Another Newbie

[340B]

Hello to all... my name is Randy and I have owned a 1976 F-250 for over 30 years. I'm looking forward to posting here with many of you at the FTF and learning more about our great trucks.
My truck is a 1976 F-250 Ranger Camper Special.
The color is "Ford Chrome Yellow" and the interior is Black.
Engine is a 460 stroked to 557c.i.. The trans is a C-6 with a cooler.
Rear-end is a 4.10 ratio limited slip.

 

[slmann]

Welcome to the site.

 

[Blue Goose]

Engine is a 460 stroked to 557c.i..

Welcome to FTF, Randy! Oh, and about the above quote....

 

[LEB Ben]

Welcome aboard, we have a strong dentside following here, so make yourself at home. That 557 has me anxiously awaiting pics.

 

[340B]

Thank you all for the welcome. Here is some pictures of my 557 starting with the most important parts, the 557 stroker kit by Probe Engineering. Built along with a Isky rv and tow cam and roller-rockers. I had it built in 1999 and it runs VERY well to this day. Sorry.. I have not taken pictures of it in the truck as from the outside it looks like a stock factory 460. Last picture is what I used the power for. Towing almost 12,000 pounds of a Ford grading tractor and trailer for years. It did that rather well too.

 

[Austin]

YER TRUCK IS PURDY!!!!

Oh, and welcome to the site.

 

[340B]

Thank you Austin.

 

[smokey]

Welcome to FTF.

 

[LEB Ben]

Thank you all for the welcome. Here is some pictures of my 557 starting with the most important parts, the 557 stroker kit by Probe Engineering. Built along with a Isky rv and tow cam and roller-rockers. I had it built in 1999 and it runs VERY well to this day. Sorry.. I have not taken pictures of it in the truck as from the outside it looks like a stock factory 460. Last picture is what I used the power for. Towing almost 12,000 pounds of a Ford grading tractor and trailer for years. It did that rather well too.

How street friendly is that thing??? Specs/Power??? Cost (if that's not too nosey)???

 

[Evan's f250]

Welcome to the forum. Nice truck ya got there. You got some pretty big meats on the rear, 33x12.5x16.5? You've got it lookin good, bet it hauls the camper like nothing with that 557!

 

[polarbear]

Welcome to FTF!

 

[340B]

Thank you again for the additional welcomes, they are very much appreciated.
In answer to UTfball68 "How street friendly, power and cost?"
Since my 557 was built more for towing and longevity rather than top of the line horsepower. She is more streetable than you would think. She drives like an extremely powerful 460 and is very throttle responsive, a little throttle goes a long way fast. My gas mileage is about the same as my old 460's that had been in my truck before. As far as horsepower, the engine builder checked with Probe and with the specs of my engine they thought around 650 pounds of torgue and somewhere near 500 horses. I myself have no way to prove that as she has never been on a dyno.
As to cost... I had hope to spend around $7000. for a complete engine installed. But that was to low for all additional work and parts that just kept adding to the total cost before all was said and done. Closer to $10,000 with a new intake manifold, headers, MSD distributor and ignition, radiator and other small parts. Yes.. that is expensive but I am hoping to get many more years and enjoyment out of both the truck and the engine, so far 11 years and 61,000 miles out of the engine.
Evan... I am very old school on the tires on my truck. 12-16.5 bias/ply in the back and 9-16.5 bias/ply in the front. I just like the stiff feel of the bias/ply when pulling trailers.
Randy

 

[SuperCab]

You had me until the bias ply tires lol...


Very cool truck and welcome to FTF!

 

[340B]

SuperCab thanks for the compliment and welcome.
I really should try radials again on the truck. I tried them once back in the 80's when a local tire dealer loan me a set to try on the truck. They felt fine until I towed my 12,000 pound skiploader and trailer to work. Then they felt a lot like driving on sponges causing the trailer and tractor to sway back and forth. But since I only have the 5th-wheel trailer now, it probably would be the way to go.

 

[Evan's f250]

I like the look of the bigger tires in the rear as well..loooks great IMO. I've never had bias ply tires that I'm aware of. of course I don't really haul anything of much weight, so I wouldn't we able to tell ya which is better if I had a set. lol

 

[340B]

I like the look of the bigger tires in the rear as well..

Me too...I grew up when trucks with campers were real popular in the sixties and seventies and many ran the larger tires. I just like the look and I also feel that the extra width helped to add to the on-road stability and also helped with additional traction and floatation when I had to pull my truck and trailer off-road on many of the grading jobs that I worked at over the years.
Randy

 

[340B]

Sorry for another post on the subject of my 557 engine. But I do not think I covered the difference in overall power and especially hauling heavy loads with it. Overall I would say that the 557 as is built for my truck is about 30% stronger across the board than either of my two earlier 460s that had been in my truck. Both of which were considered very strong runners by the mechanics who would test drive them and also by the owners of Ford trucks with 460s in them.
As for towing peformance. I have two highway grades in my area that I used to test the peformance of my engines from time to time pulling my tractor and trailer. On these grades with either of my 460s the best I could do climding these mile and two mile long grades was a continual 45 mph all the way up. With the 557 I could do these grades at 62 mph all the way up with the 12,000 pounds of my tractor and trailer.
Also my fuel mileage is still about the same as it was with the 460s because you are using less throttle to do the same. Towing on the highway the best I get is around 10 mpg. Around town somewhere around 8 mpg.
Biggest problem with my 557 after it was built was that a lot of the name brand new accessory parts failed and broke in the first year. Also I learned it requires a very strong battery coupled with a very well built i.e. expensive starter to start it over any length of time. I hope this additional info helps to fill in the details for you.
Randy

 

[DNFXDLI]

Welcome to FTF and nice truck!

 

[340B]

Thank you DNFXDLI. I am really enjoying this forum as it seems a friendly, very informative and well moderated place to enjoy.
Randy

 

[SuperCab]

What is the load rating in lbs on those tires? any good 16" radial these days should take 3000lbs per tire at 80 psi... and hold the road alot better than those bias plies...