Had this happen on a jeep commander previously. We did just what you suggested, pulled the driveshaft and got it back in "4wd" running just the front.
$900 1980 Ford F250 - Budget Build - The best overlander is the one you have
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Probably not the best thing in the world, but better then being stranded entirely.
Using just the front axle is not a disaster. Done it dozens of times, mostly in humvees , but other vehicles as well. Most 4wd's are rear wheel drive, engage the tcase now the front wheels get power. All wheel drive a bit different. You just need to put the tcase in a locked condition. Take the rear axle out of commission your front pulls you down the road. Think of it as now having a front wheel drive car .
Stark in the wild, one thing that loose, worn, sloppy , seriously out of alignment, front axle components can cause is the infamous "death wobble". Some claim the TTB is worse than many other vehicles. I've been in a ford super duty, and a jeep when the death wobble reared its ugly head. It is violent, nasty, and you do not ever want it to happen again.
Stark in the wild, one thing that loose, worn, sloppy , seriously out of alignment, front axle components can cause is the infamous "death wobble". Some claim the TTB is worse than many other vehicles. I've been in a ford super duty, and a jeep when the death wobble reared its ugly head. It is violent, nasty, and you do not ever want it to happen again.
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Honestly with a six cylinder and the Dana50 front end I wouldn't worry about running on just the front end.
Now for the engine, I actually prefer the 300s to most v8s. Once you get them breathing they make a better truck engine than the 302 by far and I would take a built 300 over a 351 and it's a toss up with a 400m. I had an 80 F150 with a 300. I shaved the head bored it out, had a Clifford single plane intake with a 500cfm Holley on it, Chevy big block rockers, and Clifford dualed headers with an x pipe and dual 3" exhausts. With factory 3.00 gears it would spin the 33x10.5 Super Swampers I was running and I could bark em into 3rd. Thing would wrap the axle so hard I carried spare parts to change the u joint at the rear axle in the glove box. I eventually parted it out because the 1/2 ton running gear wasn't holding up.
Now for the engine, I actually prefer the 300s to most v8s. Once you get them breathing they make a better truck engine than the 302 by far and I would take a built 300 over a 351 and it's a toss up with a 400m. I had an 80 F150 with a 300. I shaved the head bored it out, had a Clifford single plane intake with a 500cfm Holley on it, Chevy big block rockers, and Clifford dualed headers with an x pipe and dual 3" exhausts. With factory 3.00 gears it would spin the 33x10.5 Super Swampers I was running and I could bark em into 3rd. Thing would wrap the axle so hard I carried spare parts to change the u joint at the rear axle in the glove box. I eventually parted it out because the 1/2 ton running gear wasn't holding up.
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Yeah the ttb in the 250s is a Dana50. I don't know much about the axle, just that it exists, lol. I dont know if Clifford Performance is still around, but you should still be able to find Offenhouser intakes and both Headman and Pacesetter make headers. Also you're supposed to be able to run 19lbs injectors from the 302 Mustangs in the 300 factory efi setup, if you start looking that direction.
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Oh for your smog issues you might try researching running acetone in fuel. A buddy of mine did a bunch of research and apparently acetone breaks up the surface tension of gasoline helping it to atomize better and thus burn more completely and cleanly. I believe it because this same friend is an engineer and now works for Garmin, dude is seriously smart. Something to think about.
Or there's always the old trick of running a bigger air injection pump and disabling the secondaries on the carb, lol.
Running a 300 as a smog dog seriously sucks, the engine is so choked down. It's like Cadillac V8s, great engine with tons of potential, you just gotta let em breath.
Or there's always the old trick of running a bigger air injection pump and disabling the secondaries on the carb, lol.
Running a 300 as a smog dog seriously sucks, the engine is so choked down. It's like Cadillac V8s, great engine with tons of potential, you just gotta let em breath.
