When you say "none", do you really mean NONE? Just wondering, so that I can add this li'l bit o knowledge to my mental databanks...

 

alright shaun do you think you could keep an eye out down there for me? im in Richmond VA ill drive to FL if you find anything. and thanks for the knowledge on the TTB and is 4 inches really gonna make that big of a deal? because i need new springs as it is due to it being the stock ones. but the alignment issues dont scare me all that much. i work at a merchants tire up here a.k.a tirekingdom/bigO. so they do everything i need. the other question i have is with the I6 i have this crossmember in place that the engine mounts to. does this mean i will have to completely fab new mounts or should a donor truck solve these problems?
Zeb

 

The problem comes with the steering linkage. Everybody blames camber for causing the tires to wear down, however it isn't the camber that eats the tires, it's the angle of the steering linkage. In plain easy to understand terms, lift kits put our steering setups at severe angles, which affects the Toe, and drags the tires towards, or away from each other. This is where the severe tire wear comes from. The aftermarket lift companies introduced drop pitman arms to lower the steering angle on lifted trucks, however even the pitman arms are not enough to full correct the issue, and so the tires still end up wearing, although at a slower rate than without the drop pitman arms. This is where the aftermarket companies have failed to compensate, and to my knowledge there isn't a drop pitman arm that has fully fixed the issue of the severe linkage angles. To put it plainly, lift kits technically aren't meant to be put on daily drivers, so tire wear isn't a big concern in the aftermarket.

 

well shaun how do you feel on the body VS suspension lift argument cause i can go either way?

 

I will for sure keep my eye out for you and let you know if I find one. A really great place to keep an eye out for one is states that border Canada. Plenty of these trucks are in Canada, and they tend to have more rare options than the US trucks do.

A 4" lift isn't that bad, as long as you use the 4" drop pitman arm. Once that is done and you do your homework on springs and don't buy the lift companies one size fits all junk, you should be fine.

As for your cross member, you won't have to do anything to it at all. My truck used to have an I6, and I simply dropped the old I-beams and then installed my D44 beams using the same radius arm and pivot brackets. All you really need is the 4x4 radius arms, and the two axle halves, and then you'll have the front axle in. The engine size in your truck doesn't matter at all.

 

I recommend the suspension lift. Body lifts are okay, and cheaper, but I personally do not like the gaps they create. You'll also find that the engine drops down farther in the engine bay, so you'll have to sit on the radiator support to reach the top end if you're shorter in height. The stock fan on the engine will also be out of alignment with the radiator, which may or may not cause issues in some cases. And by now, your core support bolts are probably full of rust, and so they won't come out without a fight, which makes the body lift harder than the suspension lift.

If I had to guess, it took me about 3 hours total to swap the D44 into my truck. A body lift can take upwards of 5-6 hours if you've done them before and have the right equipment.

 

thank you for keeping an eye out. and i will go with a suspension lift. if i can find a good donor it will take me probably 2 days to be finished and i was thinking about converting to a 4spd to make it easier even though the prospect scares me ****less. because i dont wanna lose my rare 3spd by the way i even have the even rarer creeper gears set up in my 3spd

 

No problem at all!

Swapping to the 4 speed would make your life much easier.

But I completely understand on not wanting to trade off, I'm the same way with my F150. I won't have any other motor in it but a 351M/400, even though I come across cheap 302's all the time. I want my truck to be different, so 351M/400 it is.

 

haha well we shall see how my luck goes first before the 4spd idea even pops in my head

 

It's a noble idea to keep the 3 speed somehow, but I believe it's going to bring this project to a stop. You have to use what's available. And those Broncos you mentioned are good donors, and will have everything you need except the rear driveshaft.

Here's a truck on craigslist in richmond. Like the Bronco, you would have to find a rear driveshaft since this is a shortbed. 1988 ford 150 4 x4

There are some junkyards up my way that have the complete front axle(you need to know the ratio of your rear axle so it will match, another good reason for a donor) and you can see they want $350 for the axle. Add up the tranny and a few other things, and $1000 for a donor that you can sell parts off of looks better and better.

1986
Front Axle Assy.
Ford Truck 150 W/HUB ASSEMBLY 100,000 A 05530 $350 Shenandoah Auto Salvage, Inc. VARA USA-VA(Stuart-Draft) Request_Quote 1-540-943-2300 Request_Insurance_Quote
1984
Front Axle Assy.
Ford Bronco 58,A,4X4 0 A 08146 $350 Shenandoah Auto Salvage, Inc. VARA USA-VA(Stuart-Draft) Request_Quote 1-540-943-2300 Request_Insurance_Quote
1986
Front Axle Assy.
Ford Truck F150 90,000 A 1007008 $300 Culpeper Recycling VARA USA-VA(Culpeper) Request_Quote 540-727-9451 Request_Insurance_Quote

 

both broncos are gone. but ive been realizing that the 3spd is the weakness in my project but its still hard to give up. though i may keep it if i convert to a 4spd

 

Can an SROD out of a 80-83 Bronco be shifted with the 3.03 column linkage? You could retain the "three on the tree" look & feel but have a 4 speed, with overdrive to boot. I could be totally wrong Other than the trans issue the rest is cake...like playing with Legos.

 

idk if the srod can but thatd be pretty awesome if possible

 

so i may have found a solid donor truck. but im not sure yet im going to go look at it tomorrow a coworker has an 82 f150 4x4 with a 300L thats shot and a 4spd man trans so i may get it and use as the donor. also it has a 2 year old 4" lift kit that i also might use to cut on cost and just replace bushings and such that are needed ill let yall know after i go look at it

 

Well there you go man! Good luck and hopefully it will be a good truck to use.