You can't just attach a transfer case to the back of a 2WD trans, so if you want to switch to 4WD before you get the tranny of your dreams you'll need to find a 4WD version of your current trans (likely a C6) and swap that in with the transfer case. It's not that hard, so it would make the 4WD swap go quicker and easier than if you were doing the manual trans at the same time. But it is more monkeying around and more expense, so you might be better off doing the dream trans at the same time as the 4WD conversion. Up to you. One way has your truck out of commission for shorter periods and the other is easier and cheaper in the long run.

 

 

You will have a hard time finding a 4x4 dually pickup because the factory did not make them. The only thing they made that was 4x4 and a dually also was a incomplete cab and chassis truck, and they are not pickups. They had oddball rear frames, springs and rearend widths. As soon as I say that someone will post a picture of one, but they are all "made" or converted like you want to do with cab and chassis frontends under them.

Are you committed to a 6.9 or 7.3 Ford/international diesel? They are good engines, I like mine, but they have limited power potential. You can add a turbo kit and have plenty of power, but the sky's the limit if you are going to build a truck, you can put a cummins or some other type of engine in it.

So you could start with a crewcab long bed dually 2wd or a crewcab long bed single rear wheel 4x4.

If the 4x4 had the drivetrain you already wanted, all you would have to do is swap in the dually rearend, the dually bed, and swap on the dually wheel adapters for the front. Done.

If you find a crewcab dually 2wd, I would not be worried too much about what engine it had. You need to convert it to 4x4, so you might as well pull the gas engine as well as the 2wd trans out and swap in what you want. Anything Ford used would be a bolt in with the right parts, some other type of diesel would be some custom work. Once you got the drivetrain sorted, you could go ahead and round up a straight axle dana 60 with the dually adapters already on it, or get a srw dana 60 and then get the dually adapters and install them(Ford type). To install the axle in the 2wd chassis, you could use one of these kits that will give you some lift at the same time.

https://www.skysoffroaddesign.com/co...ford-fsrob-002

If you are having trouble finding a diesel truck like you want, I would just get a gas 2wd and convert it to what you want.

 

You can convert any srw front 4x4 axle to drw with the proper pieces from a drw front axle.

A dana 60 front axle is the easiest to find and is plenty strong enough. I would use the Ford/Sterling 10.25 for the rear axle.

You can get a king pin type front axle or a balljoint style. Some prefer the kingpin type but they are getting hard to find, the balljoint style is good enough and easier to get aligned at the shop.

 

 

 

What type of "kits" are you referring to? That link I gave you will help you convert a 2wd f350 to a 4x4 f350. The 2wd front frame area is different, they use coil springs. The 4x4 uses leaf springs. So you will need to get rid of all the 2wd coil spring stuff, and install the leaf spring mounts and brackets. This is not a bolt in job like it is on the f150's, you will need to grind rivets and transfer brackets over, and some hole drilling will be required. That kit in that link helps you install the 4x4 axle in a 2wd truck, giving you the mounting brackets, and moving the shackles to the rear at the same time, and also giving you a little lift. That along with some lift springs will get you up higher like you are wanting.

As far as the engine selection goes, I have a feeling you are going to be buying two trucks to make one. A crewcab dually for the body, and a 6.9 idi regular truck for the engine and drivetrain. If you went with a 85.5-up f350 with a 7.3 idi, you would get the dana 60 front axle also in one purchase.

 

 

 

Yes, since you are building this truck, there is no need for those expensive adapters. Here is a picture of the Ford piece you need to bolt to the front axle to let the drw rims fit the front.

 

 

As far as the basic engine, there is not much difference between a diesel and a gas. They both can have headgasket problems, rings wear out, etc. One difference you will see, there is very very little room in the combustion chamber when the piston is at the top. That is why you never pour a liquid into the engine as a aid to start. Besides a few little differences, you should be a right at home tearing it apart to redo it.

The 6.9 almost never has problems with cavitation in the cylinder bores. The 7.3 idi like my truck has does occasionally have problems because they bored the cylinders out to make it 7.3.

 

Leaks oil INTO the exhaust??? From where?

Oil burns blue smoke.