Has anyone done or looked into doing a axle swap? I have a 93 Bronco and i am looking into this but I didnt know about the ABS. I have seen the kit and its all bolt on but I was concerned about the abs. CAn it be alterd to fit a Dana 44? thanks

 

Your front axle is a Dana 44IFS, also called the Ford Twin Traction Beam. But I've heard that the IFS steering knuckles (which is where all the ABS-specific components are) won't fit onto a solid D44, so you'll probably have to choose ABS or solid axle. Most people are gonna SWARM on here and tell you to go with the solid axle, but you'll have more ground clearance & wheel travel with the IFS and the 4WABS can be made to outperform a locker.

 

I have a D44 Solid and 9" laying in the garage. I may also have most of the brackets in order to do a swap. Mind you I have just been pondering the idea. I think since I have an axle and most of the brackets that this swap would be a little cheaper than trying to buy a lift kit for the TTB. If any of you have done this what did you do about the ABS? How does it work with the swap? Is there anything specific that has to be done?


Just something I have been thinking about.

 

Not certain how you figure the IFS lift would be more expensive than a the swap considering the swap would require the axle itself in addtition to springs and all the trimmings. Not attempting to be a nay-sayer here, just know that my complete 4" lift with all new springs and extended raduis arms all new polyurethane bushings and not a single block, cost me less than $1300 and that included six RS8000 shocks. JBG wants nearly $1900 for the basic bracketry kit alone!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-Dec-02 AT 04:21 AM (EST)]A properly done SAS on an 80-96 f-150/bronco should only run you about $400-$500 and that's my total so far including the axle, springs etc ... doesn't include my time ... this particular swap does not require all the doodads that are in the JBG kit most of it you already have attached to your current rig and the rest is easily sourced from the wreckers or can still be purchased new. just keep in mind that if you don't modify the front crossmember the minimum lift will be 6" (it can be done lower with crossmember trimmimg or modification - the issue is axle contact at full stuff) ... the front is the hard part (and it's not that hard if you have a few skills) the rear is downright simple. BTW my totals are in CDN funds so it's even lower in US numbers. for $1900 I could also throw in my spare bronco, 3 transfer cases (2 208's and one elusive ford married NP203) a spare 9" rear and three sets of springs .. I let you know when I hit 1175 ..... the name of the game here is use what works ... you are trying to create a 79 suspension on a truck that is technically a modified version of that same suspension ... a new drag link and a track bar mount are the two custom items here (of course you can go hog wild and blow the budget, but we're not all rich) the rest can be removed from the 78/79 (and some bits go back earlier) and other require merely a repositioning on the frame. this is a well documented swap, there is even a write up in the tech section on this site. a google seach will land you a wealth of info and various methods of achieving the same goal (there are a few flavours to this particular swap) the biggest chunk will be the axle so search long and make the right deal (I prefer a 76-77 axle from an f-150 as they were 1/2" tubed, the 78/79's were only 1/4" tubed, although they will make things a little easier, I prefer the strength)

 

Hey greystreak where did you get you lift at for that price. Everywhere I have checked if I get the extrended radius arms with the rear block and add-a-leaf I am well over $1000.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-Dec-02 AT 02:45 PM (EST)]here is my swap!

http://www.wt4wheeling.com/tech/SAS.htm

 

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-Dec-02 AT 11:32 PM (EST)]My lift is a Tough Country EZ-Ride 4" with their extended raduis arms and Rancho RS8000 shocks. New front and rear springs, all the bushings and brackets. Total invoice was $1325.00 but to be completely honest I spent a little more on a set of poly axle-pivot bushings from Energy Suspension. Still, I don't think the whole package pushed the $1400.00 envelope. Now, this lift kept the IFS which personally is just fine with me. I looked at a bunch of others including Superlift, BDS, and Skyjacker before I made the decision on the Tough Country. The real selling point on this lift was the alignment provisions that are incorporated into it. With their axle drop brackets and extended raduis arms you have +/-2.25 degrees of caster and camber adjustment without EVER having to mess with those silly ball joint shims that never seem to stay put anyway. No stock Ford truck with that type of IFS even has a provision for camber adjustment. If it wasn't for the actual alignment equipment, I could perform an alignment myself with a pair of 11/16 wrenches and a torquewrench. Unlike all the other lift manufactureres, Tough Country changes the raduis arm-to-frame mounting from the stud-and-bayonet to a simple bolt and bushing which makes for much softer and smoother movement and a greasable pivot with a virtually unlimited range of travel. the stock raduis arm setup limits raduis arm travel because the arm will only drop so far in the hole in the frame bracket. The Tough Country with the bolt and bushing will drop and theoretically fold completely back under the frame if not attached to the axle. This setup also eliminates the likelihood of bent radius arms from too much axle drop.

 

>and the 4WABS can be made to outperform a locker.

Huh??

 

>>and the 4WABS can be made to outperform a locker.
>
>Huh??

I think he is talking about the '4WABS with traction control' which was on ford explorers.

 

Thanks for all the input I am loooking forward to doing this because I want all the articulation I can get. Plus all the lift I have found kits that go all the way up to 12in of lift. Back to the brakes will I just have to remove the ABS system?