New to the site but long time Ford truck and car enthusiast!

Currently building a 1978 F-350 crew cab.....

Aaron Evans

 

 

Welcome to the FTE, and thanks for the pictures right off the bat. We really do like our pictures. Looks like you got yourself a really solid Crew Cab.

 

Welcome to FTE, it that "hwy dept yellow" with a radio delete panel? CC long bed, I bet that takes a bit to get turned around?

Also make sure you ck out this place. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ly-thread.html

 

Welcome! That's a clean crew you found!

 

Nice original Deluxe Topper to boot! Welcome to FTE

 

Nice boat.








Looks clean and ready to haul.....anything.

 

Welcome to FTE and nice Crew! Excited to see what you'll do with it!

 

Turning radius of the Titanic!

Nice crew.. and a Compass top too? Sweet.

 

Converting it to 4x4 with a Dana 60 front axle / crossover steering with hydraulic ram assist.

Divorced case 205 / dana 60 rear

probably going to be a 12v cummins but not for certain although i do have a 2wd 4L80E trans already so........

Pulling the 460/c6 and axe-ing the twin i-beam and coil springs and the camper top is going bye bye.

New springs and shocks all around and then new wheels and tires.....

Paint will be last part of the project.

Still need a dana 60 front end if anyone has a lead on one?

 

FYI i wish i could LIKE some of the above comments. LOL

 

Have you read this info on the 4x4 conversion? https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14696887

Or are you swapping the body onto a 4wd chassis? HP Dana 60 $1000 to $1200, good luck with locating a cheap one.

More good info. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14696881

Some more info on a D44 versus D60. In case you can't source a cheap D60 and consider a D44.

D44 versus D60: But you will have a hard time finding a 60 with the 32.5" spring spacing, it'll have to be from a dentside. The '86+axles are spaced at 36", but are more common. Honestly the price you pay for one is way over rated. I happened to get one and put it in my truck, but it is just bragging rights to say "Yeah...I got a D60 front axle." They are over rated unless you continually are beating on it so hard you are tearing your D44 apart all the time.
The truths:
Yes it is heavier...doesn't do much but slow your truck down.
Yes it has a bigger ring gear...haven't broke yours, so why need to go bigger?
Yes it has bigger u-joint...good news is that likely won’t break on you.
The pitfall:
(The outer shafts are the same diameter as the outer shafts on a D44) POSSIBLY INCORRECT (just a different spline count). Instead of maybe breaking a u-joint you will likely break an outer shaft and good luck finding a cheap replacement.
The D44 held up for you for now, why change it? Also spare parts for the 44 are cheap. If you have 3:55 gears now and want to find 4.11s just find a D44 with 4.11s in already. I wouldn't pay more than $200 for a D44 front...they are very common. One questions for this would be what size tire are you running? For off road use the D44 is usually good 35" and under tires (yes there are many exceptions for this). If you rebuild the D44, do you plan on putting in after market (stronger) axle shafts and u-joints (or do you already have them). Load rating tests show that a fully upgraded D44 axle with good aftermarket shafts (there are LOTS to choose from and some are far better than others) is about equal to a stock D60 with 35 spline outer stubs. Ok now you just upgraded your axle shafts... what does your current ring and pinion look like? If you are eating up teeth or snapping pinion shafts there is really no fix for this but to go to a D60... well there is one possible option and that’s a Dana 50 which is a kit to drop in D50 gears into a D44, bigger ring gear but same pinion shaft diameter. If you are going to regear and going to keep the D44 this might be a good time to look at this option for increased strength. Last question is... with the plow on the front and any extra weight are you over the D44's load rating? If you are really working it hard do you know if your D44 is still strait and are you overloading the wheel bearings? Might be time to weigh the front half of your truck and see where you are at. An axle truss might help, but I'd say if you are past the 44's weight I'd move on to a 60.

Also make sure you join your state chapter.

 

I have had many early Bronco's and dent sides as well as 80's bronco's and trucks over the years......

Definitely going Dana 60 front axle.

I have read some but have done a few swaps over the years so i am pretty familiar with everything except the 12v swap

I just can't stomach spending 65k plus on a new diesel truck so a project it is.....

 

anyone with any leads on a Dana 60 for a dentside please shoot me an email or text 219-614-5340 aaronevansiii at gmail.com

 

Man, that is freaking nice!!!!