yeah i guess you're right the only thing is i have no interest at all in a dually rear, so im goinna have to bank on one of the d60 rears i have matching the ratios of the kingpin d60 front. i have 2 dana 60 rears one has 4.10s and not sure the other. how much do you think that dually rear is worth?

 

next to nothing. The d70 is not a particularly desirable axle. very limited aftermarket availablility, heavy, and not that much stronger than a d60. The d80 is a bigger jump up in strength. Plus the D70's all came in the narrow rear frame trucks, which there aren't that many of, so you have to cut the perches off of them to fit them to a wide frame truck. Also the D70 came in at least 5 different versions so can be difficult to find parts for. there is nothing special about a dually rear on the 70's fords, though. The d70 found in a dually chassis cab is the same D70 found under 2wd F350. Same width and everything. Some had different brakes (the 12x2) but thats about it. The wms is like an inch and a half or 2" narrower than a d60 of the same year, I can't remember it exactly. But its really close. I've had several of them. i sold 2 but I think I ended up scrapped 2, they just aren't worth anything. I had dropped the price on mine to $50 each and didn't find any takers before I scrapped them.

The front axle is the only thing there worth any serious money. A frame with no axles in good rust free shape is worth about $200 if it has a title. No title, its worth scrap price, because thats what the DMV/DOT technically have to go by. May never get checked but always a possibility. If you live someplace like CA is probably much more important.

 

So what are the odds that the frame is a 2wd narrow frame?

 

Being as its 4wd and a 79 itll have the wider frame. the narrow frames in 4wd stopped in mid 77. The 2wd 1 tons stayed with the narrow frame until 79.

The leaf springs are a dead givaway. The narrow frames had 2 1/4" springs and the wider frame had 3" wide springs. As far as the 3" cut off its not big problem. Have a couple new pieces made out of 3/16" matierial and weld them on along with a fishplate on the inside. Being a dually and with the wider frame i would guess there are spacers between the inner wheel and hub. Dual wheels wont fit on the wider frame without some sort of spacer or leaf spring mods.

 

btw according to the online vin look up, a 4wd chassis cab WAS offered but only in '79. I've never seen one. No idea what frame they had, narrow or wide.

 

thats some good info hasteranger