I have a '70 f-100 that i want to convert to 4wd. I was woundering about the differances between 2wd frames and 4wd frames. I'm looking to use coil springs in the front instead of leaf because coils were used on the f-100 4x4's. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Josh the best thing is to buy a 4X4. If you must try the change over, you should buy a 4X4 wrecked with the same size engine, and desired transmission, and change your sheetmetal and engine to it. You can use any 4X4 through 72. In 73 the chassis changed. The 4X4 chassis is different.

 

The reason I'm asking is that I haven't ever seen only maybe two or three 4wd in the year between '67-'72. I also have a few catalogs for parts and they don't have 4wd parts at all not untill '73. So what's up?

 

There were many 4x4 built between 1967 and 72. If you want to have a look see at mine to get one more under you belt check out my web page. John is exactly right on the swap though. 4x2 and 4x4 frames are not the same. Not even close. Save yourself the heartache and get a 4x4 frame to start with. Much easier to swap the body than try to modify the frame. Happy hunting.

Stock Man
1967 Galaxie 500 Convertible (HELP!---I need 15 x5 factory rims)
1967 F-250 FE 390 4wd
<a href="http://www.hometown.aol.com/tbeeee">http://www.hometown.aol.com/tbeeee</a>

 

 

How about a F-350 super camper special can i make that into a 4x4??????????

 

i have a 1996 ford f250 powerstroke and its 2wd is there any why to make it 4x4 without using leaf springs , and whats parts are needed . can someone please help !

 

Not really sure in that era, you might want to ask in the 92-96 forum.
Basics I can think of would be some combination of 78-79 Bronco or F150 radius arms, and an 87-97 D60 front axle.

 

I don't know where you are located but I am about ready to get rid of my 68 F100 4X4. They are out there.

 

This is a double-mined thread. First mining was eight years old (nearly the record), this latest was four.

 

crazy, i was searching and turned this one up. i want a 4x4. what did they use in the front of these with 4wd? they are pretty rare, i have never seen one in all my junkyard years

 

I recently converted my 1969 F100 2x4 to 4x4. It was my grandfather’s truck so I was very particular about how I did this project. I read several articles about using a 1973-1979 chassis, (those are much more common), but I was set on making it as stock as possible. So I kept looking until I found a 1970 4x4 donor truck. Although these trucks are not as common, they are out there.

Before I go further, the 2x4 and 4x4 frames are totally different. You cannot bolt a front axle up to the 2x4 frame. You’re going to need a 4x4 chassis and a lot of parts unique to the 4x4 so get a donor truck.

Everything I read said this was a bolt-on project. Just set your 2x4 body on the 4x4 chassis. And while it was by no means a difficult job, it was definitely not bolt-on. There are differences. So there are some things you need to be sure are in usable condition on the donor truck and you’ll need to take care not to damage or discard these parts when you strip it down for your 2x4 body.

I started with a 1969 F100 2x4, SWB, 360FE with a column-three-speed, no power brakes or steering. The donor truck was a 1970 F100 4x4, SWB, 360FE with a floor-shift-four-speed, no power brakes or steering. Any 1967 to 1972 4x4 SWB chassis would have worked, I just happened to find a 1970.

All 67-72 4x4 F100’s came with a New Process 435 four speed and a Dana 21 single-speed transfer case (“in-and-out”). No automatic transmissions. None came with power steering. I’m not sure about power brakes but none of the ones I looked at had power brakes. They came with either a six cylinder or big block V8 (FE), usually the 360, but I believe you could get one with a 390 and some of the early ones may have had the 352. Hub caps were optional for the rear only.

The NP435 transmissions used in the 4x4’s were the same as the ones used in the 2x4’s so it will bolt right up to the 2x4 bell housing if you plan on using your engine and clutch. The clutch linkage is the same, as is the pedal assembly, but the return spring on the 4x4 is different.

The floor pan on the 2x4 is stamped where the floor shifter cutout is so if you have a column-shift truck, which is likely, it’s easy to cut out the floor and drill the holes for the transmission cover plate that is used on the 4x4. Don’t lose the screws and clips when you remove the cover plate from your donor truck.

The steering columns are different. There is no shift tube inside the 4x4 column, no nub on the collar, and it’s shorter than the 2x4 column. And the 4x4 column has a u-joint at the end of the steering shaft instead of a rag joint. So you cannot use your 2x4 column. You can however, use the 2x4 column housing by cutting it to the correct length and welding in a new bearing plate in the end. LMC sells these plates. I had to do this on mine since the column in my donor truck was rusted through. You will need the shorter 4x4 steering shaft, though. The 4x4 is supposed to use a different bearing, encased in a rubber retainer, at the bottom of the steering, shaft but I never could find the correct rubber retainer. So I just used the same bearing that was in the 2x4 column. It worked fine. The steering wheel, blinker switch and horn are identical, as are the steering column mounts.

