I know there are previous threads about 2wd to 4wd conversions, but being as though I have a 350 camper special I think this may be different than a 150 or 250. Maybe I'm wrong but someone told me the 350 camper specials had the rear axles set back slightly further than the other trucks, so that leads me to believe I can't just swap the frame with a 4wd. I have found a parts truck (basically a 250 frame with all the parts, no body) with all the parts I need, and what I'm thinking about doing is transfering the parts from that frame to mine. Has anyone had experience with this? And what can I expect to run into? And don't reply telling me to just get rid of mine and buy a 4x4, if it were that simple everyone would do it. This is what I have and this is what I am working with. I have mine completley dis-assembled for a frame off restoration and can't get the thought out of my head that since I'm this far I might as well make it a 4x4. But I also don't want anything to be cobbled. Helpful replies are greatly appreciated.

 

It is my understanding that the super camper specials were the ones with the longer wheelbase. If you have a regular old camper special you should be able to bolt your cab/box/etc onto a 4x4 frame (body mounts may have to be moved depending on what year frame you get)??
I know it's a lot of work, but you could always transplant a live front axle and components onto your frame if it's a SCS....I always thought a long wheelbase SCS 4X4 would be cool.

 

It is a super camper special, and by your comment I guess my info was right, it does have the longer wheelbase. That is my thought, transplant all the 4x4 parts onto my frame. I really don't want to just put my 350 body onto a 150 or 250 frame. I want everything to be true to the 350 scs with the exception of the 4x4. I'm hoping there is someone on here who has done this type of thing and give some advice. But like I said, nothing will be cobbled, that's not how I do things.

 

Mainly it is the front frame section....it has been done with a guy from here using a later model dana 60 front end with coil springs which is what your trucjk already has...cross member gets in the way so it will HAVE to have a lift or the cross member will have to be modified.....or you can section in the frame sections from the 4x4 so that it can support the leaf springs and such...and the 4x4 steering....big job..but would be a really cool truck when finished and one of very few out there.

 

With all the knowledge oozing from this web site there has to be someone who can shed some light on this? I'll keep waiting.

 

It can be done but nothing is bolt up. Before you even consider the swap you first need to determine your welding and fabrication skills along with you knowledge of how suspension and steering sysetms work.

 

Yea, I realize nothing like this is bolt up since they didn't even make a 4x4 350 scs, and as for my welding and fab skills, I have tackled quite bigger jobs than this and am ready for any challenge. Welding and Fab is the gravy part for me.I guess what I'm looking for is someone who has done a 2wd to 4wd conversion or any advice on what to use. Do I use a 70's 250 axle and suspension or go to the 80's and 90's stuff? What are some things that I should really pay attention to when doing this? Am I out of my mind? What I mean by nothing cobbled is that I'm not going to use metal from an old cattle gate out back and tack them on with bird s##t welds and call 'er good.

 

benmoderow,

Mine is the only 2 to 4 swap that keeps the coils that I know of. There definitely could be others. I purchased mine this way, so I don't know all the details involved. I do know that the majority of it was well done (travels and geometry), but the frame strength was compromised because the steering box was moved. My part of the project was to rebuild it to my standards, which included boxing the frame, adding additional crossmembers, and reinforcement plates.

To go this route, you need a front axle from an E-350 4wd van, which I am sure are scarce, to say the least. A divorced tranfer case is needed, if you plan to keep your existing transmission. And the ability to mount (weld) to the existing crossmember. Mine is a Dana 24, but I think a better choice is an NP 205. This was in there, works good, so why change it. The four links on the front are from who knows where? The frame brackets and the arms look factory fabbed, but I am not sure. The arms may have come from the van, but I am fairly sure the frame brackets did not. The front coils are from a diesel ( I was told by the PO). The steering box is from a 95? 250, and it has a custom steering shaft to accomodate the move. It all totals to a lot of work, but with only the frame looking at you, it was not something too hard to accomplish, with the proper parts, tools, skill, and patience.

Once it is done, I would say it is well worth it. One of a kind.

