ok im 20 yrs old i got a 83 f-150 short bed 4x4 and i started building it when i turned 18 i got almost everything the way i want it except the axles. i got a chance at a 78 front bronco front axle what all parts do i need to salvage off the bronco for the swap? also just wondering how hard the swap is.

 

Well first make sure its gonna be worth it to you do go through with this. What are you planning to do with the truck? The solid axle is not a whole lot stronger than the ttb but there is some gain in strength. I did mine mainly because I didnt wanna be limited to 6 inches of suspension lift without making my own brackets. And I hate how the ttb wheels flop around in and out when the suspension flexes up an down, also didnt want everything to be bolt on chit. Anyway, dont do a sas just to say you have a sas.

Grab the complete axle, radius arms and brackets, tie rod- you can leave the drag link with the bronco, it will not work for you. I would use the coil buckets and shock mounts from the bronco but you dont have to.

You can buy an 87?(I think) through 98 F350 drag link to use for your steering and the stock 78 tie rod (as long as the bronco had T style steering and not the Y type). Trac bar you gotta get a creative with. Everyone seems to do it a little different, may require a little fab. Just make sure it's close to the same length as your drag link and mounted close the same angle as the drag link otherwise you get good bumpsteer like me! Somebody elso can fill in if I missed anything.

 

Well i'm not sure thats really a good reason.

There are alot of benefits of a solid axle over TTB if you're wheeling it.
Or even if your not, solid axles look better IMO.

There are lots of people who have done SAS's on these forums. And i'm pretty sure someone posted a list of things needed in a post somewhere along the lines. You can check it out.

All in all, do the swap. Looks better, more durable. And there are a ton of people here who can give you the answers you need. Just have it all ready before you rip your truck apart, because if you don't, it could be awhile for you to find the parts.

 

yeah...like me


my 5 month SAS...why, i didnt get all my parts...every build i followed said if they needed something it was ready to go and local...well not up here in the freakin arctic...3 weeks for a set of f***kin brake lines...and that what turned my 3 day MAX SAS into a 5 month SAS...mind you i had A LOT of other non SAS related stuff to do to the truck too...but still, now that i think back it pisses me off, so i dont think back...moral of the story get everything, rebuild the axle while its out replace all the seals while its out (yeah i didnt after i finally got er all put together and wheel on and on the ground i put oil in it to find out the next day i had an axle seal leaking on the passenger side...oh yeah thats a **** off ) ...

if you have a basic understanding of what you are doing have a good assortment of tools and space at your disposal you can do it yourself in 3 days pretty easy, now a flat a beer a couple good friends and you have a day job


just note the SAS is not for everyone, there is metal fabrication involved LOTS of precise measuring and lots of steering/suspension geometry to understand before you can get it right but if you need help the tail end of my build is right down the offraod page and all the info is there burried under a whole lot of chit chat lol...im thinking of rewriting a build parts/cost/labor thread so people can research without all the back and fourth talking

 

Yes. Around 3 pages of build and 15 pages of BS between us in there.

 

i really wanna do this swap i am buying a house with a big garage (heated) and i plan on building it into an offroad/tug-a-truck

 

so i got a 90 f250 diesel i would like to do a sas swap too. is the 3/4 ton swap easier?

 

Yeah, as long as you get a D60 and are ready to put a set of F350 springs under it.

 

so that puts me to my next question will a f-350 axle of about the same year be a pretty much unbolt andbolt up swap?

 

Pretty much...

 

thats music to my ears lol. ive been looking for one not much luck so far. would a 78 79 250/350 axle be much harder?

 

The spring perches are different from the 79 D60's, but it's not impossible to swap. Just need to search around and you'll find someone that's done it.

 

ok thanks a bunch