My Tow Vehicle - 86 F250

[Fordman75]

Here's my Hot Rod/Tow vehicle It's a 1986 F250 XLT Supercab longbox 2wd truck. It has a 460 V8, T19 4spd manual transmission and a 10.25" full floating rear diff with 4.10 gears and a trac-loc unit. For a big heavy truck this thing moves!!

It has a 40/20/40 seat out of a mid 90's Ford truck, B&M shifter T-handle, Grant steering wheel, American racing aluminum wheels, Dual exhaust (Just Glass packs and megaphone tips, no mufflers or cats ).

The motor is basically stock except for a 4 hole carb spacer and an Edelbrock 750cfm carb. Since I bought the truck I have given it a tune up, removed the air injection and EGR valve/carb spacer.

Here's the pic that was in the classified ad that I bought it from.



I'll add some good pics of it later.


I'm going to be replacing the transmission with another T19(The one in it has a bad bearing ), swapping in a rear diff with 3.55 gears, I'm going to swap the stock intake for a Weiand Stealth intake and install some Hedman headers, Hooker Aero chamber mufflers, a K&N air cleaner and a functional Boss 429 hoodscoop.

[88Vic]

Looks like a beast, I bet it sounds great too. But why are you going to put in 3.55 gears? Isn't that gonna make it a dog especially while towing?

[Fordman75]

It sounds great but it's just way too loud that's why I'm going to add a pair of mufflers. The Hooker Aero-chamber mufflers will quiet it down some.

The 4.10's are way too low for the 4 spd transmission(no OD ). The 460 has plenty of torque and power to tow with 3.55 gears. And my choices aren't that great either spend $300 for a complete runnable rear with 3.55 gears or swap in a ZF 5spd($600-$1200 ) or add an aftermarket OD to my 4spd($1200-$2600 ). So right now I'd rather just do the diff swap.

[Tiggie]

Oh come on! You can live with the 4.10's! Just keep it under 60mph. The 460 isn't gonna get any better MPG with the taller gears. Or Go ZF mang. I'd spend $600 on a ZF before I'd spend $300 on a rear. Do what ya want, though.

[Fordman75]

Oh come on! You can live with the 4.10's! Just keep it under 60mph. The 460 isn't gonna get any better MPG with the taller gears. Or Go ZF mang. I'd spend $600 on a ZF before I'd spend $300 on a rear. Do what ya want, though.

Right now with the gears and exhaust the way they are I'm shifting into 4th gear at 30 mph!

It's not the mileage I'm concerned about(it's a 460 ). I just want to be able to run 70-80 mph on the highway without revving the hell out of the motor. I make a lot of 100-500 mile trips with my car trailer. And only being able to drive 55 or 60 makes for a long trip.

Right now the only big block ZF transmission I can find locally is a rebuilt unit that's $1100. And I don't think the ZF is as strong of a transmission as the T19 is. And if I was going to spend $1000 I think I'd spend a few hundred more and just go with an Advanced Adapters Ranger OD unit. That unit installs between the bellhousing and the current transmission. The down side(besides the cost ) is I'd have to also shorten the driveshaft.

I've got a while to think it over before I'll get to the rear diff. So who knows what I'll do when I get around to it.

[Nathan in MI]

Have you checked with French Lake? They'd be kind of a drive for you, but they might have a tranny at a better price.

[Fordman75]

Yea they don't have one. But that's where I am going to buy the rear diff from(If I buy one ).

[Nathan in MI]

How far are they from you? Like 150 miles or so? 'Cause I know they're like 50 miles from me and I'm quite a ways north of you.

[Tiggie]

Yeah if you do mostly highway, I can see the 3.55's coming in handy. I know how 4.10's are in my dad's '64 F250. Interstate isn't fun. He swapped the original 4.56's for the 4.10's and it still pulls plenty strong . Of course, that could be due to the 390 as well.
With the 4.56's, fourth came pretty fast. It didn't mind at all if you went in at 20mph. First gear, Ha! It was more like half gear.

[Fordman75]

How far are they from you? Like 150 miles or so? 'Cause I know they're like 50 miles from me and I'm quite a ways north of you.

I think I'm around 125 miles from them.

Yeah if you do mostly highway, I can see the 3.55's coming in handy. I know how 4.10's are in my dad's '64 F250. Interstate isn't fun. He swapped the original 4.56's for the 4.10's and it still pulls plenty strong . Of course, that could be due to the 390 as well.
With the 4.56's, fourth came pretty fast. It didn't mind at all if you went in at 20mph. First gear, Ha! It was more like half gear.

My 460 is much stronger then any of the other motors I've had in my other trucks. Including 351W's, 390's, 400's and even other 460's I've had. Should be even better after I install the intake, headers and aircleaner I just ordered. They should be here tomorrow!!

I don't really use 1st gear unless I'm towing. If I do use 1st I need to shift before I make it thru an intersection.

[Fordman75]

Some new toys from Jeg's:



Hopefully I can start installing them next week.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Nice truck!

Need some higher gears in there, IMO...

[Fordman75]

Yep probably going with 3.55's. I just checked and the OD unit is just over $1500 so I'm just going to swap rear ends. I'll hang onto the 4.10 geared diff and when I can get the cash for the OD unit I can swap the 4.10's back in.

[Fordman75]

Well I got the rest of the parts. The ones I ordered from summit. The idiots folded my gaskets!! That's the last time I order from Summit.

[Tiggie]

Yummy parts! Summit likes to screw me too, but I screw them by not including the handling charge.

Yeah at $1.5K, I'd wait on the tranny too. I forgot how expensive ZF's are.