Old-body-style Fords hold a special place in the heart of diesel enthusiasts. Whether you remember them for their tough appearance, mechanical reliability, or as the workhorses that debuted the Power Stroke engine, they still have quite a following. Some even see them as classics in today's diesel culture, being that the last version was offered more than 12 years ago.
That being said, it's hard to find a clean version of an old Power Stroke these days. Recently, we lucked out in coming across this immaculate '97 F-250 crew cab owned by J.D. Donohue. After one glance at the front of the truck, we noticed the solid axle and had to get his story. You see, owners of '94 to '97 3/4-tons were pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place with their Power Strokes. The only option available on four-wheel-drive models was the dreaded front Twin-Traction Beam (TTB), which, due to the Power Stroke's weight, was notorious for alignment, axle beam-pivot bushing, and shackle bushing issues. In order to get the stout Dana 60 solid axle from the factory, you had to buy an F-350.
Needless to say, swapping a straight axle underneath an old 3/4-ton is always a telltale sign the owner intends to keep the truck. And, after just a minute of conversation, J.D. confirmed our suspicions. "Those TTB's were never meant to have that much weight over them-and you just can't beat a solid axle."
Long before his '97 sat on a straight axle, J.D. bought the truck to be a workhorse. The truck's daily driving routine racks up 100 to 150 miles, while hauling anywhere from 500 to 1,000 pounds in the bed. And when the workweek ends for J.D., it's just the beginning for his truck, which often pulls a 13,000-pound, triple-axle toy hauler to the sand dunes, or tows his boat 60 miles out to the lake.
As the third owner, the first thing J.D. did to the truck was add a 4-inch lift and 35-inch tires mounted on Robby Gordon wheels. However, once the Dana 60 went in, he went with the 4-inch suspension lift from National Spring and Fox reservoir shocks you see here. In addition to the new lift, J.D. added an Off Road Unlimited shackle reversal kit up front, and Velvet-Ride shackles in the rear. The truck's tough look was further enhanced with a set of 315/75R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrains on 16x10 Helo wheels.
The first modification the 7.3L Power Stroke received was for safety purposes. Well aware of the recalls from the factory, J.D. immediately replaced the camshaft position sensor, which ensured he would never be unexpectedly stranded somewhere. Knowing that he planned to tow considerable amounts of weight, he installed a 4-inch Diamond Eye exhaust, AFE air intake, and an intercooler and a wastegated Aurora 2000 turbo from ATS Diesel. After that, a set of Auto Meter gauges and a pillar were installed to monitor boost, water, transmission, and EGTs.
 The addition of the ATS Diesel...  The addition of the ATS Diesel intercooler was one of the most noticeable modifications J.D. made to the truck. He mentioned that his EGTs dropped at least 100 degrees while towing in high elevations. |  The first thing we noticed...  The first thing we noticed other than a clean, badgeless body, was the front Dana 60 axle. J.D. Donohue told us he decided to ditch the TTB front axle after having to replace axle beam-pivot bushings every 2,000 miles, not to mention all the added wear and tear that occurred on his front tires. The problem with TTB on these trucks is related to the 980-pound Power Stroke bearing down on it. With that kind of weight, the front coil springs constantly sag, creating premature inner tire wear, and adding considerable stress to other components. |  These remote reservoir front...  These remote reservoir front shocks from Fox Racing accompany the 4-inch National Spring suspension lift and make plenty of room for the 315/75R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrains. |