4x4 conversion
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 144
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From: North Branford, CT
4x4 conversion
ok, so lets say, all and all theres a donor truck in my possession for a 4x4 conversion for my 89 f150, what kinda work am i lookin at, what tools am i gonna need, what parts off the donor will i need to use, what additional tweaking am i gonna have to do after the system is installed, what items will i need although i have a donor(if any)... any and all advice welcome
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 279
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From: Anchorage
As long as the transmissions are the same, you can unbolt the old trans, bolt up the new one along with the transfer case, and swap crossmembers. You'll need some long socket wrench extensions and a wiggle-tail (small u-joint that lets you wrench on bolts at an angle) and a good transmission jack. You'll have to jack up the truck or put it on ramps to get the trans's in and out from under the truck. For the front axle, again, you just unbolt the old one and bolt in the new. Its a little heavy to handle on your own, so you'll need a few buddies along with various largish sockets and wrenches. Good jackstands and a must. If your donor truck is '87 - '96, you can make sure the r&p ratios are the same by swapping rear axles, too. Itd be a good idea to swap out the rear springs and brackets while your at it; 2wd leaves are 2.5", 4wd are 3". It'll make lifting it in the future a little simpler. Grind off the rivets holding the brackets to the frame and bolt them back on the appropriate truck with grade 8 bolts. I'd also recommend installing a 1.5-2" add-a-leaf in the rear just to bring it up to even out with the front because the TTB will lift it about 2" over the TIB. I've got a ton of pictures of my conversion and will be glad to answer any other questions you might have, though I will be out of town and away from the 'puter until Thursday. Good luck! 
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2003
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As far as additional tweaking, the biggest problems I had with mine after the swap were regular maintenance items like bad brake line, etc. It seems that the stuff is good until you mess with it, and then it is bad.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
> what tools am i gonna need
4.5" grinder (electric) or a 3" disc wheel cutter/cut off wheel (air), a drill, a Big Ford Hammer, steel punches or 3/8" extensions ot air hammer to drive out rivets, big long phillips screw driver for aligning holes (I actually use Snap-On tapered drift/aligning tools), a good floor jack with a wide saddle, and jack stands. Come-a-long does not hurt.
4.5" grinder (electric) or a 3" disc wheel cutter/cut off wheel (air), a drill, a Big Ford Hammer, steel punches or 3/8" extensions ot air hammer to drive out rivets, big long phillips screw driver for aligning holes (I actually use Snap-On tapered drift/aligning tools), a good floor jack with a wide saddle, and jack stands. Come-a-long does not hurt.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 144
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From: North Branford, CT
thanks for the info guys, as far as going about trading the rear leaf springs, what am i gonna need to bend up the new ones into place, also, im looking to remove the bed to scrape, sand, prime, and paint my frame, just to clean it up a bit, would it make it any easier having that out of the way or would it not make a difference being its all ground work anyway? cause thatll probably be happening sooner than the conversion will.
(though i might have a donor frame lined up for myself
, wish me luck! haha)
(though i might have a donor frame lined up for myself
, wish me luck! haha)
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,955
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From: Quesnel, BC, Canada
if the donor truck is auto and you swap the combo in youll need the donor trucks 'puter also. The E4OD uses computer signals to tell it when to shift (E4OD for sure, dont know about the AOD)
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