Going to the junk yard friday or monday....just wanted to see what you guys were doing....a whole i beam front end swap or a spindle swap...and why.
and what year did you use?

 

We used the spindles from a 79 it sets the wheels out just a little bit but you can make that up with the rims. The King pins vary a little as far as where the notch goes center or slightly towards the top. Get a new set of king pins 50 to 95 Bucks a good Machine shop can replace the Bushings $35 well worth it IMHO We used the Manual M/C from a 69 Mustang Drum Disk we simply installed it no cutting welding ect... Don't forget the Prop Valve. Our second Swap the spindles came from the Wrecking Yard Unknown Year 73-79 ? They Handed them to us Gas Axed with about 2" of I Beam Hanging on (not recommened) get the king pins out first don't ask me how I know. These are going on a set of DJM Dropped I Beams everything is going well now. Good Luck the forums on this subject speak volumes.

 

I used a set off of a 74 f100. I took everything (coils,rods and proportioning valve) and transferred it over to my buddy's truck and it only took an afternoon. If your gonna just use the spindles take it to a machine shop and have the kingpins pressed out and then the new ones in. I think you have to shave a little off the spindle, because it rubs a little on the 65 stuff, but there is plenty of meat there.

 

Well im hoping to transfer the entire i beam set up and power steering setup and not use any of the existing because the guy that had it before me really goofed it up by putting random parts on it some from a mercury car. the steering is I dont even know its like the shape of an S nearly. most of our trucks i know have a little bend in them but this is so much so it rubs the cross member.... Id like to get rid of all the hodge podge and go in with ford truck stuff that i know works. But my i beams may be ok??? dont know. any way you know to check them ?

 

Buy your donor, swap the complete setup, sell parts and recover your purchase money. Don't set yourself up for having to make repete trips back.

I upgraded the rear brakes on my truck also. I can go to any parts counter order brake or steering parts for a 76 F100 and be fitted.


John

 

I went with a complete front end. The stuff came from a truck that was being parted out i got everything but the brake booster for the swap. I'd really recomend finding a parts truck for the swap because it could be alot cheaper than going to the junk yard, unless you know a good junk yard and they know you.

 

For my Ford 250 I did a complete swap from a '79 F250, which was nice because there was a sway bar on the '79. The sway bar makes a big difference in how the vehicle handles. The dual piston calipers work really well.

 

'76 F250 on mine...the whole she-bang. If you do the whole thing, replace the pivot, and radius arm bushings while you have it all apart.

 

And if you do not go the ford factory route i can hook you up with a parts self sourced kit that is a close as the local auto zone. And will retro fit all F100 ford spindles from 1957 to 1972. No king pins no beams no bull...

Garbz

 

$$$ ? I'm debating this change on the 66 as well just need to save some $$ or wait till tax time comes around again. Towed the 17' boat with the old girl and better brakes up front are just going to be a must, especially in the mountains.. aint no way I'm taking the thing up the grapevine with those drums boat in tow.. Crazy Stuff right there!!

 

i agree with these guys, buy the donor. drag it home and strip all the parts you want. i bought a stripped out 76 f-100 for 50 bucks and swapped out the stearing column, complete i-beams, brake pedal assembly under the dash ,master cylinder, and portioning valve. it was a gold mine of parts. got a winshield washer and a few other things as well. sold it to the junkyard for 75 bucks. my 2 cents. Dutch

 

Hey garbz....im curious to know what your talking about.

I was reading an article ( f100discs )
so I emailed him he replied....but he raised a question that im wondering about...
the I beams on his were way out of whack--he used the word bowed I think. I havent read about anyone else having this problem could it just be a matter of alignment?...

speaking of Alignment...I FINALLY found someone who can do a complete alignment on these I beams. worst case ...100 bucks. Another shop here wouldnt quote me a price.. said Id have to bring it in. Any Key questions to ask a shop when aligning these old i beams...I ve already asked the do you torch em or use a rack....those two compaines say they have a rack. The fist company is a Diesel truck shop called Heavy Duty. they also do tractor beams.

Thanks for all the info.

I did fiind a set up off of a sweet 75 100
i beams, spindles, brake assembly, master cyl, booster, p/s pump, p/s gear, and all the nuts, bolts, and brackets for a 100 dollars at a salvage yard about 30 min from me.
im going to go check it out tonight or in the morning.

 

Wellll.. I went and looked at the parts, said the heck with it... I looked at 5 or 6 trucks...this one had the best stuff and there was only a quarter of an inch differnce in the bend in the i beams ( i used a straight edge on th bottom of the beams 3/4 the length of the beam and measured the bend.) read it in an article. some had an inch or better. the measurements on my 65 beams was a quarter inch, the 75 half inch.

Do I want to use these beams? or the 65 beams?? some say only 74 and 73 are the only ones that can go on 65 beams...many people here say they put 75 to 79 with no problems...whos right? whos wrong?!? Hecck if I know. What do you think?

also picked up the brake parts and power steering parts.

question on the p/s...do I want to use the 65 linkage or the 75 linkage with the new saginaw box...the box is a re manufactured unit. felt tight so did the brakes but im gonna replace all of those parts.


1975 f100 I beams

 

Nice haul for $100 I would say! I retained my 65 beams and radius arms and have 74 spindles/ p/valve. My beams are bent by autofab for a 4 inch lift.

 

Where did you get the pivot bushings? I had trouble finding them.
Thanks!