The 4x4 has an intermediate steering shaft that goes from the steering column shaft down to the front of the frame and connects to the steering box ahead of the front axle using an archaic coupling out of a Model T. The 2x4 steering box is behind the front axle so it does not use an intermediate shaft. The stock 4x4 intermediate shaft is not collapsible so in an accident the column can be driven straight through the cab. One of the two modifications from stock I made for safety was installing an Borgeson collapsible intermediate shaft.

While on the subject of the steering column, the 2x4 driver-side inner fender will have to be modified to clear the intermediate shaft and steering gear used on the 4x4. I say modified, but you’ll actually be doing exactly what Ford did on the assembly line. The 2x4 and 4x4 driver-side inner fenders are identical except the 4x4 fender is trimmed along the bottom edge and a rubber splash guard is stapled there. I read all sorts of stuff about having to replace the 2x4 inner fender but when I got the two trucks side-by-side it was obvious they were the same. Not to go on and on about this, but “modifying and cutting” bother me. I felt much better knowing I was doing just what they did at the factory.

The radiators are the same but the radiator mounts are different. A heavy-duty radiator was optional on the F100 4x4 so it had mounts like the F350. The 4x4 radiator fits in a channel and attaches using a flange on the back of the radiator. The 2x4 radiator mounts flush using a flange on the front of the radiator. I read posts about the angle of the engine and fan clearance and various other scary things, but I used a stock aftermarket radiator for a 2x4 and a shroud from LMC and it all fit perfectly.

Master cylinders are the same but the brake lines all the way to the rear axle are entirely different. The 4x4 has an upright tray that guides the brake lines to the master cylinder. The proportioning valve is mounted further forward and there is a single rubber brake line going to a tee on the front axle. The 2x4 uses separate brake lines from the proportioning valve to the left and right-side front brakes. In the rear, the rubber brake line going down to the axle is longer because the truck sits higher. So take care when you strip the donor truck not to damage any of the brake lines. You’re going to need nearly every one of them.

While on brakes, I did convert to front discs. There are lots of articles on this and kits are available. But briefly, the F100 4x4 uses a Dana 44 front axle. A disc-brake setup consists of Chevrolet small-bearing spindles, Chevrolet backing plates, Chevrolet calipers and pads, Ford hubs and rotors and Dana 44 lockouts. Hoses and brackets are custom. I spent a ton of time and money making this work. I’d recommend getting a kit if you want disc brakes.

The parking brake pedal assembly is the same for the 2x4 and 4x4 but all three cables are different. I was able to use an F250 cable from the pedal to the equalizer lever and reuse the two rear cables from the donor truck. You can still find these cables but the ones I found were very expensive. Try not to damage the parking brake cables on your donor truck if they are still usable.

The wiring harnesses are identical. The 4x4 has a short connector wire to get to the reverse switch. On the 4x4 that switch is mounted down at the transfer case. On the 2x4 it’s on the column. There is also a short connector, I think, to reach the brake pressure switch on the proportioning valve. As I’ve already said, it is mounted further forward on the 4x4 chassis.

The speedometer cables are different. The 4x4 cable is longer. The fuel lines from the cab corner to the fuel pump are different.

The rear ends are identical so you can reuse yours but you will have to match the front axle ratio. The leaf springs are the same but the 4x4 uses 3 inch riser blocks and correspondingly longer U-bolts. The rear shocks are the same.

The frame perches for the front cab mounts are interchangeable. They are bolted to the frame on the 4x4 and riveted on the 2x4. Severe rust damage on these is very common so if you have to replace them you can drill out the rivets on a 2x4 chassis and bolt them onto your 4x4 chassis. The spring hangers are also interchangeable, but are riveted in place on both the 2x4 and 4x4. I had to replace one of these and used grade 8 SAE bolts to install them.

Bumper mounting holes are the same so your bumpers will bolt right up.

Exhaust pipes are different. I looked the world over but the 4x4 parts are no longer available. I took mine to a muffler shop and had the exhausts made.

The body mounts are in exactly the same place and you can reuse your 2x4 mounts and hardware. For some reason everybody told me the rear cab mounts are different but I used the ones from my 2x4 and they worked fine. Get a stack of body alignment shims to fine tune the bed/cab alignment.

In summary, these are the parts you will need from a 4x4 donor truck and the modifications to the 2x4 body needed to convert your 1967-1972 F100 to 4x4:

· Chassis with front axle and all steering components including the steering column

· Transmission and transfer case with shifters, boots and speedometer drive gear

· Front and rear drive shafts

· Rear end from the 4x4 donor truck, or reuse 2x4 rear end with gears installed to match front axle

· Transmission tunnel cover with screws and clips

· Clutch return spring

· All brake lines and brackets

· Parking brake cables

· Speedometer cable

· Rear end riser blocks with long U-bolts

· Cut out tunnel to install transmission cover plate

· Trim driver-side inner fender and install splash guard to clear intermediate steering shaft and gear

Hope this helps someone planning to do this project. I know this is an old thread but I must have read it a hundred times when I was planning mine.

 

Oops, never mind. I wrote a reply then noticed the thread is 19 years old. Good job there tommytp, dredging up some jurassic thread to post to.

 

No prob hillbilly or willowbilly or whatever

 

Are you making fun of my username? We don't want to go there.