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Just a thought, but I'm in the planning stages of converting my 78 to 4wd. I have front and rear axles and suspension from an 08 F350. Coil spring width looks to match up nicely with the stock 78 chassis, trailing arm mounts will have to be relocated/replaced, but I think the frame width is close to the same. Rear leafs I haven't been able to measure out yet. I'm thinking this would be the easiest way to convert IF you don't mind non-stock parts/configuration...
Just a thought, but I'm in the planning stages of converting my 78 to 4wd. I have front and rear axles and suspension from an 08 F350. Coil spring width looks to match up nicely with the stock 78 chassis, trailing arm mounts will have to be relocated/replaced, but I think the frame width is close to the same. Rear leafs I haven't been able to measure out yet. I'm thinking this would be the easiest way to convert IF you don't mind non-stock parts/configuration...
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I have a 4x4 f350 and I'm considering doing this swap to it. Yes it takes a good amount of fabrication and it's not a weekend project but the 05 and up super duty trucks ride great and junk yard parts are not all that expensive or hard to find. I would leave the rear alone for now because it works and just concentrate on the front suspension. The 05 and up front Dana 60 is miles stronger than the 78-79 Dana 60 and can be found for 500 or so (at one point I had 8 of them and was having a hard time selling them). It does have a metric 8x170 wheel bolt pattern but if you swap in the disc rear end that is fixed or you can have the hub redrilled to 8x6.5 (another bonus of the new axles are 14"ish rotors over the 12"ish 70's ones.
If you decide to go with 70's suspension you may want to consider an f100/150 type coil spring conversion. There is no reason this type of suspension cannot be used for any truck and it will require less fabrication of components and frame welding.
I am doing the same thing. Good luck .I am placing my 74 short bed supercab body and bed atop of a shortened 79 F250 Supercab long bed frame and running gear. I am going to change the leaf sprung front to a modified coil sprung front.