here are two more views that didn't fit in the last post. let me know if u need more!

 

i know i know! its pretty ugly under there! lol i'm not going to clean it up yet though, i started to, then i decided to wait and c if im just going to drop in a solid axle, after i get some feed back.

thank you again
jason

 

What about the radius arms?

One of the things that has me curious is that the frame dimensions are different , especally width on the 78/79 Broncos and the ttb Broncos. In theory, trucks in 80 that would have gotten left over solid axles would have had to have older frames with the older engine cross members as well. Its unlikely that they would have modified the ttb frame to use up old solid d44s. What I think happened is Ford made some revisions on parts. One thing differents is the axle is held on the passenger side by a bolt instead of the c-clip. Which I think is actually better than the "crazy clip."

 

yea pics of the radius arms

 

here are some of the other pics i didnt get put up.

 

looks like the basic stock d44 ttb to me. Thanks for posting the pics.

 

I dunno guys, the myths may prove to be just that...MYTHS. Everything in the photos looks exactly like my 92 and 93. Some sort of turn-of-the-decade conspiracy I think. Even the factory Quad shocks look to be in the same location. I can't see why a suspension lift for 81-96 wouldn't work in this instance. There were changes to the internals of the D44 and the steering knuckles got mounting points for the ABS sensors in 93 but otherwise it looks like at least this particular 1980 unit is just like all the other TTB F-series and Bronco's.

 

thank you all for the help. well so now i know i can use a 81-96 kit. thats good news. lol. now i have another big question. if i was to get a tuff country lift kit (6" with extended radius arms), how much stress would that put on the axle and new drop brackets? I plan to off road, but not extrem. i am planning on going to a 4x4 graveyard and looking at some solid axles so i can convert it, but i would first like to find out if it would be worth the time? i would really like a solid axle, but how hard would it be to change? cost? thank you again for your time.
jason

 

I would not waste my time with the TTB if you have any ideas on doing the SAS conversion.

You should also check out this site: http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/Dana44.htm

Also, check out http://www.pirate4x4.com and see their solid-axle swaps forum.

Here is some more chat talk about this swap: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=24977

Also do a search on this site for more. This has been talked to death around here and other sites. Where this parts list says 94 just use the year of your rig. I got this information from 78F3504x4 here on this site.

-78 F150 Dana 44
-78 lower coil cups
-94 F150 upper coil buckets (stock)
-4" lift Skyjacker coils for a 78-79 F1504x4
-90 F3504x4 drag-link
-78 F1504x4 tie-rod
-78 calipers
-94 brake hoses
-78 brake line (on the axle)
-78 ford hubs
-94 F1504x4 pitman arm (Rancho drop)
-4" lift shocks for a 94 F1504x4
-78 F1504x4 radius arms
-78 F1504x4 radius arm brackets
-custom 18" adjustable track bar ($40 from local race car shop)
-custom front shock mounts (single)
-dual steering stabilizer I rigged up from my old TTB one.

We welded 1/4" thick steel to the engine crossmember before drilling a 3/4" hole to mount the track bar. I used the track bar mount on the axle, and it lined up perfect to the crossmember. Its been a while, so I can't remember everything. If you want I can take some pics and send them (digital). Seems every swap I see was done different. Later man!!!! Steve

Also, some other stuff:
-4 degree c-bushings
-front 94 front driveshaft fit perfect on the 78 axle
-the 78 driveshaft u-joints are the same as 94
-If you like the dual front shocks, you can get the bracket from a 77-96 bronco

 