If you need dimensions, or closer pics, let me know, I would love to see this same setup on another 250. As I said, I wish I could provide exacts, but unfortunately, I didn't build it.

 

Im in the middle of a 4wd conversion right now on my 79 crewcab. I have a thread in the offroad forums. Look in the tech thread for cheetos crew. I originally boxed the front portion of the frame to go with leaf springs. But as of tonight thats all on the floor in a pile of slag. Im now going with coils and custom radius arms. Crazy as hell i guess. Got almost 600 in parts and materials not counting the coils and coil buckets i already had. As far as 1980 and up stuff youd need to find a F-350 with a Dana 60 front. The rest have TTB setup which is like an indepentdant/solid axle ******* child. Junk. Now a Dana 60 front runs in the area of $800-$1500 just for the axle itself. And thats an axle that needs rebuilt. Whats your budget? If i know how much you can spend and what you have available will help with which way you need to go.

 

Heres some threads to look at.

my build

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...rew-build.html

Check out chasetrucks spring hanger. You wouldnt have to box the frame

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...g-hangers.html

If you go with a later model Dana 60 youll have to outboard the front leafs about 2 1/2" on each side. Heres and install.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...0-highboy.html

 

One of the trucks that we pull with is a scs converted to a 4wd, heres a link to a picture of the truck.

http://photos.edbaumgarten.com/Tract...546_WNkEY-A-LB

http://photos.edbaumgarten.com/Tract...696_H7qvw-A-LB

 

What all do you plan on using the truck for?

Depending on how used (abused) the truck will be there are different ways to go.

Keeping a coil bucket (I'd go coil over) setup with radius arms is a pretty good way to convert the 2wds to 4wds.

Grab a solid axle (d44 or d60 - good time to use an 80's D60) and throw some coil mounts on it and radius arm mounts. Not a ton to it if you can fab.

As for those I-beams you plan on yanknig off the truck - what are you doing with them? I am looking for a set of super camper special I-beams right now for my 74 supercab project...

 

To be completly honest with you, I'm not sure how much I will be using the 4x4. Definetly not for offroading I can tell you that. And budget is not really an issue, although I dont want to go too overboard, nows the time to do this. I guess my main thought on this is I currently have a completly bare frame looking at me, so now is the time to do something original and make it a 4x4. I'm afraid if I don't I'll regret it. If I ever did decide to sell it I doubt I would get anything for a 2wd, so for resale sake 4wd makes sense (though as of now I have no plans on selling it). I was actually thinking about keeping the coil front end, and today I may have come accross something. I was out and about and went by a farm that had an old dentside sitting in the weeds, it's been there for years. I pulled in and noone was home so I got the tape measure out. What it was, was a mid 70's 150 ranger 4x4. The front axle was a solid axle with coil springs not leafs. The frame was 34 inches wide in front and mine is 35 inches. Would this be a good donor truck? Body is completly shot so I could get it for next to nothing (along with the fact that there was a service disconnect from the power company hanging in the door, the guy may be hard up for some cash). I could park it next to my frame and just start swapping parts. I would imagine it has all the crossmembers I need, all brackets and supports, and probably the steering box I need. What do you guys think? I really appreciate the responses and ideas.

 

I almost mentioned getting a F-150 4x4 or bronco as a donor as they are coil sprung front ends with a radius arm type setup. You had been talking about maybe a d60 though so I figured you wanted really heavy duty. Since you say you won't use the 4x4 for heavy duty stuff then - if you can get the F-150 cheap and are serious about this swap I'd do it.

That front end is a d44 but it is 5.5.5 lug pattern. I'm pretty sure you can convert the thing back to 8 lug pretty easily (search on here) so as to match your rear lug pattern.

You can then also try and use the stock coil and coil bucket if you don't want to spring for a coil over.

 

79 f250 super cab SCS with 4x4 advertised here in Utah. $3k.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=&ni...iew&ad=1469946

Was it just the f350's that didn't come with 4x4 from the factory?

-Destin