New to me vintage ford prerunner

[Earthad58]

i just picked up this vintage 1981 Ford F-150 4x4 prerunner truck, full cage front to rear built by a shop in Washington and what looks to be decked out with autofab parts, cut turned Ttb,long radius arms, coil buckets, traction bar etc, seems pretty simple and well built. Truck has a "built" inline 300 6 cylinder with a 4 speed manual and is still 4x4 with Deaver springs, I'm wondering if anyone can help, I'm pretty new to the "prerunner" desert truck scene and looking to modernize this truck a little and get it back into shape to play with at the dunes and take down to the hammers every year and play in the desert, the front springs currently seemed to be sacked out, I want to replace the front coils but not sure what to go with for the best travel etc, also I'm going to order foa remote res 2.0 shocks to replace the old school rs9000's that are on it now with compressor system.

 

[Earthad58]

Some more

 

[Chubs]

Looks like a great start to a solid truck! You would probably want to install a pair of inexpensive 4" coil springs, drive it for a few days to settle the springs in, if they look right then get some quality, dual rate coils for the front, along w the new shocks the front end should be perfect....have you had a chance just to lay under the truck and take a look around? Sometimes a major issue will present its self just by laying there stareing at it. Add a couple of spares to get some wieght in the back.....got any pics of the front suspension with the tires off so we can see what is holding her up in the front?

 

[scary fast hummer]

PM sent.

 

[Chubs]

Where in Orygun are you? I'm in Redmond, just north of Bend, I've got an 83 Bronco, a 78 extra cab F-150, & 95 F-150, all falling in the prerunner/ project class...

 

[Earthad58]

Nice, I actually just moved from bend back down to canby aurora area, south of Portland.

 

[Earthad58]

I'm still in the process of moving into my new house so I don't have all my tools and welder and bender and jacks and what not unpacked yet so as soon as I do I'll get the front up in the air and start checking stuff out, I know the previous owner just did new brakes/caliper rotors and pads and brand new hubs up front and new long braided lines. Just looks to me like it has the wrong springs in it. I'm half tempted just to swap to coilovers, by the time I get a good set of dual rate springs and new resivour shocks I could have picked up a decent set of coilovers for the front.

 

[PDANK Racing]

I've used FOA shock in the past, and they are ok shocks, you get what you pay for. I would personally use a FOX, or King performance series or find some used race shocks in the classifieds. If you want to go FOA, I have a new pair of 2.5 x 12" with remote reserviors for $250 I'd be willing to sell.

For cheap springs, you may be able to find a new moog that will work. Their spring spec sheet is at Universal Coil Spring Specifications | Moog Suspension Parts. I found the stock spring rate for my car, and then searched the catalog until I found a spring with a slightly higher rate (~25% higher) that fit the specs I needed. Found my set on ebay for $60, so worst case scenario your only out a few bucks if they don't work.

You'll have to measure from top to bottom coil mount with the suspension extended (spring free height) and compressed. When you're looking thru the springs, you'll have to do a little math to figure out the collapsed height, Spring Free height - (bar diameter x # of coils). You'll want this lenght to be slightly shorter than the collapsed height. Otherwise, you might be able to contact moog and see if they can give you a coil bind dimension.

 

[Earthad58]

I'm definitely interested in buying those shocks off you! At least get me started and better then my current set up!

 

[Earthad58]

Pm sent

 

[baja619]

Sweet starter! Should be a fun truck with 4x4 once you get her going.

 

[Mark_Weyhrich]

Where in Orygun are you? I'm in Redmond, just north of Bend, I've got an 83 Bronco, a 78 extra cab F-150, & 95 F-150, all falling in the prerunner/ project class...

Ha, my brother and I both graduated from Canby Union High! Go Cougars!!

 

[Earthad58]

Ha, small world! I grew up off Stafford rd area, moved away for awhile but back in the canby area. Got some pictures, it was dark but you can see what I mean about needing longer springs. It looks a lot worse in person.

 

[retroblazer]

If you haven't done so yet, call John at Auto Fab. I'm sure he'd be happy to review your options.

 

[Earthad58]

Well some updajtes on the truck, decided the six cylinder was t my thing so yanked it out and sold it, picked a 351w and ordered a set up built aluminum heads with 1.7 comp roller rockers, guide plates etc, and dropped the engine off at my local race engine builder who will be converting my 8.8 to 1 351w into a fire breathing 10.6 to 1 393 stroker with eagle rotating assembly and full roller cam. I also picked up a c6 and just built it with all performance clutches and a full manual valve body with a 208 t case and a deep finned aluminum trans pan. I did go ahead and order (regardless of what I've heard decided to take a chance) 4 new 2.5"x 16" remote res foa shocks valves firm in the front and light med in the rear. They look like good quality so time will tell but I'm stoked on it so far, I kind of went a little crazy with led lights for it bud wanted to be able to see at night, need to add some amber covers to some of the lights and a very nice marine rocker switch panel that has a digital voltmeter and USB ports as well as cigarette lighter port that will be mounted in my new custom aluminum center console along with a winters gate shifter. I need to do a lot of clean up in the truck before I start installing any new toys, some pressure washing and wire wheeling and primer and paint on the frame and crossmemebers etc. also picked up a new set of 6" early bronco skyjacker coils for now

 

[Earthad58]

Well pulled bedsides, shocks, limit straps and pulled it into the car port, going to start major deep cleaning and surface rust removal and primer and paint on frame and cross members and then start mocking up and mounting new shocks. Ordered my art carr shifter today and going to be pulling trans and t case to make room for my new c6 I just built and t case.

 

[MikeSmith]

Looks like a fun start, Im not that far south from you. Eugene Oregon

 

[Earthad58]

Nice! Well I've got a bit of work done, just got my motor back, ended up having a all new 393w stroker built, 11.5 to 1 compression, all forged internals setup to run nitrous, can't wait to get the motor in. Built a center console and added new front coils, redid the shocks hoops a bit and mounted the rear shocks, also just picked up a set of deavers for the rear!