Highway capable?

[joeydirt]

I'm thinking about getting rid of my 66 for a 49 but am curious how the AD trucks do on the highway. Assuming power and gearing is no longer an issue are they still the same 50 mph Farm trucks that everyone says? This particular one has small block, 10 bolt, auto trans. So it's just suspension and brakes that is original.

[1project2many]

The AD is the same basic suspension as TF. Solid axles and leaves at all four corners with drums on each wheel. I've been driving my TF with mostly stock suspension since I put it on the road in '93. I don't drive it much now since we have two kids but I've logged plenty of miles in it. Long story short, it's an old truck and it feels like an old truck but it can be driven reasonably well in traffic with some attention to your driving habits and some detail on the truck.

1) Make sure the steering and suspension components are good. Check kingpins, tie rods, drag link, and steering box and return them to like new condition. Make sure the shocks are good and aren't leaking. Make sure spring hangers, pins, and bushings are in good shape.

2) Make sure your brakes are working properly and are adjusted. All wheel cylinders must be free. The brake hardware should be clean and rust free. Drums and shoes must not be glazed or out of round. And the shoes need to be adjusted correctly since there's no automatic adjusters.

3) Add a front sway bar. This makes a huge difference in the way it feels as it helps eliminate the roly-poly feeling found in many old vehicles.

4) Consider a steering damper. They can help reduce shock at the steering wheel if your area has lots of potholes or bad roads.

As I've gotten older I'm planning a few more changes:

1) Adding an OE power brake booster. My knees get sore working the manual brakes when I get into spots with lots of stop and go traffic.

2) Changing the 1/2 ton steering arms for 3/4 ton arms. This is because I just want to see how much improvement it provides to steering response.

3) Adding power steering. If I do this it will be an OE style design that uses a drag link with control valve and an assisting piston.

4) Changing out my '80 K5 sway bar for an OE bar from a '57 Suburban. The Blazer bar worked great but the install was pretty amateur looking. I literally fell into the deal on the OE bar.

As far as driving goes, don't be agressive, leave some room around you, try to avoid those roads, spots, or times of day when other people are in a hurry and have no patience. If you drive it every day you'll likely get quite comfortable with it. If you drive once a month you'll probably always feel like it needs upgrading.

[Bigdav160]

I don't see why not. I drove a bone stock 1940 Ford across the country when I was 17.

[Coach529]

Mine went down the road great with the solid front axle.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

If everything is in good shape you can drive it in modern traffic. I have a 56 with 350 V-8 & 5 speed W/o-drive & 338 gears. The brakes & chassis are stock. I drive it 70-75 all the time. I did take about an inch off the brake pedal shaft to bring it down with the clutch.

[nvrdone]

at one point in my life my 49 ad was the only vehicle we had wife & 3 kids so it was a daily driver. now that the kids are grown & gone it still gets driven to work about 3 days a week and lots on weekends. its a 327/m21/12bolt/ disc -drum set up and it easily handles my commute. one route is 56 mi on back country roads at 60 mph. the other route is 49 mi at 70 + mph. also use it to tow my ski boat. it may not be as comfortable as my grand Cherokee, but it is still more fun