Im new to the ford world so please bare with me. I have an 1980 Ford F100 Custom W/302 MT (short bed). My steering column is pretty much shot. I need to find out what years and models i can pull another one out from. Also can i convert this beast to 4wd?? I have a friend who owns a wrecking yard and has a ton of these trucks lying around. If you could help me out that would be great thanx

 

Any steering column from 1980-96 will fit. You will have to look it over for the options you want, like different steering wheels, cruise buttons, and you may have to swap out the ignition switch down on the top of the column under the dash to match your wiring harness. If you have any problem with the wiring, you can just swap in the components from your old column.

Can you convert to 4wd? Yes. But you need to check your wheel lug pattern. You have the smaller f100 truck, so you might have the Ford car pattern (5 on 4 1/2)wheels and hubs. When you bolt in the 4wd frontend, it will have the Ford truck pattern (5 on 5 1/2). So you will want to change out the rearend to match the front, and also you will have to get new wheels.

Your best bet is to get a donor truck with 4wd, and swap everything out. The donor will give you the frontend with a matching gear ratio rearend and lug pattern, matching wheels, and the proper tranny and transfer case. The donor truck needs to have a 300 six cylinder, 302 or 351w for the tranny to work for your swap. If it's a shortbed, great everything will fit. If the donor is a long bed, you can still use everything except the rear driveshaft, which will have to be shortened or you will have to find a short bed 4x4 in the junkyard and get the driveshaft(hard to find since most are bent by the junkyard lift truck).

P.S. The donor will also give you a steering column.

 

80-91 will bolt in with very little in the way of mods. 92 and up used a modular column, which can be made to work, but will need some fab work to get in.

 

Sweet thanx I didnt know it would be so simple

 

Didn't the ignition switch and turn signal switch change somewhere around 82-84? I know the ignition switch would be an easy swap, but the turn signal switch is a bit more involved....

I'm going from memory, which could very well be wrong, but I seem to recall something about the signal switch being different 80-82/83, and 83/84-86(+?).

 

I looked at some parts listings, and it's a little bit squirrely, but you can construct that a switch will work from anywhere from 80-91. In other words what I've found is that some are listed 80-86, and others 83-91 with the same search parameters. I think the difference between years is not with the switches themselves, but rather the way the connectors are pinned....at least that what it looks like in the wiring diagrams. Either way you're right, swapping the ignition switch is a simple job, especially with a column out.

It looks like 78-91 used the same turn signal switch.

 

Somewhere around 1982 (my 1981 doesn't have this) Ford started wiring in a key-in-ignition
buzzer as standard equipment.

A 1980 truck is a one-year-wonder (especially wrt wiring) but the differences are generally
fairly minor and can be figured out and dealt with. I suggest using the turn signal switch out
of the 1980 in whatever column ends up getting installed, else pay particular attention to
what wire goes to what circuit and performs what function....

 

1984 is the First year of Key in ignition buzzer, and the turn signal switches are different due to this.

The year differences for turn signal switches are.

Non-Tilt Column:
1980-1983: E1HZ-13341-K
1984: E4TZ-13341-A
1985-1986: E5TZ-13341-E

Tilt Column:
1980-1983: E1TZ-13341-D
1984: E4TZ-13341-B
1985-1986: E5TZ-13341-B

Be aware the 1987-1991 switches are also different, as well as the 1992-1996 turn signal switches have switches for other controls, (wipers, auto dimmers etc...).

 

hello i am looking to kinda restore a 1981 f100. i am looking for a wirring harness and a lowering kit. it has the I beams and kingpins. if anyone can help please let me know.

 

There is a monthly parts wish list for this type of quetion pinned to the top of the forum list for this where someone may be able to help you.

 

where is this wish list. am new to this online thread thing. sorry lol

 

It's right at the top of this forum, "Junkyard Wish List".

 

1. They don't sell new wiring harnesses that I know of, only the universal ones that are a lot of work and are not plug and play. So most of the time you are better off repairing what you have.

2. You have a early model truck. It probably has the early model axle that the lowering beams you can buy do not fit. What you have to do in this case is go to the junkyard, and get the complete spindles/rotors from a later model truck in the junkyard, and then these will bolt on to the lowering beams you buy, and then install this in your truck. Then your lug pattern will be different(5 on 5 1/2) so you will need new wheels and a rearend to match, or you could possibly get the front rotors re-drilled to match the smaller lug pattern you have now.

You didn't think this was going to be easy did you?

 

well what years of harness's well also fit that truck? and i'm just gonna ditch the lowering idea. and another question. it has a 302 in it now. i am looking to put a 460 in it. any idea's on how or what i well have to do for this? thanks

 

Pretty much 1981-1982 only. A 1980 underdash harness could be made to work but it wouldn't be plug & play, would require some adapting.

There are several things you need to look for when harness shopping as there are (sometimes major) differences...

• Gauges or idiot lights on the dash? They're totally different harnesses & charging systems.
• Automatic or manual transmission?
• Dual gas tanks or no?
• Camper/trailer-pulling options installed?
• Air conditioning?
• Power windows/locks/mirrors?
• 2WD or 4WD?
• Under-dash courtesy lights?

I agree with above, it's probably easier & faster to unwrap & fix what you already have.

You should start a new thread for your truck rather than hijacking somebody else's.