Does anybody know if I can swap 3/4 4x4 axles into my 1984 1/2 ton 4x4? I'm just wondering what all is involved with it and if the older axles will work? The main reason I ask is because I have access to some axles that I can get for free off of a 64 3/4 ton ford and I was just thinking that would open the door for a diesel swap I'm wanting to do.

 

These 1/2 ton trucks are ttb with a independent frontend. I know the older axle won't swap in without modifications and fabrication.

 

That's what I Was thinking going from a TTB to a straight. So I'd probably be better off the find a TTB 3/4 axle then?

 

No, the TTB's don't swap. Your plan is sound, however your choice of axles is not good, too old to do much of anything with. You want something much more modern.

Depending on how heavy an engine your are planning on a late 70's Dana 44 is a proven swap for F150's or of course if you need big stregnth a Dana 60 is the way to go. Lots of different options on how to do it.

 

No, the problem is the leaf springs. There's nowhere on the F-150 frame to mount the front end of the spring (without modification). A 3/4 ton TTB, in addition to being vastly inferior to an F-150 TTB as far as general design goes (although yes, it does use some stronger parts), uses leaf springs, so you're still stuck with working that out.

If your goal is to put a diesel engine in your 1/2 ton truck and just think you'll need stiffer springs to carry it, then just get stiffer springs for your stock suspension. There are probably some F-250 or F-350 2WD front coils that will work, or go to a spring shop an get something made up.

If you want a stronger axle to handle the torque of the diesel I wouldn't worry too much about the front Dana 44. Unless you're doing heavy fourwheeling you won't beat on the front drivetrain that much (just make sure your rear end can handle it).

If you just want a solid axle, then either swap in a Dana 44 from a '70s F-150 (still uses coils and radius arms), or a Dana 44 from a '70s F-250 (requires fabbing up front spring mounts) or a Dana 60 from a late '80s - '90s F-350 (also requires the springs, more expensive and heavier). None of these are completely simple swaps, but all are possible.

 

Will the stock 1/2 springs be strong enough for a 6.9 idi? I'd be going from 351 to a 6.9

 

I'm planning on a 6.9 idi if I can find one for a reasonable price that I can rebuild and put a turbo on.

 

I'd sure try that for starters. If your springs are original they've probably sagged a little over the 32 years. Put the weight of a diesel above them and they'll compress further, so I wouldn't be surprised if you do need to at least get new stock springs. And getting something a little stiffer might not be a bad idea. But that's all stuff you can do after the engine is in so you know how it really works with the current springs.

 

Alrighty thanks for the help! I don't know if I'll even get to do this swap because 6.9s from what I can tell are pretty non existent anymore around here.I need to go to some wreaking yards and look around and see what I can find. If it wasn't for having all the extra wiring of a 7.3 powerstroke I'd drop one of those in but I don't want to deal with computers haha. I have another question about the TTB how hard is it to replace the pivot point bushings?

 

It's a pain to replace them, the old ones can be hammered out but I had to make a "tool" out of all-thread rod to squeeze the new ones back in place.

You have lots of options with the front coils of your f150. I think I am right in saying the coils out of a 2wd f250 will fit in place of the f150 4x4 springs.

Why not swap in a cummins 4bt or 6bt? They already come with a turbo.

 

So would I be better off to buy the bushings and let the local repair man replace them for me?

I think I'll do like nothing special said and put the engine in (if I find one) and go from there with the front end.

I've thought about a Cummins and I like em but I'm die hard ford I'd like to stay with a Ford engine. Plus it'd probably be easier to swap a idi in wouldn't it? Transmission and wiring wise seems to me it'd be easier to stick with an idi? Or is there much difference in swapping an idi vs swapping a Cummins? If I went with a Cummins I'd want a 12 valve

 

From what I've read, wiring-wise it doesn't get much easier than a 12 valve (or 8 in the case of the 4BT) Cummins. One wire. Well, the starter too, but still simple.

As far as the trans goes, you won't be able to use yours with either (or at least not the bellhousing if you have a manual). So you'll need to do that either way.

A 6BT is probably the best engine of the three, and probably not that hard or expensive to find since Dodge sold so many of them. But it's heavy and long, so it's not that easy to fit in your engine bay. But then again, it's a relatively common swap, so you wouldn't have to reinvent anything you didn't want to. It's all been done and people are selling parts for it.

A 4BT might be the ideal candidate for a half ton swap. Decent power, great torque, not too heavy and a lot easier to fit. But from what I hear you should expect them to cost significantly more than a 6BT, just because they aren't as easy to find and most sellers know that.

A 6.9 or 7.3 IDI is probably the easiest to put in, especially if you have a donor truck because all the parts needed came on a Ford diesel. Personally I'd probably go that way for what I think would be a lower cost, easier swap. But then again, I haven't done either, so I could be wrong.

But don't let the non-Ford issue scare you off a Cummins. The 6.9 and 7.3 IDIs aren't Ford engines either!

 

I know that international built the 6.9 and 7.3 idi I just like that ford used them.

Wiring wise what all Cummins v idi do I need to change out in dash, ignition ect?

I'm running a C6 right now so would it mate up to the 6.9 if I was to change the bell housing? I don't wanna have to buy a different tranny to if I put a Cummins in it because I'm on a budget But I do want a good engine which is why I've been thinking about a idi. I don't want a 7.3 idi because I've heard that they are prone the cylinder problems that's why I'm want a 6.9. Cummins or idi which ever I can find first that I can afford I guess haha. What all is involved in swapping a 6BT and getting it to fit? A 6.9 would probably be faster then a Cummins swap correct? I need a fairly speedy swap because I can't have my truck off the road for to long because before to long I'm gonna rip in to my 460 in my other truck and rebuild it and I hate being afoot haha.

 

I don't know the details (and that's where the devil always is). There can't be too much difference other than with an IDI you can use a cluster from a Ford diesel and you ought to be able to get a working tach pretty easily. I gather it's a little harder getting a Ford tach to talk to a Cummins. But everything else should be pretty straightforward with either.

You WILL need a new trans with an IDI. The C6 bellhousing is integral to the case. You might be able to use your existing trans with a Cummins if you can track down the adapter to put a small block Ford trans on a Cummins (they were used to put a 4BT into a bread truck that originally had a 300 six).

As far as the cylinder problems, I've heard all sorts of things saying the 7.3 is worse, there's no difference, and that the whole thing is simply blown way out of proportion. I don't know what the truth is, but I do know that you can find a ton of support for whatever position you want to take on it.

Look up one of the many Cummins swap threads to see what's involved putting one in a Ford. It seems to take a pretty long time for most people, but then again, projects like this always take a lot more time than you think they should. As I said earlier, I think an IDI swap would be a lot wuicker and easier, especially if you bought the truck it came in so you knew you had all of the parts you'd need.

 

The biggest problem with a Cummins swap is price, I'm currently freshening up the 7.3 out of my 96 F250 to put into my 350, bearings, complete reseal and injectors is about half the cost a Cummins swap would be for me, and I already have a 12v.