4x4 swap????
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From: fremont
4x4 swap????
im lookin at maybe converting my 85 f150 to a 4x4 and i was wondering if the frames were any different? i know im gunna need the front end set up, a tranny, transfer case, drive shafts, a 4x4 tranny floor cover, and front and rear matching gear sets. the tranny is cool because after reading the zf swap post from a few days ago im gunna do that anyway. i hate the 4 speeds gears. i just want to know if the front end will bolt up or if theres some cutting and welding required. im pretty sure i will have to move the cross member for the tranny/transfer case but thats cool with me. i have a parts bronco i can buy for 300 bucks with a blown motor but its an 86 and my trucks an 85 so im pretty sure its the same for the most part. any info is appriciated thanks
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Yup its pretty much a bolt in deal. All of the holes are drilled in the frame so all you need to do is bolt it in. You will want to take the time and check out the condition of stuff like the ball joints and get all new bushings for it sense you will have it apart anyways. Id recomend checking all the u joints wheel bearing; that sorta stuff will probably need attention. I think if you use the cross member from the bronco you wont need to move anything, depending on transmission choice.
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From: Virginia
A ttb frontend will bolt in as said before.
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I would have to agree with the solid axle swap unless your going to stay with 33's or maybe 35's and nothing to serious. The only time I break anything on mine I have been pushing it way to hard. If this is going to be a mostly street truck I would recomend the ttb, better ride and much easier/cheaper to install unless you have pretty good fabrication skills. Bronco graveyard sells a kit to install a d44 from a 78/79 150 that is a complete bolt on deal all you have to do is drill holes. Doesnt come cheap though at roughly 1700 for just the kit and you still need to purchase a d44 and most likely rebuild it.
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From: Muskegon, MI (home)
It is a direct bolt on swap, I did one on my 96 F150. I used the axles from an 88 Bronco, t-case and driveshafts came from a 93 F150, and the trans crossmember and 4wd shifter came from an 89 F250. There is absolutely no cutting welding or drilling needed. The floorpan of my 96 already had the cutout for the t-case lever, it had a cover plate that had to be removed. I had to drill 3 new holes in the frame of my truck because I also installed a 2.5" Rough Country suspension lift. I also did a ZF swap to replace the M5OD, it went together like it was meant to be, very quick and easy swap. Could easily be done in a weekend. An SAS would be a good way to go if you are building a wheeling truck. I kept mine with the TTB set up because it's a daily driver and is occasionally taken off road. I am running the stock 3.55s with a Powertrax locker in the rear with 32x11.50 BFGoodrich AT KOs. It sits up just right for what I use it for, very happy with how everything came out.
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I guess it depends on what you want to do with the truck and how much work you want to put in to it. But in the offroad forum there are some good 1/2 ton SAS write ups such as 9.ford.5's and ibleedblue's that you might want to look at.
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From: fremont
yea i dont plan on being to serious with it, probably just some fire roads and trails when i go camping and a few runs a year to hollister hills. i am planning on lifting it around 4 inchs with some 33's and a locker out back so i think it should be fine with the ttb setup
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Yes, I know I sound like a broken record, but even if they do even make lockers for the TTB, I wouldn't recommend locking it, because it will be a lot more prone to failure that way (too weak.) Again, if you want to lock your front end, then you know what you need, yes that's right kids a solid axle.
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From: Muskegon, MI (home)
I wouldn't necessarily run a locker in the front either, I think the TTB would hold up to it if you were running 33s and not beating the ever living crap out of it. I am running a Dana Trac Lok in the front of my 84 F150 with a Powertrax in the rear, when I had 33s on it I never broke anything on the TTB. I used to wheel that truck pretty hard at times and it held up fine. They do offer lockers and limited slips for the TTBs because it's nothing more than a Dana 44 high pinion center section. Anything that will go in a Dana 44 will also fit into a 1/2 ton TTB, as long as it has the reverse rotation ring and pinion. If you want to add some type of traction aid to the front I would recommend going with a limited slip of some kind. A locked front drive axle tends to put things in a bind and really effects your turning radius. A limited slip has a little more give.
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I run a lockrights in the front and back of my truck and never have had any problems with them. They are a ratchet style locker so they disengage when you make a turn. I would much rather have a locker then a limited slip, seems they never really work like they are supposed to. Plus with the locker I can lock just one hub in if need be. Could be the difference between driving off a trail and walking.
And as have as strenght of the front axle goes, I know a man running a ttb in a sled pulling truck pushing over 500hp through it and it holds up all the time.
And as have as strenght of the front axle goes, I know a man running a ttb in a sled pulling truck pushing over 500hp through it and it holds up all the time.
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From: Virginia
I am going to reply to help everyone who has a ttb(that is 100% of the stock trucks older than 85.5) have peace of mind. Your truck is not going to fall apart as soon as you put it in 4x4. The ttb axle is fine for everything these trucks were designed to do, except snowplowing on a commercial basis and possibly a few other extreme uses. Otherwise they do fine. I have a dana 44 ttb in my diesel pickup, with 35 inch tires, and with a snowplow also. I had to replace the balljoints this past summer, but that was the first time they had been replaced and it's now approaching 20 yrs old.
A solid frontend is nice, and if you are going to do something extreme with your truck, by all means put one in. But for stock use, the ttb will get the job done.
A solid frontend is nice, and if you are going to do something extreme with your truck, by all means put one in. But for stock use, the ttb will get the job done.