when i did this swap for a guy i welded a bracket to the bottom of the frame. and used the stock 78-79 tracbar. i also had a brace that went from the tracbar bracket to the engine crossmember.. i had to cut some of the stock crossmember off to clear the front axle and tracbar. its really not that hard to do. i think your tryin to over think it.. i also have done this swap on a ranger and put the bracket on the outside of the frame. it just cleared the bolts for the steering box.. that was gusseted to the bottom of the frame.. ill try to find some pics for you to look at..
Thats exactly it. Without over engineering something, and making it more difficult than it has to be, this can be accomplished without too much difficulty. You dont want to weld to the frame? Make a bracket that uses the steeering box bolts. Not exactly what I would do, but it will accomplish what you want to do. There really are many options here.
yeah i still can not cut my engine x-member i still have to pass a write off inspection and it wont pass if its all hacked up and that looks like it would be a nasty job...
i am probably just trying to overbuild it i saw a stock one and its pretty wimpy looking compared to any ideas Ive had so i guess they really don't need to be incredibly strong?
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PROJECT and DD---95 ford f150 4x4, 300 INLINE SIX!, 5speed, SAS, 4" lift, 35x13.50 ground hawgs (sooner or later)
PARKED---91 ford f150 lariat, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, rust
PARKED---92 ford f150 xl ext. cab short bed, dual tanks, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, LOUD!, very little rust!
No matter what happens, in the end you'll be a knowledge person on the subject on front end installation. Looks good and the first one is always the fun one. When you look at a front axle conversion from now on you'll know what to look for and some cool tricks that you wish you would of done to yours. Its a never ending process of learning. Like all the pictures and cool tech stuff for the regular guy. This will help somebody down the road for sure. May the force be with you young jedi!
yeah its definitely an experience...only work ive ever done to a front end before this swap was diff fluid changes and brake jobs so i was told im doing good...i am going to pick up my spindles monday ill get er back on the ground but i once again might not have a camera ill try though...once that is done im gonna start tracking DOM tubing and steel for my trac bar (havent been able to find a place that sells the DOM yet?) and friday hopefully ill go pick up my 2001 f-250 SuperDuty drag link and tie rod (from my experience i will have to reverse the taper where the drag bolts through the tie rod...not too hard i can just drill out the tie rod and build a tapered sleeve to weld in directed the other way)
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PROJECT and DD---95 ford f150 4x4, 300 INLINE SIX!, 5speed, SAS, 4" lift, 35x13.50 ground hawgs (sooner or later)
PARKED---91 ford f150 lariat, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, rust
PARKED---92 ford f150 xl ext. cab short bed, dual tanks, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, LOUD!, very little rust!
Working way to hard again man. Why would you buy a drag link that is known to be a weak link? The end of the drag link is not replaceable, so when the rod end goes bad, the entire thing has to be replaced. Not a good design of you ask me. As long as you are gonna buy some drawn over mandrel tube then why not buy enough to build a suitable drag link? The cost would be far less expensive in the long run.
I know there are some inspection concerns, but if you can get away with a trac bar, then you should be able to get a drag link to pass.
Ballistic sells DOM by the foot, but is not easy to ship. DOM Tubing by the foot
yeah i looked a ballistic but like you said shipping is a problem when you have to cross a border for some reason haha?...whats wrong with an f250 SD steering its about twice as thick as the 78 f150 steering? and its the right size to begin with all id ave to do is reverse the one taper and thats not hard if i do DOM steering id ave to do chebby TREs which would leave me reaming the knuckles and pitman any way
i think i might just box both my frame ends from the coil buckets forward then i would have a good simple trac bar mounting surface plus a stronger frame (i want to put a plow on it next winter anyway) either that or i just say screw it all and weld a bracket to the frame.
