Hi all,

I'm in Australia and have a 1978 F100 4x4. I want to buy a full suspension bush kit and some tie rod ends from the US as they are less than half the price of what I can get them for locally. Problem is I'm not entirely sure that my 78 is the same as your 78, I'm wondering if it might be the same as your 77 model. Also many places list kits for a 77-8 F150 4x4 but not for a F100 4x4, What's the difference? We didn't get the F150 in Australia.

I'll appreciate any assistance here. Attached are a few pics to help.

 

Everything looks like our 78. Is it right hand drive? Can you get better pix of suspension.

 

It is right hand drive. I'm stuck on an oil rig at the moment so can't get better suspension pics. It is a solid front axle, open knuckle, coil sprung. It uses the C bushings and the two radius arms going back to the chassis. I'll see if I can chase down some pics from another truck the same.

 

Do you know if the D44 is hp or lp? transfer case attached or seperate?

**I'm not sure these questions matter, lol. It's just the only possible differences I can think of. IIRC, the front end of 77-78 are the same, it's the rear where the frame gets narrower. There may be no difference in bushings.

 

LP and from memory the transfer case is divorced but wouldn't bet my life on it.

 

our 77 is lp/divorced, 78 is hp/married

 

"Sixth Generation (1973–79) Ford F-Series

The sixth-generation F-series was introduced in 1973. This version of the F-series continued to be built on the 1965 fourth-generation's revised platform, but with significant modernization and refinements. Front disc brakes, increased cabin dimensions, gas tank relocated outside the cab and under the bed, significantly improved heating and air conditioning, full double wall bed construction, increased use of galvanized steel, Super Cab was introduced in the sixth-generation pick-up.

In 1975, the F-150 was introduced in between the F-100 and the F-250 in order to avoid certain emission control restrictions. For 1978, the Ford Bronco was redesigned into a variant of the F-series pick-up. 1979 was the last year that the 460 was available in a Half ton truck."

I am sure your truck is a F150, looks like a 78 F150 4x4 short bed to me. Look at the dvrs door edge "warranty tag" or door striker area "sticker" to get the month and year made. it might look like 10/78 ="s Oct 1978.

I would say if you get the bushing kit for a 77-79 you would be ok. brian1080 the truck is a 1/2 ton SB, it can not have a divorced xfer case.

 

Our ID tags are a bit different to yours, it was built in August 78 but lot of Aussie models lagged one year behind the American ones.

All the bushing kits I've found seem to be for either 75-77 or 78-79, I'm not sure which to go for.

 

Energy suspension list their Hyperflex kits for 73-79 which is good but only list them for F150 4wd, not F100 4wd. Will there be a difference?

 

8/78 so the truck is a 78, just get the kit for a 78/79 F150 4wd. Pay no attention to the F100 F150 option because there should be no difference in the kit as far a parts.

I can not think of a difference in a F100 or F150 other than year made and weight capacity?

 

Yes, it's an Aussie 78 but it has been suggested to me that the Aussie 78 was the same as the American 77. I'll go for the 78 kit though, should be pretty close.

 

Since new vehicle introduction time begins in September of the previous year, production begins in August. Dunno when new vehicles are introduced "Down Under."

US/Canada: No F100 4WD's after 1976.
This refers to F250's only, but your 1977 info is flawed.

1967/76 F250 4WD, 1977 F250 4WD before serial number Y20,001 are called High Boys, have a divorced transfer case and an in-cab fuel tank.

1977 F250 4WD's assembled from serial number Y20,001 are not High Boys, neither are 1978/79 F250 4WD's. These have a married transfer case, no in-cab fuel tank.

But, since the OP's truck has 5 lug wheels, it's not an F250 that has 8 lug wheels. Only 1959/65 F100's have a divorced transfer case. No 1966/76 F100 4WD or 1975 and later F150 has a divorced transfer case

Interesting array of 1920's vehicles parked in shed behind OP's pickup. Car at far left could be a late '20's Auburn or '26/29 Pontiac.

 

You never fail to amaze me Bill. The ranger name wasn't used in Aus, this truck is simply an F100 XLT which was the high spec model. It does sound very much as though it's the same as the US F150.

 

ND, They are all Pontiac's. I have a better pic of them I think.



.

 

Honda dealer in Whittier has a 1926 Pontiac Cabriolet in their showroom, because before becoming a Honda dealer, they were a Pontiac dealer.

Pontiac introduced in 1926 as a companion car to the Oakland. GM cancelled the Oakland in 1931, Pontiac endured until recently.

I dunno what that red car is, it doesn't look like the 1926 Pontiac in the showroom and I once owned a 1929 Pontiac Cabriolet, flathead 6 with two cylinder heads.

The 1926 @ Community Honda and the 1929 I had look pretty much the same, the same as the two in the above picture with the center grille bar.