What's new
By:
Filters

Future tow rig build questions

Projectjunkie

Whatever
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
306
Messages
2,999
Loc
Tucson Az
20211102_102027.jpg
20210718_183903.jpg


This is a year or two down the road, but I'm gathering parts now.

The truck is a good running p pump 12v worth 270k or so, 2wd auto .

The truck has rear brake and rear spindle problems, may have been a 2500 or a 3500 dually, at different times, I need to check the title and vin.

The ZF6 is a 750 from a 6.0 or 6.4

I think i need to buy an adaptor plate sooner than later due to inflation, any recommendations?

Whatever I build will wind up on super duty axles, 3.55 or 3.23 ratio with e locker

I'm still torn between OBS ford, with a super duty frame swap, a dodge with super duty axles and a zf6, or a 99+ super duty cclb with a Cummins swap and a later model diff swap

The goal is a highway burner, highway gears, smaller tires, 33-35"

"My last tow rig" kind of build

The super duty with a Cummins makes the most sense, but I'm legitimately concerned that in 15 years I won't be able to register a 2003 truck, with a 1996 engine anywhere in this country :flipoff:

The OBS Ford's look sweet, but have flimsy frames, I have several to choose from, but I'm still basically starting from scratch

An axle and tranny swap on a dodge is making more and more sense, with a light restoration. I won't need the crew cab, as my kid's are getting older, I have a ccsb currently.

I don't know anything about weight ratings, door stickers, tags, insurance, etc, the time's I've registered and insured f350s and dodge 3500s have been a non issue

If I were building a truck to potentially haul a gooseneck in the future, mostly personal, but maybe someday as a small business, pulling a dump trailer or tractor, is it imperative I start with a certain truck?
 
Screenshot_20211103-093544_Chrome.jpg

I would think something like this the wide track front end on the 450 and 550 are nice if you are negotiating tight spaces frequently. I know you said you didn't want a crew cab but a crew or extended cab are nice just for space to put stuff out of the weather if nothing else. Not sure if you want 4x4 or not, its one of those things you don't need until you need it. If you don't need it though you should be able to pick up pretty much any 08-10 superduty cheap with a blown 6.4 and then you have a pretty darn good start on a truck.

I'm a dodge guy at heart but at the end of the day you are buying the ram for the cummins, the rams are just kind of cheap and they just don't really hold up long term as good as the superdutys do.
 
Last edited:
^^^ I'm with this guy. Buy a blown up 05+ F450/F550 and put your 12v in that.

Adapter for the 12v to ford ZF6-750, Destroked is one of the well known companies. IIRC they can provide a flywheel that allows you to use the powerstroke clutches.
 
Wants 3.30s,

Everyone suggests F550s with 4.88s :laughing:


I do think the idea of using a roller 05+ superduty roller chassis. Getting 3.30s should be pretty easy in a 11+. I wouldn't get too excited about having to have one with an elocker as they're cheap to ad later.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Wants 3.30s,

Everyone suggests F550s with 4.88s :laughing:
Click to expand...
Yeah, pretty much:laughing:
YotaAtieToo said:
I do think the idea of using a roller 05+ superduty roller chassis. Getting 3.30s should be pretty easy in a 11+. I wouldn't get too excited about having to have one with an elocker as they're cheap to ad later.
Click to expand...

It's pretty easy to find the elocker rear ends in highway gears, cheap. Might as well buy one done

It'll definitely either be a dodge extra cab, or a ford crew, I would prefer a 08-10 ford cclb, but I'm leery of future emission issues

The dodge with a tranny swap and axle swap starts to look easy compared to a OBS ford frame swap then engine swap:laughing:
 
The 6.0 zf6 is already hard to find parts for and they stop producing certain wear items. Had a friend that couldn't find shit for them and sold the truck with the blown tranny in the bed. If running the 12v, try to trade up for a nv5600. Way better transmission.
 
Sluggy said:
The 6.0 zf6 is already hard to find parts for and they stop producing certain wear items. Had a friend that couldn't find shit for them and sold the truck with the blown tranny in the bed. If running the 12v, try to trade up for a nv5600. Way better transmission.
Click to expand...
the 5600 isnt much different imo, they were only made for a few years as well
 
If that engine year thing is going to mess you up... maybe look at the F450 and 3500HD made prior to '96. Some of the ones made for logging or rail use were factory-ordered crewcabs. (or graft/swap another cab.) The Dana 80 in each is a r&p change away from 3.31 or 3.54. Should be 14-15k# GVWR.

OTOH, if the cab VIN is all that counts, and you can tolerate the 2ndgen Dodge cab, do the later F450/550 chassis swap.
 
+ whatever for just swap the 12v into an 05 + Super Duty with a blown 6.0. You’ll be fine with 34-35” tires and 3.73’s with a ZF-6.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Why does he need a F450 to cruise down the highway with a car trailer again? :laughing:
Click to expand...
Around here you can pick up 450/550s for half the price of a blown up 250/350. That also gets you the wide-track front end which makes a cclb turn like a shortbed. Gear options are pretty much infinite and cheap. They are the best bang for your buck around here find a clapped put work truck then stick a kringranch/platinum/lariat cab on it and you have the best of all worlds. That body style was made forever and a day so used parts are cheap.

On tranny are you dead set on a manual? I'm not sure what works with what but mating up a 6 or 10 speed auto would be the tits. This is coming from someone who has 4 different trucks with nv4500s and a g56.
 
I don't want a 450 or 550, or an auto, I have a ccsb diesel auto truck now, I plan on keeping it long term, but also want an all mechanical truck, properly geared, for long distance highway trips. Tall gears, skinny tires, the whole nine yards.

As for the zf6, its widely accepted as superior to the g56 and nv5600, with a center bearing on the main shaft, larger bearings, an oil pump, and external cooling, its the cats ass. And, if it does need repair, parts are available, unlike the others, the one I scored is the later model, higher rated unit, the p pump 12v of the trans world:laughing:
 
As much as i love the obs fords i prefer the features of the superduty platform and would take my chances with that. Worst case down the line some stupid hippie crap gets passed you can swap an obs body on the chassis or something else?

Your going to keep that light bar right?:flipoff2:
 
F-SuperDuty to rob it's VIN plates and title (for the GVWR/GCWR to be 'legal') and hydrobooster brake system.

Ford OBS cab of your choosing (unless you got luck the F-SuperDuty donor happen to have the cab you like, I don't think I ever seen one that's not single cab)

Service body with low height (to allow gooseneck towing).

2005 and newer F450/550 rolling chassis. FYI 2WD F450/550 have identical same front suspension and stuff, except just a tubed dead axle, so being 2wd is not a huge deal and can convert to 4wd later.

regear axles to highway ratio and preferably use a truetrac instead of e-locker (I love mine and never once wished I had a locker)

Swap vin plate on the obs cab. put the service body and the cab on F450/550 chassis along with the 12v cummins/zf6 combo.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh