Build a hypothetical 3500HD.

skylark · Feb 16, 2023

I forgot to mention that the outside measurement of the frame above the front axle on the 3500hd is 36.5". The F450/550 at work is 38 in the same location.

df2x4 · Feb 16, 2023

454cid said:
Are they perhaps upside down, the the drains facing up?

I'm thinking that has to be what's going on there... I've never seen a set of parking lights for these trucks that didn't have drain holes in the bottom of the housings.

jus10inbrla · Feb 16, 2023

df2x4 said:
I'm thinking that has to be what's going on there... I've never seen a set of parking lights for these trucks that didn't have drain holes in the bottom of the housings.

Im gonna feel like a dumasss if thats the case. I drove it to the camp to put out a few hog traps & left it there with the trailer.. guess i check that saturday

skylark · Feb 16, 2023

A deal has been made. An 08 F450 will be donating it's axles to Pearl.

skylark · Feb 17, 2023

There is a good chance that the entire suspension from the F450 will end up on Pearl. I'm going to look heavily into the possibility of the 40 gallon rear fuel tank and intercooler being used as well. In a dark corner of my mind I've wondered if I shouldn't adapt the 450's master and/or hydroboost to just use the entire brake system.

454cid · Feb 17, 2023

skylark said:
There is a good chance that the entire suspension from the F450 will end up on Pearl. I'm going to look heavily into the possibility of the 40 gallon rear fuel tank and intercooler being used as well. In a dark corner of my mind I've wondered if I shouldn't adapt the 450's master and/or hydroboost to just use the entire brake system.

No air ride for the rear?

Brake system sounds reasonable to me, but maybe check the critical dimensions in the master first? No sence in firewall and pedal work if the bores are close, right?

Is this the truck in ca that you were talking about, or another?

skylark · Feb 17, 2023

454cid said:
No air ride for the rear?

Brake system sounds reasonable to me, but maybe check the critical dimensions in the master first? No sence in firewall and pedal work if the bores are close, right?

Is this the truck in ca that you were talking about, or another?

Still considering air ride at all 4 corners. This gives us off the shelf options while keeping the front end low and the wide front axle has amazing turning radius from what we hear.

I haven't compared the master cylinder details yet. Still in the back of my mind. The driveshaft mounted parking brake will go away by going 4wd so I'm really glad that the F450 uses a traditional parking brake at the wheels.

Actually the 3500hd came from Pittsburgh, CA near San Francisco and the F450 is in the desert north of Los Angeles.

skylark · Feb 17, 2023

Brake notes
2008 F450
F rotor 14.530 x 1.535
R rotor 15.348 x 1.535
Master 1.5 bore with 3/8x24 ports
Inner brake pad 2.539 x 8.740
Outer brake pad 2.539 x 8.840
Same pads front and rear.

2000 3500hd
F rotor 13.850 x 1.437
R rotor 13.579 x 1.425
Master 1.575 bore Primary port 9/16x18, secondary port 1/2x20
Inner brake pad 3.134x8.084
Outer brake pad 3.819x10.492
Same pads front and rear.

bluex · Feb 17, 2023

I didn't notice the wheel base mentioned on the 550 anywhere but would adapting body mounts an engine mounts to the Ford frame be an easier task than swapping suspensions? Just a thought, might be easier/faster to strip the body/drivetrain, stretch the Ford frame, then build cab mounts an swap the body over. Plus that frame is probably rated for a higher gvw too.

Supercharged111 · Feb 17, 2023

What kind of air ride were you thinking out back? I know with the bags on my dually I don't want to air it up off the overload springs or I'll lose rate and the thing will get tippy. But I also have seen folks with truck campers and commercial cab and chassis convert to air ride and not be in that boat.

Build a hypothetical 3500HD.

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