Whether you get that hog or not...I'll keep you posted. Like said above, finding a 4x4 dually is hard and for me....finding a 4x4, dually, MANUAL tranny, diesel(only diesels share the same tranny) is gonna be difficult to find. I have a donor truck in mind at an equipt. lot, but its only SRW...need those DRW front hubs.

We're real nice people in the IDI section, not too many barkers/biters!! Kidding Ha

 

Hey Explorer. I didn't mean to exclude you in my expression of thanks and acknowledgement of awesomeness.

I know that the long wheelbase is going to be a pain in the butt: reduced maneuverability (both vertical and horizontal), and as you mentioned, finding or modifying a driveshaft. It's attractive to me only because it'll allow more living space in the camper box I'll eventually build on the back of it.



This is the Turtle V, which of course I can't hope to replicate unless I win the lottery (the base truck is a '99 F550 Super Duty, which is a bit too new for my purposes, although it is a good-looking, powerful rig). The folks who built her were bankrolled by Ford, and I'm not, so I think I'll be playing Uncle Stosh for the next several months, scavenging the junkyards for F350 4x4 parts.

Baby steps. I've just put five hundred bucks down on the truck, and I'll be picking her up next week.

 

How's progress on your 4x4 conversion? I'm looking to do a similar swap and have a few questions.
So I understand what parts are required for the 4x4 swap on a cab and chassis truck. What about mounting everything?
Somewhere I recently read that the 80-96 frames are the same if they are 2wd or 4wd. It didn't seem right to me, but maybe it's true?
What about mounting the spring hangers? Is that a measure and drill your own holes, or are holes already in the frame?
Transmission crossmember/transfer case crossmember?

 

Yes the frames are the same 2wd/4wd.
For mounting the front front spring hangers you need to take out the rad support mount rivits. The front hangers go on using the 3 rad support rivits and 3 more in front of that. Just bolt it in using the existing holes then use the hanger as a templet to drill the other 3
For the front rear spring hanger(under the front cab mount) IIRC there are a couple existing holes to get it in the right place then again use the hanger as a templet to drill the remaining holes.
There is existing holes in the under engine crossmember for the TTB brackets or Track bar bracket if you go Solid axle
Then ditch the coil spring/shock tower and mount the new shock towers in their place.
I believe the trans crossmember is in the same location 2wd/4wd

 

Thank you Diesel Brad
I got to thinking today...is the cab and chassis frame and regular pickup frame the same in the front? If so, all the info is in all the SAS threads.

 

Yes . frames are the same from the rear cab bushing forward

 

About the transmission crossmember...does the transfer case mount to the crossmember? That would require it to move back on the frame a bit.
Or is the transmission still the mounting point, leaving the transfer case floating?
Obviously, looking at the donor truck would answer the question...it's just in case I start collecting parts one by one, and never get a donor truck.

 

The "adapter" that goes between the T-case and tranmission has the trans mount on it

 

Excellent, thank you.
Still along the lines of frame compatability...and snow plow frames.
We already discussed the 2wd and 4wd were the same, but what about the different truck models? Is there a difference between F150, F250, and F350 frames?
I also read that the diesel radiator might interfere with the mounts. Anybody have experience with mounting plow frames?

 

A plow frame has to be for a F250 or 350 Due to the leaf springs

 

Thank you again Diesel Brad...now I know what to keep my eyes out for.

 

A diesel has a huge radiator support that hangs down lower than normal(if it has the heavy duty cooling option) so a lot of snow plow manufacturers say their snowplow mounts will not fit on these.

 

Okay, an update, and a question.

I've come across a possible donor vehicle: a 1994 F350 4x4 carcass (a bit rusty and battered in the box, and missing an engine, but otherwise serviceable) at a very reasonable price. Dana 60 front (and rear, too the owner says, but I'm not sure about that. Shouldn't it be a Dana 70 at least? If not an 80?). Don't know yet what the transmission and transfer case are. Figure I'd ask you all if you think this vehicle is even worth considering before I get too interested in it.

So, my questions.

1) Diesel Brad mentioned that the frames for F350s are the same for 2WD and 4WD from 1980 to 1996, which means the donor front axle should just bolt right on, and I can install dually hubs. Now, I'm not sure what the gear ratios for the differentials are, but if they happen to be something other than 4:10, what would I need to do to use the rear axle as well? Since it's off of a regular frame pickup, would there be a lot of jerry-rigging and fabbing involved?

1.5) What about the anti-lock brake system, which the new truck has and mine of course doesn't? Issue or non-issue? Is it possible to mate the new brakes to my old non-ABS system, or will I need to find non-ABS brakes that fit the new wheels?

2) No idea what the transmission and the transfer case are, but the engine was a 460 gasser, so I'm guessing the transmission is a no go. Let me see if I've got this right: a Warner T-18 or 19 for a gas engine will bolt onto a diesel, but the first gearing is wrong, and a ZF won't bolt on at all, because the bolt pattern is different... is that it? So if it is a Warner, could I get away with re-gearing the transmission, or am I better off trying to find a diesel 4WD transmission somewhere else?

3) Will any or all of the other parts I need for the conversion (springs, shackles, hangers, driveshaft, steering linkage & panhard bar) bolt into my truck without a fuss, or am I better off trying to find something the Beast's own age?

4) What about the gas tank? I know, it's a gas tank, but if I drain it reeeeally well, can it be born again as a diesel tank? Or are '94 gas tanks galvanized (and therefore verboten for diesel)? Even if it's otherwise okay, I guess I'd need to replace the lines and the sender, at very least?

Thanks guys. Forgive my foolish questions, but hey, how else am I gonna learn?

 

the rear axle is different from a cab-n-chassis and a pick up. A c-n-c uses a narrower axle,spring perches and 0nly 2.5" spring while a pick up uses 3" wide springs. Also, you can NOT run 2 differnt gear ratios font to back

 

That's what I figured.

Hmm. So basically, the rear axle is going to be unusable no matter what, and unless the front axle is a 4:10 ratio, it's a no go as well?