79 F350 No shocks in back

Yes, the '79 4x4 had rear shocks.

Provided it is a fairly healthy 400 or better, you should have no problem PULLING. Make sure you have the biggest trans cooler HAYDEN makes installed in front of the AC condenser and plumbed correctly. (after the in-radiator cooler) I also don't remember you mentioning what transmission you have.

This is the part you have to worry about. I'm glad you mentioned it. Make DAMN sure the electric brakes work and have a high quality controller. (I like the Prodigy a whole lot.)

Make sure no tire is older than 5 years. You didn't mention the trailer tires unless I missed it.

I can not imagine there not being shocks on the rear axle.

I can not see any logical explanation for removing the shocks and shock mounts. It is very (that's VERY) unsafe to drive a vehicle that is sprung and is not fitted with shocks. (There are some motorcycles that have no shocks, but they have no springs either.)

I say no.

It is quite possible that it never had shocks if it was shipped as a cab-chassis in those days. Shocks on heavier trucks were viewed as a ride quality issue having nothing to do with the commercial value of the vehicle. Even things like school buses had the shocks listed as an option with several choices if you wanted to spend the extra money. Body manufacturers and installer would many time have to remove or relocate any shocks that were installed. It may be that the F350 pu as a primarily commercial duty vehicle at the time would have had them only as a frequently installed option. Many people forget that pu's were not common to so many households until the large passenger vehicles that people used to pull their boats and campers were regulated out of existance and replaced by limited capability minivans.

Lugnut

The c-6 is a good trans even on a one ton and bigger. But you have to keep it cool. Also, never try to "rock" a c-6 out of the mud. They will break if you do that.

As for the trailer tires, regardless of the fact that the trailer is new, check the serial numbers on the tires. The last 3 digits indicate the week and year of manufacture. Trailer builders don't necessarily use the best tire available in every case.

Why? We are not talking a passenger car/ 1/2 ton suspension here. I've run two trucks for a short while without rear shocks, when the old ones no longer fit due to suspension changes. That is when I learned "replacing" rear shocks is highly over rated, On a truck with very stiff rear springs, the shock do absolutely nothing. I can put you in the same truck with and without rear shocks and you could NOT from the drivers seat tell with from without.

I've actually seen an old Studebaker truck (I think a ton and a half) that was never fitted with shocks, ever. However, AFAIR it was mid- late 50s vintage, and the springs resembled solid pieces of steel more than anything with any actual resilience.

In any case I doubt this is relevant to the OP; I'm sure that FMVSS required some sort of damper by the 70s.

nate

I'm not sure what "FMVSS" stands for, but the '73 to '79 F-350 cab chassis DID NOT come with shocks on the rear from the factory. Period.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard

nate

I'll accept the idea that the cab chassis had no shocks because the shock rate would be dependent on the load that the company that finished the manufacturing process would put upon the truck.

If a chassis was going to get an ambulance body, then the load would be one thing, but it was going to be fitted with a flat bed, the loading would be entirely different.

The cab chassis is not something that a private citizen would be likely to get possession of until after the finished product was added on. For example, I once owned a Class C motorhome that began life as a rolling chassis designed around a stretched E350 Econoline van. Surely the shocks for my application would differ from the shocks of another application built around the same chassis. But, the chassis was not offered for sale on the open market, it had to be purchased by a company that intended to add significant value, and I presume they would also add the shocks to meet the federal motor vehicle satefy standards -- FMVSS, by the way.

Having said that, it seems to me that at the very least, the lower shock mounts would be provided as an integral part of the spring perches or axle brackest or whatever the shocks mount to at the bottom.

Anyone could (and still can) buy a cab chassis. It's not uncommon at all for landscape companies, and other such construction types to buy them.

Oh, sorry, missed the last paragraph. the lower shock mounts were not included because the shocks were not.

I was not aware of that. I would expect a landscaper or other to buy a finished truck that had some sort of bed provided by a third party, not Ford, or Chevy, or Dodge, or whomever ...

They buy a cab chasis and then take it to a company that builds and installs the type of bed they want. They may buy the cab chasis to replace something in the fleet worn out and have the bed on that vehicle moved to the new one. That happens a lot with utilty box style beds, such as those manufactured by Reading.

Whitelightning

I'm familiar with the boxes and beds you are talking about, but in my area these are generally sold new by the fleet sales department of the respective dealerships. Then the old stock goes off to auction or is sold through a private party transaction. The Mexicans might buy two trucks, one that runs but has the wrong kind of bed for they purpose they intend, and one that doesn't run but has the bed they want. Then, they get to work building Frankenstein.

I can't think of ever seeing a new cab chassis with an old box on it, but I'd accept the argument that a guy might buy rolling stock and have the bed of his choice custom made. I hadn't thought of that practice, but I suppose it could happen.

In any case, I did not get the impression from the OP that he had a truck that was constructed in that manner.

That is just not true. Anyone could and still can purchase a chassis cab truck directly from Ford. As a matter of fact, I purchased and drove off the lot with empty frame rails, my 2005 F-450 Cassis cab. An empty cassis cab truck has always been available for purchase by the general public.

Many cassis cab buyers simply buy an empty cassis cab and take the old bed off their old truck and stick it on the new one.

When you have a perfectly serviceable $5000-$15000 steel dump flatbed, why not put it on your new truck?

If I replaced my F-450 Cassis Cab today, I would likely keep my custom built aluminum bed for the new truck