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I've had several 300s and cannot agree more. The old straight (or slant) 6s are awesome truck motors. It is a toss up for me if I like the 300, Chevy 250, or the Mopar 225 the best. Things will run forever, pull like a diesel, and are dead stupid simple to work on. Back in the day I had a 300 in an F-100 that had a bad OP sensor. Driving home from work one night it lost power on a hill and stopped. Would not crank, popped the hood and had one of those "oh crap" moments seeing the oil cap sitting next to the battery. I had done an oil change a couple of days before and never did the "add 5qts" part of the change :/ Got the oil out of the trunk, filled it up, then walked to a pay phone to call my roommate for a ride. Walked back and on a whim turned the key. It cranked slowly a few rotations, then wound up and started. About 300 miles of driving with no oil in the sump, 200K miles on it, and it still ran. Burned oil mildly after that but ran for another year before the frame rotted in half.
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I personally like the Ford big sixes the best (240 & 300) because they were run in far more industrial applications, as such parts are cheaper and easier to get. There are tons of reasons why straight sixes are the preferred engine arrangement for HD applications.
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Been a while and its been a crazy time! Since last posting I have moved states, hence the huge gap. The tank (truck) made the 1000 mile drive to my new home loaded down with furniture. I am still getting settled and have been working on the house. However, I have taken the truck out on some of the Pacific Northwests fire roads which have been quite beautiful.
I also just picked up a Hi-Lift Jack, which admittedly at the moment is more of just an aesthetic thing until I learn how to use it safely.
More importantly though I used my poor photoshop knowledge to come up with some designs for what the truck will be. The top photo I added a bed from a 1940's Ford Truck and on the bottom photo I added a Flatbed (I wont be changing the wheel base). Opinions on which is cooler / more usable?
Whichever route I decide to go the Bed will be painted black and the cab will be painted "Grabber Blue" which is the same color I painted my mustang (see below)
I also just picked up a Hi-Lift Jack, which admittedly at the moment is more of just an aesthetic thing until I learn how to use it safely.
More importantly though I used my poor photoshop knowledge to come up with some designs for what the truck will be. The top photo I added a bed from a 1940's Ford Truck and on the bottom photo I added a Flatbed (I wont be changing the wheel base). Opinions on which is cooler / more usable?
Whichever route I decide to go the Bed will be painted black and the cab will be painted "Grabber Blue" which is the same color I painted my mustang (see below)
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Personally I like a skirted flat bed with boxes under. Makes better use of the space for storage, you can pack them full of stuff that always stays on the rig and still have the flatbed for all your other gear. If I was running a pickup for trail duty I think I would go full custom flat bed with drawers/boxes and then you have to bed itself clear to build out however you want. Where'd you end up in the PNW? I'm in Tri-Cities.
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yeah the issue is adding boxes. not sure i'm that skilled with metal work haha but we shall see. I'll have to research it more before I do it. Im leaning towards the top just because the turnaround time would be way quicker than a custom build...but we shall see! Still torn.
and nice! Im out in the Vancouver area and have been hitting up the trails near Carson. I have been looking for one trail in particular that i saw on a blog. I think thats Mt. Adams:
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Also more plans to come. So since moving to WA the laws around my truck are much less restrictive than CA. Once I go back to CA I will be picking up an exhaust I already have for the truck and I will be getting a 4 barrel intake and carburetor. This will fix the terrible exhaust leak i have and give the truck better MPG and power...it desperately needs both and my ears need the leak to be fixed.
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Just some food for thought, 33s fit that body style of Ford with minimal rub on the radius arms and zero lift. With some fender trimming you can clear 35s with no lift...
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Yeah ive got 33s on it now with very minimal rub. But once i get a new truck bed and make a new front bumper ill be shaving the fenders to fit some bigger wheels. Eventually ill get a slight raise too. But its good to know that 35s will fit without a raise!
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To get rid of the rub and massively increase flex you can get longer radius arms that have an off set for bigger tires.
