless without a load. 460 is a good torquey engine. I’m certain it uses a whole bunch of gasoline.

It’ll use more pulling a trailer.

So did the diesel.





Gas truck works in the interim and I fix the diesel one with a new cab.

Probably some sort of paint job back to all white.


Hopefully I’ll be able to interest someone with the brown truck before 2022.



If the community keeps showing interest, I’ll keep posting pictures. Off to find a truck cab.


Be safe




Jeremy

4 door cab = stretch the frame. Are you up for that?

 

[Milland]

I'm interested in how the accident happened, and with that much damage. If you don't mind, can you walk us through it? It looks like an oblique angle hit, but at pretty good speed. How did the other driver (I presume to be at fault) manage that?

From a "fix it" standpoint, isn't there risk that frame rail is tweaked? It looks to me that the depth of hit is enough to push in the main rail, which could muck with front suspension (not much, but a little) and just be annoying. But I'm not much of a truck guy, so might be totally wrong...

 

[henrya]

I’d fix the cab. Or more closely, pay some one to do a good functional repair and just drive it. That assumes no or only minor frame damage. In the meantime, see how she gets on with the brown truck. It might be that after driving it a few weeks she likes it just fine.

I guess the wreck is your fault or the other person’s insurance would be paying this. Is that why you feel like a new cab is the only answer? Otherwise, I can’t see how you got to that decision.

 

[gustafson]

If the accident wasn't your fault, I don't see why insurance cannot help.

Avoid having the truck totaled, figure the value and have a friendly body shop write an estimate to keep it under so that you get the cash you need to fix it without having to buy the vehicle from the insurance company.

 

[GregSY]

Why 2WD?

I've owned 4 full size pickups over the past 20 years. Two 3500s, a 2500, and a 1500. All have been 2WD.

If any one of them had been 4WD, that would have been a useless waste of money, more stuff to break, and forced me to drive a vehicle with an inferior front suspension.



As for the Ford above, I agree.....just change the cab. The hardest part would be getting the paint to match. In fact, because of the paint, I'd not even fix it. Painting has become a nightmare of cost and dissatisfaction.

 

[Blazemaster]

Don't mean to be "that guy" but those aren't super duty's. The F-super duty is pre f-450/550 and uses a kingpin front axle, 4 wheel disc, hefty rear end ratio, 10 lug wheels. It says F-Super Duty on the side instead of f250,f350 etc. Later on it just became a generic term and even the f150 is "super duty".

I have one with a 7.3 and 5.13 rear end. The 7.3 is a good engine as long as you don't crank the fuel screw and mess with shit, but its slow. I have also only had 2wd trucks, since 99.9999% of the time I'm just driving on the freeway or around town.

I would also try to fix the white one as is, as long as the frame isn't twisted and it's just body damage. I wouldn't mess with the 250, that's a good truck the way it is.

 

[GregSY]

Whether you like it or not, if Ford calls it a Super Duty, then it is a Super Duty. If they called it a Mustang, then it's a Mustang.

 

[woodchuckNJ]

neither of those vehicles is totaled.

Fix the rocker panel and pillar if damaged. It doesn't look like the damage hit the pillar imho.

That does not look like much damage, not at all. Your insistence of replacing the cab is an insane way of handling a minor amount of damage.

if you can't do that job, go to a vocational school and let them fix it, or find a kid going to a vocational school and let them fix it... if they don't have equipment yet, lend them the equip.

nuff said.

 

[jermfab]

4 door cab = stretch the frame. Are you up for that?

I wouldn’t stretch the frame. I would fab whatever body mounts aren’t there and build a flatbed. The thing is long enough as it is. I think the crew cab would ultimately be more useable for this trucks purpose. All the white truck really needs for it’s intended purpose is a cab and a gooseneck mount. As I mentioned, I have a dually axle and would make that swap at the same time and build a flatbed with stake pockets.





