i have f350 axels out of a 1978 f350 custom and I want to put them under my 1966 f100 but the front leaf springs are 6" longer than the front of the frame to the front of the cab. I know the f100 is coil front suspension and im going to have to convert it to leaf front but I also want it lifted 4 inches in the front because I have 4" lift blocks for the back. what should I do to make them fit? Please help.

 

The frames are the same width so your good there..

So you're saying that when the tire/axle is centered the leaf sticks out further than the frame to the front?

Is your 66 2wd?

If you could have gotten the entire frame the 66 cab would have swapped right to it

 

My 66 is 2wd and I have the frame, running gear, tranny, transfercase, cab with steering colom and steering box, and the drivelines of the 78


and then my 66 is complete but I want it to be 4wd and lifted


and yes the leafsprings from the 78 would be sticking 6" under the cab on my 66 but the 78 used to be a homemade towtruck that my neighbors had and so they put 4" lift blocks under the rear to compensate for the weight so that it would be evened out but they never lifted the fron and so I was wondering if it would work just to arch the front leafs 4" and then squeeze them a little bit to get them to fit under the front of my 66.

 

Okay, good that you have the entire thing.. There are shops that can arc the spring more so they will fit for you and possibly get a little lift. You won't be able to bend them into place yourself safely..

I'm assuming you're going to use the spring hangers off the 78?

Are you swapping the motor, transmission and transfer case as well? This will be a MAJOR undertaking is why I suggest swapping bodies if the 78's frame is structurally sound(The cab IS a direct swap)

 

This is not a simple bolt on swap. Everything is different.

 

The cab mounts are the same

 

im using a 390 and an automatic 4x4 tranny. and yes i know its not an easy bolt in thing but i really dont want to have to take the entire body off. and i am buying new spring hangars

 

Okay well this is what you will need

Modified motor mounts
Modified transmission mount
You will have to cut a hole in the cab for the stick
Modify your 2wd front crossmember
Customize track arm bar for front axle
Remove all old suspension and front coil buckets
Add new/custom leaf hangers
New leaf springs to fit(I'm honestly not sure why they need to be shortened)
Relengthened drive shafts
Clutch rod lengthened
Transfer case shifter lengthened
New radiator
New brake lines(plumb proportioning valve)
New bracket for brake booster
New brake pedal linkage to fit new brake booster
New steering box
Modify frame for box
80's Ford steering column with adjustable linkage
Bracket for steering column

And lots of miscellaneous stuff I'm not mentioning

This is my build and shows what is involved with swapping the body

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...4x4-frame.html

 

Also, I wouldn't put any lift in the front of the truck until I had the thing sitting on the axles. A lot of the older trucks used lift blocks under the rear axle to compensate for the extra height of the front axle setup over a 2WD setup.
I helped a guy lift an old Blazer years ago and we had to take the factory blocks out of the back and replace them with taller ones that came in the kit.
Your truck might sit level with the straight axle setup in the front and the blocks in the back.

 

IMO, not a good idea to add heavy duty axles to a F100 frame. Better idea is to find a good running 73 thru 76 F 350 (cab condition not important) cheap and then just swap out cab with your '66 cab.

 

I really don't want to unbolt the cab, bed, engine, and front wrap on my 66 though and I don't know if the 78 frame I have is a long or short bed

 

You're likely going to keep hearing that because its only 12 (don't quote me) bolts that hold the body on

Me, I like an impossible challenge

 

No such thing as a 1978 F350 with 4WD unless it's an aftermarket conversion / 1979 was the first year that Ford offered the F350 with 4WD

1965/79 F100/250 2WD - 1966/76 F100 4WD - 1967/78 F350 - 1975/79 F150 4WD (except 1977/79 Super Cab) - 1979 F350 2WD have coil spring front suspension.

1978/79 F250 4WD & 1979 F350 4WD have a 2 leaf front spring pack.

 

I thought it was 78 but it might be 79 I know the had a tow truck setup on the (78/79) and its 4wd

 

I have decided to just put my 66 body on the other frame but I was wondering if the wheels would line up with the wheel wells???