Yeah, yeah whatever...of course its been beaten to death and we all know there is no RIGHT answer. It depends on how you intend to use the truck. Telling someone to fork over the kind of money to convert the entire front end just because its an option is like telling some one to replace a light bulb because it might burn out someday! The BEST thing to do is to do some serious consideration as to exactly the kind of things you intend to actually do with the truck. The TTB WORKS and works well! Keeps these trucks from riding like box cars like their older solid axle counterparts did! I've been through Tellico NC ORV park in a completely stock 92 Bronco after three days of heavy rains and only had to be pulled off ONE rock! TTB Dana 44 never faultered and got me through places where a solid D44 would have hung up because the solid axle housing would have hung up where the TTB didn't. The assumption that the TTB should be scrapped is ludicrous! If you are intending to pick your way through rocks half again as big as the truck, then yeah, swap to the solid axle. Otherwise keep in mind that the TTB does a FAR better job of smoothing out the ride in ANY situation than ANY solid axle ever will. If rocks and boulders are your goal, then the quality of the ride is already a moot point anyway. If you want a smoother, steadier ride and far fewer intstances of the frotn differential draggin on something, then stay with the equipment already unde rthe truck. This setup didn't make Ford the best selling 4WD truck on the market by being inferior and substandard! Any Ford "master tech" should be well aware of that!

 

Hey greystreak92, I didnt mean to sound negative. I actually like the TTB off-road. I just hate going through tires on road. That is why I will be going to the SAS soon and ditching the TTB for good. I cant even tell you how many times I have had it aligned in the 7 years and luckily for the first 5, I worked at a Ford dealership so it was cheap. I am just passing on the information for others to enlighten and choose for themselves.

My main consideration in relaying this information is that he seems to be interested in the SAS conversion and before he does the lift should look into his options and not be stuck with having to buy two lifts and getting rid of one and all the work twice.

 

I have to fsb and am planning an sas on one and will live one stock or put a 4" rancho with extended arms that I already have on there. But in my opinion, if I were to buy a lift for the ttb, I wouldn't go with the Tuff country extended arms. Their arms cost the same as skyjacker arms when but separately and the Tuff countrys just aren't as good. Also, in response to GreyStreak, its not uncommon for ttb lifts after all the shocks and brake lines etc. to cost as much if not more than an sas, particulary a D44 sas. The one weakness on the d44 ttb is the 3 ujoint axle setup. Its impossible to get alloy shafts for it unless a person is willing to spend $2800-$4000 to have a custon set made. Even though the d44 ttb was made from 80-96 in Broncos and F150s, there is more support for the 78-79 fsb axles and 76-79 F150s from Warn, Superior, Moser and Yukon, straight off the shelf. The bottom line is the axles shafts are the limit of the ttb. If a person has fabbing skills, I'd say sas is at least as cost effective as a Stage II lift from SkyJacker, Dick Cepek (now Extreme Suspension), BDS. I won't even mention Autofab, Camburg or Baja Concepts, or Solo Motorsports.

 

im not turning my head away from the TTB but how much would a solid axle converstion kit cost? i found this one (http://broncograveyard.com/products/cat/20/175/33905) for 1,800! and i still need a solid axle! this is a bolt on product however. if i were to go to a juck yard could i just pull off all the mounting and solid axles and so on? then weld them onto my bronco? what ways are there to convert to a solid axle and how much would it run me?
thank you again for your time.
jason

 

Those kits aren't really the way to go. The only thing that is in the kit that you can't get elsewhere is the track bar bracket and it is not in the perfect location in that the track bar ends up being about 3 inches shorter than ideal which should be about the same lenth as the drag link and parallel to it as well.

As far as cost goes, that depends on how much rebuilding you do to the axle, whether or not you go with locker or ls diff, alloy or stock axles. It would also depent on whether you stayed with stock tie rod and radius arms. Shocks are another factor. The key, whether ttb or sas is to build on a budget but not "cheap" because safety for yourself and others is priceless.

 

Ponyracer,

Sorry about the severity of the last post. I was tired and tipsy when I wrote it. I've just seen this topic beaten to a pulp for so long that it just hurts to watch. I've never experienced the alignment issues that so many seem to have with the TTB. I'm on my second Bronco and its just not a problem. Even after I lifted it things fell into place quite well. perhaps I am lucky in this respect but it does tend to bias me away from the notion of yanking the whole thing out from under the truck. I agree, that the more information you have the better equipped you are to make a real educated decision about your own truck. So, IF there's no harm, then there's no foul. Cool?

Joe