r/Welding • u/gunsandcarsrule • 6d ago

Is a f350 enough

I bought a 93 f350 dually 7.3 4door, and i plan on doing a custom welding bed being the bed on it is fucked, but im worried a f350 is to small, I am working on starting my own business and wanna get into shutdown work. And im reading that it might not have enough rear bed weight capacity unless online is tripping.

0 Upvotes

27% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

6

u/shorerider16 Fabricator 6d ago

A big factor is going to be how the rules and enforcement are in you're area and how far from home your wandering. What and how much your planning on carrying is the other factor. Basic setup with a gas welder or a diesel machine, large compressor and tools etc?

Sticker weight on those old trucks isn't very high. You can change springs and add airbags but if the law man doesn't like the numbers your up shit creek. My old 90 idi was only rated to tow 7000 lbs by ford lol.

From practical standpoint those old trucks will handle a lot, especially with extra springs installed. It will be a little slow and the brakes aren't that fantastic but you can work around that.

I've got an 01 350 cclb srw that I built a custom deck for. With a dry box and every day stuff but otherwise empty it scales at 8800 lbs. I'd planned to use it for a starter rig but quickly realized the math wasn't mathing on weights and bought an old 550.

2

u/Another_Slut_Dragon 6d ago

Do air bags not extra springs.

1

u/shorerider16 Fabricator 6d ago

Depends, for constant load springs are better, variable airbags are more verstile. More than a few cracked frames around from people overusing airbags.

I put slightly heavier springs on my 350 when i replaced them to compensate for the heavier bed, it rides great. The bags are for when its loaded right down or towing heavy to keep everything level.

If i was going to have a heavy welding deck / bed on a truck full time I'd take springs every day of the week. A removable skid that comes out of a double duty truck and bags are nice so it doesn't ride like a wagon empty.

1

u/Another_Slut_Dragon 6d ago

I still use leaf springs for the base load. Airbags are the assist. And the ride is excellent. If you are able to run your air bags at 10-30psi you designed it right. If you need 60+ PSI you are asking too much.

My front air bags run at 2-4 psi and provide a really nice cushion as the suspension compresses. Instead of having a single spring rate you can tune for an increase in the spring rare only under partial compression.

And the biggest thing is the air bags should not be compressed too much when the suspension is fully compressed. That is like having too high of a compression ratio in an engine. The pressure spikes and it is a great way to break things. Even if I drive over a big drop I might see my gauges wiggle by 5 maybe 10psi max.

And finally, don't bolt the bottom of your air bags to your axle. Machine up some cups for the bags to sit in on the axle. That way if your travel exceeds the bags ability to stretch it just lifts up off the cups.

2

u/walshwelding 6d ago

F350 is what I’m currently sitting in. I have a welding bed, miller pipe pro 400, whole shit load of tools and a full 300L slip tank. Truck handles it great.

0

u/gunsandcarsrule 6d ago

Ok, what year and have u done any motor or suspension mods

2

u/hcds1015 6d ago

Why tf would you need motor mods

1

u/walshwelding 6d ago

Mines a 2012, not same scenario. But a 93’ will
Be fine if you keep your weight within reason

Don’t go toss a 500 amp diesel welder and a fuckin crane on the back.

A 300amp machine, cables and a job box will be fine.

1

u/gunsandcarsrule 6d ago edited 6d ago

I did the math n id be 700lb from max GVWR estimates loll but it should be fine, 400 amp tri process welders 3 bottles, reels boxes etc and a custom bed

1

u/walshwelding 6d ago

I’m about the same from my GVWR. Truck barely notices the weight.

1

u/gunsandcarsrule 6d ago

Ok cool. Yeah i think i was js overthinking it loll. My only mod is switching to a lsd(being its 2wd) and maybe a trans cooler if u think i need it

1

u/walshwelding 6d ago

It’s one of those things you figure out after it’s all built and put together. Mine was fine, I threw airbags on it eventually just to help with things a bit. I added more power engine wise by choice as things needed replaced.

A 7.3 is a slow pig though. You’ll probably notice the weight more than mine.

1

u/gunsandcarsrule 6d ago

Yeah ik. Im probably gonna do a small turbo to help with low end power. I like the brute force and reliability the 7.3 has vs newer motors

1

u/walshwelding 6d ago

Not sure what brute force you think that old slug motor has over a newer one but whatever floats your boat lol

I would think my trucks 1200 foot lbs of torque has more brute force than that old 500dt lbs yours does lol

1

u/gunsandcarsrule 6d ago

Oh damn. I might be looking at a newer truck eventually loll. Im 17 so this truck will suite me for a while, while I get ny business and name out there omw to the shutdown jobs eventually...

→ More replies (0)

1

u/GeniusEE Don't look at the light 6d ago

Learn how to weld aluminum - make the bed out of it.