So i've been planning on doing this conversion "someday" for a while, and kind of passively browsing craiglist for a parts truck.. well yesterday I found my perfect donor truck for a deal I just couldn't pass up... a 5 hour drive both ways to pick it up.. but for $200, $100 for the Uhaul trailer, and $140 in gas... I'm at $440, still almost $400 less than any comparable donor truck I've seen...

I have a month to get this done before I go back to school, in between working two jobs... however the actual "swap" it seems like I should be able to get done in a weekend... not much more work than pulling and replacing a trans, and installing a lift kit... but pulling off the donor truck and preparing the donor axle, etc.

The first issues to address here, are:
A. the donor truck has a good transmission, but a bad clutch... the two options I can see, and I asked a mechanic friend who said that it would very likely be possible to just pull my clutch from my truck, and put it on the donor trucks tranny and align, bolt up and go... this is the economical solution... however, the thinking along ways down the road side of me says, you're gonna be doing 90% of the work in replacing a clutch anyways... why not just put a brand new one in? The only thing holding me back from this is, 1. I have never replaced a clutch myself, just watched a friend do it, however I am pretty mechanical savvy... and 2. I'm not sure how quality I need to go as far as a clutch kit... schucks has sachs clutches for $110...all the way to $250.. and summit racing has even more expensive ones.. So, for around $150-$200... I'm thinking I can get the parts to put a new clutch in? does that sound about right? What's a good oem replacement brand clutch? is sachs alright? or is it expected to go to a centerforce clutch? or?

B. My truck is a regular cab long bed.. and the donor truck is an extended cab short bed, although close.. I'm assuming the rear driveshaft will be just off enough to not work. SO my options are to scrounge through junkyards til I find one... (crappy selection near me) or find a shop to shorten or lengthen one of the driveshafts to work? Has anyone had this done? and roughly how much did it set you back? and even better, does anyone in the Seattle-Everett area know a shop that can do this!?

Here's the first photos, I'll try and keep this updated, but sometimes I forget to take pictures once my hands get dirty..

 

I'm also hoping that I won't have to go through and redo everything in the front axles...yet. but what are the main mantenance things that I need to make sure I check/repair/replace like bearings and such, while I have the axles out on the bench?

 

Wheel and spindle bearings, ball joints, tie rods, u joints, pivot bushings.

 

The drive shafts should be the same length for both trucks

 

Driveshafts will not interchange. Your 2wd has a 133 inch wheelbase, the donor trucks is 138.8 inches

 

Wow dumb moment sorry

 

Yeah thats what I meant with how they're just enough different to not work.. so I guess next week I'll call around and see if I can find a driveline shop for that

 

Also, do most people use the two wheeel drive steering I'm assuming? tie rods, etc.

 

Offtopic here, but whats the condition on those running boards? Planning on keeping them?

 

They're in pretty dang good shape for a 92. I've got an eddie bauer so it's already got running boards..
Everything besides what I need for the swap is for sale on the truck if your lookin for parts

 

Ok cool. I PM'd you. Lets keep this thread on topic.

 

So tonights update, I started working at 11:00, had the front axle completely off and out from under the front by 3:00-- if I were strictly swapping this, I could have finished that today easily. The next few hours were spent getting everything ready to pull the transmission tomorrow.. I'm hoping to be able to pull the tranny and transfer case as one unit.. and think I should be able to get that with 2 jacks,
The two things that took me a while today were: the hydraulic hose for the clutch: This was a B**** and I will definitely buy the tool for pulling the 2wd transmission..and second was figuring out how to flip the nut to the other side of the shifter to pop the shifter pin out, since the shop manual says to remove the two bolts... ohwell. Youtube saved me on this one.

I've also made a list of what it looks like I'll need to be getting for this swap so far:
-5 u joints--2 for the driveshaft, 3 for the front axle.
-the rubber boot on the front axle QUESTION: what is the specific name of this for when I go to schucks?
-Transmission shifter bushing kit: I was pretty worried when I was pulling the shifter off just how sloppy the shifter was... starting to think I might have dug myself a hole here, but after looking online this seems like a common enough problem and these bushings seem to fix it.. I'm hopeful!
-brake pads: The rotors on the donor truck axle are decently worn down... but the rotors on my 2wd front end have 15,000 miles on them... will I be able to use my rotors for now to save a bit of money? or have them machined smooth atleast?
-Brake fluid, ATF fluid, Gearcase oil QUESTION: What viscosity gearcase oil?
-wheel and spindle bearings will depend on finances budget for now... may happen, may not right away, seem in decent shape.


AND
-Clutch kit: Here is where I need some serious advice... Basically from what I can tell, I won't need a performance clutch ie centerforce, sooo I've got two options I think:
The Sachs clutch kit, available at schucks...
Or
Brute Power (Borg Warner's brand name) which is on rockauto for $120.79..
Since the sachs is available at schucks without shipping, I would prefer that since I have some time off this coming week to work on the truck.. however if the borg warner is much better quality.. I will order it.

OR are both of these clutches garbage and is there another brand I should be looking at for an oem ish replacement.. I'm not going to do much more than light offroading, and going to the coast/ sand dunes, however I do pull my small boat, and a jetski trailer often..
Beyond that, what else will I need besides the clutch kit? the slave cylinder, and what else? the kits aren't real good at listing what is included..

Also, because my current clutch in the 2wd f150 is in good working shape.. I'm thinking that I shouldn't have to replace/resurface the flywheel should I?
Thanks in advance!
Erik

 

Last summer when I swapped in the 5.8 into my F250, I had the same questions about which clutch to use. After looking at a few clutch kits from the chain auto parts stores and passing on them because of poor build quality, I ordered a Brute Power clutch kit and I haven't looked back, it was a great purchase. The PP has the same centrifugal weights as the Center Force clutch.

I only have about 7K on it since last year, I haven't had a single issue with the clutch. Be sure that the rear main seal isn't leaking and spend the few $$ and have the flywheel machined so the clutch disc has a nice flat surface to mate against.

 

Went ahead and ordered a brute power clutch kit, along with a pilot bearing, and slave cylinder from rockauto.. total was $204 after shipping.

Tomorrow I'm plannin on getting started on the front axle.. I'm thinking a napa brake kit should suffice? rotors, pads, etc..? and then go through the front axle and take it apart and replace all the rubber components, dust boots, seals, etc. and grease everything up, and bearings.

 

Hey, good to see another guy performing the swap.

Check out mine:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-progress.html

Only difference is my truck is an Auto tranny, and the donor's is also.

Going with the 4x4 steering linkage, in better shape than my 2wd's.

2wd and 4wd rotors are identical... can use your 2wd rotors on the 4x4 front axle.

I essentially replaced every part in the donor truck's 4x4 TTB front axle, minus Gears.

Having a local 4x4 shop fab up my rear driveshaft for me for about $350. My donor truck was an extended cab long box, so it had a 2 piece rear driveshaft. The shop is going to weld the 2 shafts together into 1 driveshaft, with the 4x4 transfer case slip yoke on the front and the 2wd rear axle yoke on the back.