Got me an 1970 f250 2wd in great shape. Body is real straight and she's a rust free Oklahoma truck too. Got the truck with a highboy frame w/axles, transfer, 4 speed in parts, linkages, and junk body. This was basically the only way I could afford a highboy, got this deal for $1200. Been driving the 2wd f250 for about half a year, its my dd at the moment and does pretty good. I've taken the engine out twice now...one time was to fix the terrible exhaust leaks, the other time was to replace a failed oil pump (long story short it was due to the stupid old nylon timing gear). Now looks like I'm gunna need to take the engine out for a third time , the rear main seal causes the truck to leak about a quart per 100 miles. (also burns alot I'm sure but definitely drips a ton of oil of the bellhousing). Initially I thought this oil was leaking from the tranny so I took that out cleaned it up, put in a new clutch, new seals, and put it back in. Well now I now that that was not the problem ha...Anyways I was thinking since I'm pulling the engine again I might as well go ahead and put it on the highboy frame. Just got some questions with the swap. Need yall to analyze/critique my plan as well. Do realize that this is on a super budget (thus the reason I haven't just rebuilt the stupid engine yet lol). So a new open knuckle 44 or 60 wont be happening at this time unless my axles I got are severely screwed.

Plan:
Budget overhaul/seal:
-front "highly desirable" closed knuckle d44. First going to check the ring and pinion, if thats toast on either front or rear I'm going to disk dana 44 3.54 w/matching rear. Going to take it down to the kingpin bearings and see if those are worn, if they are good I'll be real happy. Then going to replace all the seals (just knuckle seals I guess?) Then going to go over brakes, and wheel bearings.
Questions on this: Are the 4wd wheel bearings on the lightduty axle the same as in the 2wd f250 light duty? That'd be super convenient. How do I check if the manual steering box is worn? Can I use my 2wd power steering column with the highboy's manual steering? Will doing the standard side-to-side and up and down wheel wiggle verify the steering components condition (tie rods and such)? How do I rebuild the hubs? If I get new hubs would they be compatible with a new axle in the future?

-**D24 stock divorced transfer. Gunna reseal it with the kit on ebay, it is real cheap. Got the linkages for it, thank God. Any advice on maintenance to this unit? Plan on just new bushings, seals, paint, and go.

-T18 Tranny. Never seen a highboy with a T18. Will this work in place of the other tranny? It's in very good condition, got to look inside it. I'd get a driveshaft cut if that's what it took.

-Rear dana 60. Reseal, brakes, rubber lines. Done this several times...
Will the ebrake setup off my 2wd work on this axle? My 2wd Ebrake setup is in great shape.

-Manual steering: How do I tighten this up if it's worn? How do I check if it's worn? Steering column question listed above too...

Other questions: Will I be able to use the good brake lines off my 2wd? Will my bumpers bolt up? Will my Newer exhaust set up bolt up? The frames are the same width with the bumps 2wd and 4wd if I remember right. Will my aux gas tank bolt in there?

Thanks for the help from the experts! Trying to get my dream of having an highboy to come true . I'm a college student and this is a farm truck, so this is why I have a strict budget. I'm cool with manual steeing and drum brakes at this point in the project. Gunna get some good 295/75 r16 bfg at's for this too, which is another reason I'm doing this frame swap (should help with braking vs my old hard rubber). 33.4 inch with 4.10 should be good all-round for highway and hauling.

 

Do you have a light duty closed knuckle D44 or the heavy duty D44? The transfer case was originally a Dana 24 divorced case. Do you have a divorced or married NP 205? Do you really have a BW T-18 instead of the stock NP 435? Is your T-18 a 2wd unit or is it a 4wd unit meant for a married NP 205? T-18's came into use for F-250 4wd's in 1979 with the married NP 205 as I have one. Sorry to ask so many questions as there are many variables with the different combinations of transfer cases and 4 available. One thing to do is get the vin from the frame as depending on your state DMV, you might have to title it from the highboy frame rather than your 70 2wd door vin.

 

I believe it's the light duty closed knuckle due to my 6800 (I believe) gvwr on the highboy. My apologies, I have the original Dana 24 divorced transfer. My T18 is a 2wd out of my 70 F250. I have a clean title for the highboy and have a title for my 70 2wd.

 

Ford Highboy Power Steering - FORDification.com

Been looking at this article, will probably go this direction for my rig due to me already having this setup ready to go!

 

To determine what Closed D44 you have count the wiper seal bolts. 8 Bolts Light Duty, 12 Bolts Heavy Duty.


I doubt your 2WD E-Brake will swap because they are listed separate in the catalog. Plus, I think they are offset to one side in the 2WD and centered on the 4WD but I'm not 100% sure. Never was under a 2WD on a 4WD


T18? I would think NP435 as said earlier. Regardless if your 2WD has a NP435 it would work as long as you have the transfer case shift linkage from the 4WD to attach to the tail shaft housing on your 2WD box.


D24 T-Case is what I would think would be in there. If you do have NP205 divorced (3 drive shaft) T-Case that's a nice up grade. Also, while we are on the D24 the speedo is drive is off the D24 rear housing so you will need the cable from the 4WD frame to run to your cluster.


4WD Frame Vin is on the passenger frame rail behind the shock mount. I would think the door tag swap will not fly but I'm not sure what your DMV would say. PA said I had to have a etching from the frame vin or a clear photo of it before I could get a PA Plate.


cstoyer

 

Alrighty, noted on the E brake setup, hope the highboy still has an Ebrake setup on it, bet it does.

I definitely have a T18 in my 2wd which I really want to use in the 4wd. Here's my 2wd vin



Also it's got the cast iron top and reverse is up to the right so it's a T18. Can I put the transfer case shift linkage from the 4WD to attach to the tail shaft housing on my T18?

Noted on the speedo drive, if my 2wd tranny already has one in it couldn't I just retain it? Since I plan on using that tranny.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated!

 

Looks like the T18 has been used in highboys (although I'm not to sure if they were ever sent out that way by factory)
1976 Ford F250 4x4-'76 F250

 

Ah That door tag is for a 2WD F250 truck, not a 4X4 F250. Do you have the one on the 4X4.

 

T-18's were only in 4wd's starting in 1979 as verified by ND, and only with married 205's. 76's and 77 HB's got NP 435's and divorced 205's. I have a 76 CC with a divorced 205. For a divorced TC with a T-18, the shifter linkage will have to be cobbled together as the T-18 never came with the proper linkage and tail shaft housing to start with. My 70 CC came with a 2wd 435 installed and there is no way to mount the D24 TC shifter linkage as it just hangs there.

 

I have some decisions to make...probably going to go with whichever is cheapest

What is the length of the NP435 4x4 tranny vs T18 2wd? If I can run my stock driveshaft then that is a positive for the T18. Thus I would just have to make custom transfer shifting linkages/mounting plate.

A rebuild kit for my NP435 looks to be around $200. I could run my stock driveshaft, my linkages would bolt up...Looks like my new clutch would be compatible.