Be safe




Jeremy

 

[jermfab]

I'm interested in how the accident happened, and with that much damage. If you don't mind, can you walk us through it? It looks like an oblique angle hit, but at pretty good speed. How did the other driver (I presume to be at fault) manage that?

From a "fix it" standpoint, isn't there risk that frame rail is tweaked? It looks to me that the depth of hit is enough to push in the main rail, which could muck with front suspension (not much, but a little) and just be annoying. But I'm not much of a truck guy, so might be totally wrong...

Honestly, I’m not exactly sure what happened. I know my side of things: I was merging into the turning lane, I had my turn signals on and had been checking those gigantic mirrors. I believe the other driver was either exiting a parking lot near by or perhaps attempting to get past my truck in the turn lane. Exiting the parking lot seems most likely. I happened to be pulling in where she saw a gap to get around me?!?

Unfortunately, I got cited. “Improper turn”... I believe the cop “read the room”. The young black woman that hit me was distraught and I think the cop figured he had to cite someone and that I wouldn’t put up the stink she would. The cop basically told me as much. I’m not terribly worried, historically I’ve had far better luck with judges than with police and I believe I can provide enough evidence to at least make the accident no fault.

The frame is way in-board on these trucks. I haven’t looked really close but the damage seems to stop far short of the frame. That said, there’s enough deflection of the cab that it won’t surprise me if there’s a slight tweak to the frame. I expect I’ll know more when it comes to pulling cab mount bolts and reinstalling a new cab. As you said, annoying, but if it’s tweaked badly enough new bolts don’t drop right in I’ll address it as needed. Otherwise, yeah, I’ll have to align the front end to compensate.





Jeremy

 

[jermfab]

neither of those vehicles is totaled.

Fix the rocker panel and pillar if damaged. It doesn't look like the damage hit the pillar imho.

That does not look like much damage, not at all. Your insistence of replacing the cab is an insane way of handling a minor amount of damage.

if you can't do that job, go to a vocational school and let them fix it, or find a kid going to a vocational school and let them fix it... if they don't have equipment yet, lend them the equip.

nuff said.

The damage absolutely got both A and B pillars. I don’t disagree that SOMEONE could do the bodywork and fix this. But my perspective is this: it will take the best part of another cab to cut the necessary pieces from and the original cab wasn’t in the greatest shape to begin with, there’s some rust, etc. post-accident there’s a crease to the roof, as well as the pillars, rocker and floor pan. I would rather spend my time swapping over components and depending on how complete a cab I can find, replacing some of the worn out interior parts with better. I honestly also believe it can swap things faster and better than I can cut and weld patches in.





Be safe






Jeremy

 

[Spud]

Just sheetmetal damage, but the insurance company will say repairing will cost more than the truck itself. My Silverado was T-boned, but just sheetmetal damage, more than yours, and it was repaired because cost of repair was less than cost of truck.

I don't know about that year cabs, so is it possible to just replace the driver's side and not the whole cab? On my Silverado you can do this.

 

[moonlight machine]

I wouldn’t stretch the frame. I would fab whatever body mounts aren’t there and build a flatbed. The thing is long enough as it is. I think the crew cab would ultimately be more useable for this trucks purpose. All the white truck really needs for it’s intended purpose is a cab and a gooseneck mount. As I mentioned, I have a dually axle and would make that swap at the same time and build a flatbed with stake pockets.





Be safe




Jeremy

Save yourself a shit ton of work and expense. Note the frame goes up about 6" right behind the cab, are you going to notch the 4 door cab to get it to set level? Then you loose the back seat, WTF good is the 4 door cab then, I have changed a few trucks around in the past, believe me its the details that jump right up and bite you in the ass. Been there and done that. Fixing that cab would be dead easy, cut that section out of a junkyard truck, cut the white one to match, a couple hours with a wire feed and it will be as good as new with a lot less work than changing the cab.