Hi guys thinking of converting my 2wd 351 Cleveland f100 into a 4wd, just wandering roughly what's involved in making this happen I was thinking of putting a factory solid axle that comes out of the 4wd versions of my truck, I believe it's a Dana 44. And was thinking of strapping a transfer case to the C6 that I currently have and then getting a driveshaft made up?


Would something like this from a local wreckers be a bolt in fit?

 

Actually it would be easier to find a 4x4 rolling chassis.
2x to a 4x4 involves:

* a complete front end (as shown)
* different radius arms, (those are too long)
* a different tranny and now a transfer case.
* that "new" front end gearing "MUST" match your current rear gearing....
* or swap out rear end for matching gear set to front end.
* new, or at least relocate gas tank, 2-wheel gas tanks don't fit a 4x4 (cause of the transfer case....
* new gas line and emission piping (relocations)
* brake line modifications.
* cab floor pan modifications
* 4x4 light (on dash) modifications
* brandie new front driveshaft
* modified rear drive shaft
* re-routed gas filler neck

See where I'm going with this?
Rolling 4x4 chassis is much cheaper, install your cab and bed on the new frame, done.....

 

Where are you getting this info from? 2wd gas tanks are the same as 4wd gas tanks. Fuel lines and emissions lines are the same. Brake lines are the same. Cab floor is the same, just a cut out for the transfer case lever. Some have a cover that unbolts, bolt in the new cover with the transfer case hole. Gas filler neck is the same.

This is a duplicate post, he asked this same question in another post. The only wild card is he is from Australia. In the other post right away I said that frontend he pictured above would not fit, I thought it was from a late 70's truck. But then I saw he was from Australia with right hand drive, so I am not sure what they had down there in this time period as far as 4x4.

 

Many 2x had a different configuration (larger capy) on 2x than 4x4.
Hence re-configure.
It's a real pain when the tail of the T-case wants to occupy the same spot as the tank....

 

It wasn;t until later, mostly with the E4OD that you started to see the front tank delete due to transmission legnth. A C6 or 4 speed isn't going to have tank issues.
That axle can work in his truck, however, not without a pretty significant lift. A D44 SAS is pretty well covered.

 

Again, leads to finding a rolling 4x4 Frame is Soooo, much easier, and costs a lot less..

 

You'd be better off buying my 84 for 3k..

 

I'm not sure how much work the transmission and transfer would be. I'm ASSUMING it would be a pretty straight forward bolt in, I can't image they changed much on the frames between 2 and 4wd.

As far as the straight axle conversion, there is quite a bit of work, but from my experience it's well worth it. I love have the straight axle in my 81. It rides a little.different but I enjoy the handling much more than the TTB.

As someone else stated, you must lift the truck 6 inches (Don't go lower.. I only went 4 because i didnt want a high lifted truck and it's honestly not enough...) If not the pumpkin will hit the cross member that the TTB suspension pivots on. And again make sure your gears match up. I got lucky and found one with the same gear ratio that my truck had. Real lucky because now I have a spare rear end also

As far as changes. This is what I did.
1) I used my 1980s style shock mount and spring mount bucket. These are around 2 inches shorter than the 70s styles so you get extra lift. This also saves you from having to drill new holes to mount the 70s style and keeps you from having another potential alignment problem.
2) You have to use the 70s style coil springs. 80s springs taper in on the bottom.
3) You have to use the 70s style radius arms. They bolt on around the tube and the 80s have a different mounting style. I also used the 70s style brackets. This is the tricky part about the conversion because if you don't get them perfect, the front end is in at an angle and you'll wear tires and never be able to get it aligned correctly. (You might be able to buy radius arms that are shorter and use the 80s brackets, I never looked into this and I was doing mine on a budget.)
4) I can't remember if I used the 70s style calipers or the 80s, but I remember that I didn't change the rubber brake lines in the front.
5) You will have to change the steering linkage from the pitman arm to the tie rods. Convieniently a 1994 F350 set up bolts in perfectly.
6) Depending how high you lift the truck, you may have to trim the front part of the cross member that the TTB suspension bolts to.
7) I used the stabilizer bar that came on the 70s and modified the frame mounting bracket from the 70s style also. This can be attached in multiple ways and depends on your how you want to do it. Some people weld, some bolt them on.

Another tip is to replace all your bushings while you have the straight axle out. I neglected to do this and I'm really kicking myself now.. I may have forgotten something but I can take some pictures or answer any other questions about the switch if you need.

 

You didn't use a dropped pitman arm on the steering box? With 4 or 6 inches of lift you should use a dropped pitman arm to avoid bumpsteer.

 

I did not, I figured I would give it a shot without it and have not had an issue with it at all. Also on my conversion, mine only has about 4 inches of lift. I'm sure if you went any higher the drop pitman arm would be necessary and that I'm pushing the limits of when it should be used. (I do not recommend 4 inches either. I have some clearance issues that 6 inches would solve.)

When I was doing my research on the swap before I started mine, the main thing that people said was to make sure the stabilizer bar (or tracbar, I've heard both used) were as close to parallel as I could get them.

With this in mind, used my original pitman arm, then fabricated my stabilizer bar bracket to be a bolt on assembly so that I could give it a test trial before anything was permanent and ive never had problems.

 

Track bar parallel to the ground? Or parallel to the drag link to the box? Parallel to the drag link would be better, the track bar and the drag link need to work together to prevent the frontend from doing one thing, and the steering linkage doing another. On these setups, the linkages are so long they are probably more forgiving than the original shorter ttb steering arms.

Why do you need to go higher? Does it hit your crossmember once in awhile?

 

The diff is 4" closer to the truck's centerline on a 79 and older truck. Anything less than 6" of lift and you need to cut the engine crossmember for clearance for the pumpkin.

 

Yes, drag link and tracbar are parallel just so as you said they aren't fighting each other when the suspension flexs.

My decision to go with 4 inches works for me because I rebuilt my truck with the intention of being a weekend driver to enjoy in the summer. Not so much of an off road vehicle like most straight axle swaps are looking for.

If I'm going 50ish and hit a culvert that the state so nicely didn't compact correctly and the road sank, then occassionally my pumpkin will hit the cross member the motor sits on. (This has only happened once or twice, I mean it has to be a serious depression in the road that both tires hit.)

I was going to try to get stiffer gas charged shocks and also switch from a single shock on each side to dual shocks to try to stiffen the suspension. I'm not sure what the performance difference is between having the extra set of shocks is though, it was a recent thought if mine.

 

Maybe you can leave the springs you have for a decent ride, but lower the rubber bumpers somehow. It will still hit and stop and not have much travel, but at least it won't be a metal to metal bang.

 

So basically if I buy a TTB front axle from a wreckers, that will basically bolt straight into place?