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PROJECT and DD---95 ford f150 4x4, 300 INLINE SIX!, 5speed, SAS, 4" lift, 35x13.50 ground hawgs (sooner or later)
PARKED---91 ford f150 lariat, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, rust
PARKED---92 ford f150 xl ext. cab short bed, dual tanks, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, LOUD!, very little rust!
i will be doing the same swap shortly but i will be piting a 9 inch in the rear dose anyone know how i can still have a working speedo? i am thinking about running a 2wd trans and a divorced 205
hey i got my spindles and got the passenger side put together but i ran outta time to finish the driver side and then i have to do brakes, there is my question...i didnt have the opportunity of taking the brakes apart so i dont know where that caliper spring goes i have a haynes but have found it useless so i was wondering if anyone has a picture of the caliper springs location or something that will be useful
thank you guys once i get these brakes figured it will be back on the ground thursday
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PROJECT and DD---95 ford f150 4x4, 300 INLINE SIX!, 5speed, SAS, 4" lift, 35x13.50 ground hawgs (sooner or later)
PARKED---91 ford f150 lariat, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, rust
PARKED---92 ford f150 xl ext. cab short bed, dual tanks, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, LOUD!, very little rust!
when you say caliper spring are you talking about that piece that holds tha caliper in place? if you are it goes in the same spot as it would on the TTB(well at least the TTBs i've seem assemble the same) Spring goes on top of the little bracket and under the caliper, between the caliper and caliper bracket.. than that bolt that you need a 9/16s wrench for(usually) holds it in place.. hope that jumble of words helps.
by that little bracket do you mean the retaining key? the little cast piece thats is notched for the bolt and goes between the caliper and the main bracket?
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PROJECT and DD---95 ford f150 4x4, 300 INLINE SIX!, 5speed, SAS, 4" lift, 35x13.50 ground hawgs (sooner or later)
PARKED---91 ford f150 lariat, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, rust
PARKED---92 ford f150 xl ext. cab short bed, dual tanks, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, LOUD!, very little rust!
ok yeah man thank you i cant believe i didnt get that last night but i was tired and pissed off so that had something to do with it...both hubs are done and working, diff is full of gear oil, both brakes are on and i think i am gonna put my tires on and get the truck on the ground just for kicks even though i still have to do brake lines
thanks again guys
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PROJECT and DD---95 ford f150 4x4, 300 INLINE SIX!, 5speed, SAS, 4" lift, 35x13.50 ground hawgs (sooner or later)
PARKED---91 ford f150 lariat, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, rust
PARKED---92 ford f150 xl ext. cab short bed, dual tanks, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, LOUD!, very little rust!
ok its wheels are on and its sitting pretty in the shop...next up is steering im gonna try my new favorite offroad shop and see if he has my 78 f150 drag link so i dont have to mess with the SD stuff since its apparently not the best idea anyway...then ext. brake lines and shocks and trac bar then the axle is DONE! gonna try and find some steel at the shop for my trac bar bracket but i still have to finish the lift and repairs to get it insured so i will keep updates on the truck in here
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PROJECT and DD---95 ford f150 4x4, 300 INLINE SIX!, 5speed, SAS, 4" lift, 35x13.50 ground hawgs (sooner or later)
PARKED---91 ford f150 lariat, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, rust
PARKED---92 ford f150 xl ext. cab short bed, dual tanks, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, LOUD!, very little rust!
here ya go guys got some pics this mornin of the truck on its wheelies and i dont know why but i only net 4" of lift ive tried to measure every way i can think of and same results...ill lift the back end 4" and when i do that i will measure cause the front will be 2" lower than the rear again...im slowly creeping towards finishedi think monday im gonna go get my tranny mount and get that done with and i will aslo try again to get ahold of bullseye offroad and see if he has that drag link for me
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PROJECT and DD---95 ford f150 4x4, 300 INLINE SIX!, 5speed, SAS, 4" lift, 35x13.50 ground hawgs (sooner or later)
PARKED---91 ford f150 lariat, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, rust
PARKED---92 ford f150 xl ext. cab short bed, dual tanks, 302 v8, auto, 2wd, LOUD!, very little rust!
looks good. reading and following this thread really gets me in the mood to start collecting parts so i can do this swap on my truck cause my D50 ttb def sucks the nut.
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90 f250 4x4 5-speed 351w headman LT's 33x12.5 coopers CHEVROLET-Cheap Hardly Efficient Virually Runs On Luck Every Time
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ill try though...once that is done im gonna start tracking DOM tubing and steel for my trac bar (havent been able to find a place that sells the DOM yet?) and friday hopefully ill go pick up my 2001 f-250 SuperDuty drag link and tie rod (from my experience i will have to reverse the taper where the drag bolts through the tie rod...not too hard i can just drill out the tie rod and build a tapered sleeve to weld in directed the other way)
i think monday im gonna go get my tranny mount and get that done with and i will aslo try again to get ahold of bullseye offroad and see if he has that drag link for me
