53 F100 how to go highway speeds ?

If you insist on keeping the 215, one thing you can do that will increase its pulling power, and will help it tolerate a lower numerical gear ratio, is increase the compression by milling the head. Higher compression increases both power and mpg.

 

ya i figure if im happy with how its driving stock ill find some fun go fast bits and do things like shave the head later

 

I got a tachometer at Iola and Its maxing out when I run it? its a airguide with stewart warner sending unit any ideas what I am doing wrong could it be 6v ? any way to check it ? the guy who sold it to me told me it was converted to 12v and had it on his f100 ill try to get pictures up asap

 

You need to worry about stopping with a boat behind that truck. The truck as sits was not designed to be towing at 65 mph with the steering suspension and brakes you have and you will be a danger to everyone around you. People who have gone down a mountain with a load and 1/2 ton drum front brakes will know what I'm talking about. If the front drums get hot you will have no brakes. No bla bla bla bullshit from those who've never towed with front drums. A stock 53 1/2 ton will not tow a boat down a mountain, period. The least you need is some serious trailer brakes and brake controller and discs on the front of the truck.

 

good thing there are no mountains in Wisconsin ! on a serious note I will keep my eyes on that but not super worried about it as the whole rig is about 500lb boat motor and trailer

 

Bla, bla, bla bullshit.

Did you even read the thread? The boat is like 400 pounds.

Rich

 

Weigh it. I seriously doubt that figure. A friend build trailers designed to be pulled by motorcycles - they weigh about 500 pounds. And don't float.

Cosmo

 

good point I'm actually curious what it does weigh but I can lift the boat and I can lift the trailer and it moves around by hand very easy so I figure cant weigh that much

 

I dis-agree with some of the above...

Drum brakes are just fine for stopping as long as they are in good condition... are they as good as disk brakes, no, but they will stop, you just need to keep in mind what you are driving.

I have drums on my OT car and my buddy has them on his '57 Chev pickup... both stop with no problem (both have been fully re-built and are solid condition)....towing a trailer with either/or of these vehicles would not be a problem (my 27' race trailer might have an issue, but not my boat trailer)....

 

Man, that is one serious bike trailer... must be fully loaded at that weight....
My whole '04 Roadking weighs about 750#.... glad I don't pull a trailer..

 

on a side note I figured out half my problem one cylinder was dead * valve seat cam out and wedged the exhaust open and I was getting blow through on 3 cylinders and here I thought I just had a leaky head gasket