My '95 F-150 build

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So I've waffled on actually doing a build thread or not on it, but.... the more I think about all I've done to it, I'd like to start sharing....

I'll have had the truck 4 years in March of 2013. I got it with (supposedly) 69,XXX miles on it. 300-6 motor, 5-speed manual, 4x4 with auto front hubs and manual T-case. 3.08 gears. As of today, the truck has 104,XXX miles on it, manual front hubs, 3.55 gears and a locker.

There's how she looked when I got her. Lots of rust and some half-baked body repairs. And as I discovered a short few months after I got her, a completely toasted clutch (apparently the previous owner had no idea how to drive a 5-speed).

Both spring hangers were actually shot and the one side had a cracked leaf. When changing them, I banged a wrench against the seam on the rear gas tank (which had been replaced at some point) and wouldn't you know, it started leaking immediately. When replacing that I discovered the front tank was showing signs of seepage too.

No wonder the radio never worked right....

 

[jhammel85]

Wow, that's nasty rust but I think You've got a winning combo with the strait 6 and 5 speed.

Good luck!

 

[shane96ranger]

Hey, this butthole wired my Mustang's stereo too. Complete hack job.

 

[Hahnsb2]

My dad just bought the same truck yesterday except an 89. It's got a 4" SJ lift with extended arms and 33s on it. I drove it home and the shift bushings were so toast I had to pray I was going to find gears. Picked it up for $550.

 

[adsm08]

I think you should put a Ranger body on it.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Wow, that's nasty rust but I think You've got a winning combo with the strait 6 and 5 speed.

Good luck!

I'm used to dealing with rust - I live in the rusty steel buckle of the rust belt - it sucks but it's a way of life.

Hey, this butthole wired my Mustang's stereo too. Complete hack job.

I did fix it.

My dad just bought the same truck yesterday except an 89. It's got a 4" SJ lift with extended arms and 33s on it. I drove it home and the shift bushings were so toast I had to pray I was going to find gears. Picked it up for $550.

lol, sounds like a lot of fun! I thought about lifting it, but it's supposed to be my work truck, and lifting it will make it harder to get things in and out of, so it's staying more stock. Although I did think about extending the radius arms when I replaced my radius arm mounts. Didn't happen because I needed the truck on the road right away but the thought is still there.

I think you should put a Ranger body on it.

No. I bought a fullsize because the Ranger was just too small for work. When I was using my Ranger like a 3/4-ton and had to be creative in how I loaded my tools and materials so it all fit in the bed, I realized that I needed a fullsize.

Although the Obama Economy has largely taken away that need, I can only hope that it will change soon.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Sooo... the list of things that got fixed....

Both rear spring hangers and shackles (I knew this going in)

Both front radius arm mounts and bushings (I didn't know until the mechanic up the road put his screwdriver through the rust)

Clutch (also unexpected)

Both gas tanks (I shelled out the big bucks and got the plastic ones)

Front shocks

Complete tune-up (expected)

Radio repair (the speakers blew out shortly after I fixed the radio harness - I replaced the radio with a better one and put new Rockford Fosgate speakers all the way around)

And a whole host of other things (I have a list of it all on paper around here somewhere, maybe I'll update it the next time I find that paper).



And then there is the upgrades....

Changed the front and rear axles to 3.55 gears (I swapped the rear axle and the front center chunk), truck had 3.08 gears stock.

Upgraded the front coil springs to something rated more at 3/4 ton with a progressive rate.

Got some 3/4 ton leaf packs and added a couple leafs.

Various other customizations....

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Got a ladder rack for the truck, but it was one that went down in the stake pockets plus it lacked tabs for mounting toolboxes.

Soo....

Welded some 1/4" angle all the way around, IIRC I used 2"x3" for the sides and 2"x2" for the front of the bed. I also had some 1/16" plates bent for my toolbox mounting tabs and welded those on. Traded a guy the plastic toolbox that came with the truck for having the rack sandblasted and primed.

Also picked up some new rims for the truck...

Scored the set and the center caps for $40. Guy had them on craigslist for a couple weeks, I figured they'd be long gone (they were listed for like $80 or something). Called the guy and he said he was tired of tripping over them in the garage, gimme like $40 and they're yours.... needless to say I was in the truck and down the road, lol.

And so, in January of 2010..... (springs were not done yet)

 

[Hahnsb2]

lol, sounds like a lot of fun! I thought about lifting it, but it's supposed to be my work truck, and lifting it will make it harder to get things in and out of, so it's staying more stock. Although I did think about extending the radius arms when I replaced my radius arm mounts. Didn't happen because I needed the truck on the road right away but the thought is still there.

It's gonna be a work truck, he's getting rid of his 2.3 4x4 Ranger. I think we're gonna take out the stock blocks to level it out then drop the tires down to 31s, 33s are just too much for 3.55s.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

It's gonna be a work truck, he's getting rid of his 2.3 4x4 Ranger. I think we're gonna take out the stock blocks to level it out then drop the tires down to 31s, 33s are just too much for 3.55s.

Yea, I'm running 31's with 3.55's right now, seems to do pretty good once I got the engine squared away. I thought about going 33's but I figured I'd have to regear again, plus they're more expensive of a tire (of course, I also just got offered a deal on a set of 33's and I have an almost complete set of them sitting here already.... and nothing to use 'em on, lol)

I went with some double platinum plugs, got a good cap and rotor (brass terminals), tested the TFI (and ended up replacing it), new PCV, new intake air temp sensor, 8mm plug wires, etc. Runs a LOT better than when I got it (still nowhere near a rocket, but it did make a big difference).