Trying to find a bigger truck

[Southern_Trendkill]

So here's the deal. I'm trying to find a bigger truck. Something with an 8 foot bed and some pulling power, because I don't like leaving my bike in the bed of the ranger with the tailgate down. I also need more power because if I hit small hills, the ranger won't go faster than 45 when it's empty. Even the weight if the bike slows it down.

I'm looking at a 1983 F-250, but the only horsepower ratings I can find for that time period are on wikipedia, and they say that the 302 only gets 130hp and 222lb/ft of torque, and my ranger gets 140/190. Has anyone had an f-series from that time frame that can tell me if they have any power, or will they be worse than the ranger?

 

[Captain Ledd]

actually that might be right. May have been a little higher from the factory, but at least about what it'll be doing now. Engine technology has progressed light-years.

I never owned a truck of those years, but I know that some of them make surprisingly little power.

 

[Hahnsb2]

My Dakota's got 225HP and 285 Ft-Lbs If you don't mine a single cab you can get a 8 foot bed too

 

[Will]

They were bad until '85 when they got EFI and went up to 190hp, 285ft#.

 

[93Ranger4x4]

I still own a 1980 f-250 4wd with a 302 4spd, tho it does run good, i dont think it could fight itself out of a wet paper bag IMO.

93ranger4x4

 

[canyoncritter]

anything in the mid 70's to the mid 80's is going to be really gutless in stock forum.

I had 93 f150, on 33;s and 4.10 gears 5.0L,headers, intake, exuast,chip, underdrive pulleys. it was a turd as well. had the power of say a 2.9 ranger. and got 10-12 mpg on avg.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

A 7' Ranger bed will fit a decent sized bike, I can fit my Honda XL-350 diagonally in my bed with the tailgate shut. I have never had it beside another dirtbike but I think it is bigger physically than most, and I know it is a lot heavier. A healthy Ranger should easily break 45 mph on hills, reasonably loaded. The 7' box was an option into the mid 90's, I have heard it has been revived since but I have yet to see one.

I wouldn't get a smallblock fullsize truck in that time period. I am rather fond of 400's though...

 

[Southern_Trendkill]

I've got a 6 foot bed. I might be able to fit it diagonally, do I don't trust it to stay still that way. My the bed capacity wouldn't be a problem if I could find a bed extender. I could solve the power issue with a v8, but then I'd have to swap axles so they could handle the power.

 

[93Ranger4x4]

Find one with a 351m or 400m or hell even a 460 if you dont mind the gas mileage. the 351m and 400m's arent a bad motor, had a buddy with an old 79 with a 351m in it and it ran decent. Right now another friend of mine has a 79 with a mildly built up 400m and that thing SCREAMS!!!! his truck wraps up faster than my mustang does.

93ranger4x4

 

[Captain Ledd]

I could solve the power issue with a v8, but then I'd have to swap axles so they could handle the power.

How do you treat the truck? dropping the clutch, hard launches and otherwise drag racing behavior is usually what kills stuff. Some moderation when stopping and starting and smarts as to navigating and wheeling in 4wd, and you can make them last just fine.

They used 7.5's in v8 mustangs for a while, and IIRC our fearless leader, Jim Oaks, ran a D28 for a while in TRS1 which had a V8, though has since been upgraded.

Pour the extra power on when you need it, and gradually when your already moving and I bet you'd have a fairly difficult time breaking it. I've found getting a really good and quiet exhaust helps keep the pedal off the firewall.

93Ranger4x4, M series rule! It's a pity they're so over looked by people with performance in mind. They're like Cleveland's on steroids. A couple quick tricks to get rid of the ridiculous emissions era junk/design ideas and they really move.

 

[Jspafford]

Wait, so your truck won't hold speed on a hill. Figure out what's broken. Buying an older truck that is twice as heavy with not much more power is pointless. It will use twice as much gas and still be slow?