OK , the ol' girl went back on the road last December and has been running great ever since. I am running the 4.9L w/C6 and I am averaging about 15MPG. Now that I know she is running well and is pretty dependable. I want to start gathering what I need to convert her to a 4x4. I know my 84 F-250 2WD frame was different than the 4x4 version, is that true for an 87 as well?
I am thinking I will need a transfer case, I don't know if I can hook one up to my current C6 or if I will need to change trannies as well. Depending on the tranny requirements, I may need to change the crossmember, I will need a front Axle (same gearing as rear) if tranny changes I'll need a new Drive shaft, I will need to modify the Floor Panel in the cab for the 4x4 Shifter.... Am I forgetting anything? Not sure about the 4x4 indicator in the cluster... That may require some rewiring, Much of this would be resolved with a donor truck.... Oh, and did Ford make a 5 speed manual fr these trucks? I coverted an 84 F-250 460/C6 to a manual, (T-18 4speed) and it ran great, but I would like to marry a 5 speed up to my 4.9L if possible... Any thoughts?

 

I've asked this question before and 99% of the replies simply stated that the most economic solution is to buy a 4x4 truck and sell your 4x2 truck. Has this procedure been done? Absolutely. If you have the desire to do it and (more importantly) money to do it then by all means go for it. However, what this process involves is more than just adding a transfer case and driveshaft.

There are two different types of front 4x4 axles Ford used - the TTB and solid axle. TTB is a hybrid between a twin I beam and a solid axle. These TTB systems were used on the F-150, Bronco and Ranger family lines. I have never worked on one personally but due to their complexity and age at this point I really don't recommend using this system. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin-Traction_Beam

That said, the other type is the solid axle. Since your truck is a 2wd you will need to convert the coil springs to leaf springs in order to mount the solid axle. They are different frames with different mounts welded on depending on if they are 4x2 or 4x4 from the factory. So basically, you have to add mounts for these front leaf springs - which will definitely involve welding some mounts onto your frame. Not easy to do and very easy to make a mistake. If you're off even by a little bit the truck will never be aligned correctly and your problems multiply. Not to mention that if the quality of the welds is not perfect you risk weakening the frame, which to me is horrifying.

I'm not trying to discourage you but the sheer amount of work involved is not (in my opinion) worth the payoff. If you want this 87 truck to perform well off-road you might want to look into a locking rear axle. A skilled driver using a locker on a 2wd truck can definitely match/exceed a 4x4 truck in capability. It's way easier to modify an existing axle than basically rebuild a whole front end and frame.

 

You don't say what truck you have. I've heard that F-150s are pretty much bolt-on for the drive axle, while (as Da-Lariat said) F-250/F-350 is a bigger hassle with swapping from coil to leaf springs.

Yes you need a 4WD trans. And yes Ford put 5 speed manuals. The Mazda trans is pretty smooth shifting and has decent gear spreads, but isn't considered overly stout (still fine for most users though). The ZF5 is stout, but shifts like a truck tranny (at best) and has wide ratios (which some might like). Whichever you pick, you need one from a 300, 302 or 351W engine or the bell won't fit your 300.

There will be a ton of little things needed, so the easiest way to do the swap is to buy a donor truck. But as Da_Lariat said, easier yet is to just get and keep a 4WD truck.

 

Do you plan on doing some heavy off roading? Find a donor bronco with dana 44's. Up to you on doing leaf, but if you're going through the work, make it a 4 link. There's a lot of kits out there, or you can get some DOM tubing and hiem joints and weld it up yourself. There's lots of videos out there on getting the geometry right on a 4 link. If you would rather leaf it, Google f150 sas kit, they should have some weld on hangers and leafs to do this. You will need a 4x4 trans with a manual transfer case. Make sure the output of the front shaft is on the drivers side for fords, and the punkin of the front axle is on the same side. Also, 90s dodges had a pretty nice 4 link on their trucks. I cut the 4 link out of the dodge and welded it on to my chevy blazer frame to make it a sas 4x4. This isn't a street vehicle though. Fabbing it up for street use will take careful measuring to keep everything straight. Steering will be an issue, I'm mostly a chevy guy with my off road stuff so ask around on that. You will need to get a driveshaft made for the front and rear.


P.S. go get a 4x4 for playing with. Keep your 2x4 for getting to work.

 

https://www.skysoffroaddesign.com

here's a link for sas hangers for your truck

 

OK, I am going to start looking for my doner frame.... I almost had one about a month ago... but I didn't have anywhere to put it,, and the guys sold it before I could get it. I just bought a house (with a garage, FINALLY) so once I get my shed built and the shed STUFF out of the garage, I will put my new 4x4 Frame in the garage, and prep it, clean sand, paint shocks, brake lines etc... When its ready I will pull my 4x2 in on the other side and take the truck off the frame and mount on the 4x4. (I did this on an F250 I Had years ago) I know its easier to just buy the 4x4... but I like the challenge of taking it apart and putting back together better than it was... and the way I want it.. I guess my only question is, can the C6 be used at all? Or do I need to switch it to a Standard? When I did my F250 I swapped a T-18 4speed in for the C6 that it originally had. I like standards, but if I can keep it as an automatic I will. If I switch to standard, I'll need the Tranny, Transfer case, Driveshaft, TAC, Clutch, Bell Housing, Clutch Pedal, change floor panel in floor, Some wiring, probably a new cross member on the frame. Oh what fun!

 

You can keep it an automatic, but you can't use your 2WD C6. 2WD and 4WD transmissions have different tailshafts and tailshaft housings. Yes you can swap a 4WD tailshaft and housing onto your 2WD trans and make it a 4WD trans. But it involves completely disassembling and rebuilding the trans. and obviously it requires having the 4WD parts. You need to have a REALLY good reason to make it worth converting the trans rather than just getting a 4WD trans.

But you can put about any 4WD trans you want in it. A 4WD C6 would be the easiest since everything else would be the same. But you could go with a 4 speed like the T-18, or a 5 speed OD like the ZF or Mazda trannies (depending on what you want in a 5 speed OD trans). Or you could even go with something like an E4OD auto, but that would require a trans controller.

 

What truck are you working on?

 

I was considering this conversion (briefly), but only because the body on my 93 short bed is SOooo freakin straight... I could scuff it and shoot it black tomorrow if I wanted to.

As others have said, unless you really want to do it, the economical route is to just buy a 4x4.

 

Why do you need a different frame? Isn’t the truck currently twin I beam with coil springs? The 1/2T 4x4 version was also coil springs but TTB. As mentioned it would be easier to swap out the trans to a 4wd drive version unless you want make the necessary changes yourself. I’m not sure what jtmelott meant by finding a doner Bronco with Dana 44s. The rear axle would have been a 9” or 8.8 depending on year of manufacture just like your pickup. No Bronco came with front and rear Dana 44s. You could source a Dana 44 TTB out of with a Bronco or F-150.

 

He still hasn't said what truck he has, but all of the previous trucks that he's mentioned were F-250s, so I'm kind of thinking that's what he has now (although it would be easier to make good suggestions if he'd answer that question).

I've heard that 2WD F-250s can be converted to coil spring TTB 4WD using F-150 parts. And that they can be converted to leaf spring 4WD (I think using TTB but definitely using a solid axle) with some fab work (easiest I've heard if you get a reverse shackle kit). But a frame swap is another way to get a more stock 4WD leaf spring front suspension.

 

Profile has 1987 F-150 so that is what I am going with.

 

Why do you need a frame?