What year range f100/f150 used an independent front suspension in a 4x4, and what make and model was the differential?

Eric

 

I think the parts books most folks on this forum have are the one I have 1964-1972…
I've been a vehicle fan for a long time, the first vehicle I can remember with independent front 4x4 suspension was the humvee in the early eighties, I read that 2002 was the first year of jeep independent front suspension so probably not too many slick fans would have that, now ND might know exactly…

 

my 1985 light duty F250 had independent .

Eric

 

The first "independent" front axle I can think of for F100/F150 would be the 1980 Twin Traction Beam or TTB. 1979 and earlier would've been a solid axle Dana 44 on the full size 1/2 ton trucks I think. TTB stuck around until 1997 which was the first year for upper and lower control arm setup. Also the first year for the 5.4ltr I believe. The TTB in the F150 and F250 used a Dana 44 differential housing. I believe the F350 went to a solid axle. I could be wrong on any or all of this.

 

right-o dubya, I found this on the wikipedia 7th generation F series page, appears to have exactly what you are looking for eric

Axles, Differentials, and Suspension

This generation was the first time Ford used Independent suspension on their full size 4x4 trucks, as well as being the first time any of the Big Three (automobile manufacturers) made a 4x4 full size truck without a solid front axle. Ford and Dana Holding Corporation called this the Twin Traction Beam or TTB and used many of Dana Spicer parts. The F-150 used a light duty Dana 44 TTB. From 1979-1984, the rear axle was typically a Ford 9-inch axle, with the Ford 8.8 axle being phased gradually until the 9" was finally phased out before the 1987 model year. The F-250 used an 8 lug version of the Dana 44 TTB called the Dana 44 TTBHD with the Dana 50 TTB being an option. The rear was a Dana 60 until mid 1985 when Ford phased out that axle for their own Sterling 10.25. Dana 60s could be either full float or semi float and came with a range of gear ratios. Semi float Dana 60s were either c-clip style, which utilize c-clips to hold the axle shafts in, or pressed in bearings which held the axles in with a special wheel bearing that bolted to the outer axle housing inside the brake drum. These were typically used in lighter duty trucks. Up until then, early 1985 models were built with left over 1984 materials, making some parts tough to find. The F-350 used the Dana 50 TTB in front until a mid-year change in 1985, when the F-350 was fitted with the Dana 60 solid front axle. F-250s could be ordered with a Dana 50 TTB if it was a heavier duty model; all other F-250's were equipped with a Dana 44 TTB. These trucks were leaf sprung and used a single gas shock with no coil springs and radius arms like on the F-150. For the rear axle the F-350 trucks used a Dana 60 for the single rear wheel trucks and a Dana 70 for the dual rear wheel trucks until 1985 when Ford once again phased in their own Sterling axle. Factory lifts used 2" blocks on the rear suspension, or 2" front and 4" rear on HD trucks, usually on F250s and higher trims. Heavier duty F150s could be ordered with 2" blocks.

 

1966 F100 4WD was the first to have coil spring front suspension, F150 4WD got it in 1975. 1976 was the last year for the F100 4WD

 

Excellent, so it looks like 80-87 F150 would be the D-44.

Now you guys did so good in the first round, here is the BONUS ROUND.

Front axles have a reversed ring and pinion, can that D44 be swapped out with a straight rear ring and pinion so it can be mounted backwards?

My son wants to build a street rod out of my '79 150 2wd long bed, and I was thinking it would be cool to make it independent rear suspension and air ride for all 4 corners. And I'm toying with 4 wheel steer as well.

 

Sounds like a novel idea but I bet it isn't, although I couldn't find anything specific on that topic right off. A cursory search for parts seems to indicate that the rings and pinions are essentially all the same just different ratios and whether they are reverse or not, ALSO look at the carrier, note it says universal fit, front/rear since there is nothing inherent in the design of a differential that favors a direction other than the ring and pinion I would bet dollars to doughnuts that it would work. BUT that's a guess, good luck…
and of course try it and let us know!

 

I just bought a set awhile back for the 44 in my 1979 and I thought they were different, I'll take a peak this weekend.9

 

The HMMWV replaced the old M151 "Jeeps" (originally a Ford design, but later made by Kaiser & AM General). The M151 also had four wheel independent suspension, which made it quite interesting to drive due to the short wheelbase. They like to roll over...a lot if you weren't careful off-road.

 

I"m guessing that design was short lived, rolling over is not preferred in an off road vehicle.

 

Looks like the front and rear ring and pinion are different, they are reverse rotation for the fronts. Also in the '79 D-44 I bought , it was designated as "high pinion". I'm going to have to find someone with first hand info on availability of a standard rotation set for the front axle on the newer fords.

 

I'm sure any place online that sells lots of them like summit racing or even your local auto parts place or dealer could confirm some of this, I always try to boil it down to the core components and like I said if the carrier is the same for the front or back the ring and pinions simply have to be as well. Even the high and low pinion issue, which appears to be the location of the pinion in the pumpkin, above or below the centerline of the ring seems to have little to do with it, the difference is the ring and pinion.
Here is a good article: Nuts & Bolts: High vs. Low Pinion

general opinion is that the high pinion is stronger but there seems to be little empirical evidence, might be a good choice for his hot rod though. You would have to specify the high pinion when you get the ring and pinion as the cut of the teeth is different but it sure looks like you just need the reverse set from what you have.

cheers

 

Don't think so, the carrier doesn't care what the cut of the gear is, or the height of the pinion, if you move the pinion up or down, the angle of the cut is different. Now if the pinion height is the same on the newer 44ttb, then they could be the same gear if they mirrored the housing so the pinion is on the opposite side of the ring gear. I need a parts book for the newer axles.

 

I looked up D-44 front axles at Summits site and for a 3.73, they show a standard cut and a reverse cut, not sure if it's a misprint or they have 2 different housings for front axles. Now from what I remember chevy has the front drive shaft on the opposite side, so maybe the D-44 standard cut is for a gm application, which wouldn't help me because the listings I have for the ttb state reverse cut.. Now if you were just after rear wheel steer and not independent suspension you could use a chevy D-44 axle.

PS. I may have confused myself here, if the pinion heights are the same on the TTB and a rear D-44 then you just need to replace the TTB gears with a set of standard rotation rear gears.