what will i need to convert a 1993 2 wheel drive 7.3 with five speed to 4x4. will i be able to bolt transfer case to transmission or will i need a new one that already has 4x4. will the mounts bolt right on for the front axel or will there be alot of fab work. probly going to go with a solid front axel from a 350 anything else i need to know
Thanks

 

All I can say is 2wd to 4wd is a major conversion. That's why you don't see it done that often. Lots of work and money required!!

 

You will need the 4x transmission. What you want to do can be done but it generally cheaper to sell yours and buy a 4x. Another option would be to find a 4x with a bad body and swap your motor and body.

 

The two wheel drive tranny has a tail shaft that needs to come off for the transfer case adapter to go on, swapping transmissions would be easier.

The other route is to run a divorced transfer case with a short drive shaft between the tranny and transfer case.

Next, two wheel drives are coil front springs.
4x4's are leaves.
So again you are into a lot of work.

How ever the regular cab 250's used a Dana 44 IFS front axle with 8 lug hubs.
That is the same axle that is under an F150 which also has coil front springs.

Depending on why you want 4x4, that may be an easier route to go.

 

Dave, I have been slowly gathering parts to do a 4x swap and would love to keep my from coils....do you think an IFS d44 would survive if it were only used for the occaisional too slick boat pull out and to avoid chaining up in the snow....It would never see any true off-road situations, its just pitiful that there are occaisional moments where our AWD toyota sienna is a better puller than my cc =)

not sure what kind of weight a d44 can carry as well

 

I have a highboy with a solid axle D44 and a 250 pound bumper and a warn winch.
This truck was used brutally for several years the 44 never had a problem with the weight but I did bust the spiders twice but I had 15x37 tires and was doing stuff way beyond its capability, but I didn't dog on it either. In other words the weight will be allright what you do with it does.

 

I ran a 44 IFS for a long time on mine.

But with what I do plowing snow, a bit over what most trucks do off road and the weight I have been known to haul, I was breaking or wearing out way to many parts.

Like came up in another thread, the IFS gets great traction.
When you can do this while plowing snow on an icey paved lot, traction is not the issue.



If you look, both axle yokes are broken or bent, so that is a 200 dollar picture.

 

I wander if the ifs is weaker at the ujoints mine was the solid axle with the big hubs but my weak link was the spider gears. The last time they broke was on a weekend and I needed it so I used the ones out of my blaser in it.

 

I am about an hour from finishing this exact swap. ITS NOT EASY!! I have an '88 f250, 2wd. This summer I swapped in a dana 60 front axle with custom fabbed mounts at the front for leaf springs, and the stock mounts for the rear of the springs. It rides horribly (springs are worn out) so I'm working on how to make superduty springs fit with how my front mounts are.
Last weekend I did the tranny swap. You need either a 4wd ZF, or the ZF out of a 2wd that had the parking brake (f-superduty?) they both have the rear case that bolts onto the transfer case.
Also, you need a 4wd transmission crossmember. I totally didn't think about that one, and had a big WTF?! last weekend when I couldn't fit the tranny mount (rubber part) inbetween the tranny and the crossmember. Luckily I halfassed some slices of tire and some bolts hoping it would work. Then I noticed I couldn't stick the front driveshaft THROUGH the crossmember... Luckily there is a junkyard 5 mins away that I had gotten the driveshafts from, I was there yesterday morning pulling the crossmember off, just have to swap that in today (thats the hour I was talking about...)
My truck had a panel covering the spot for the transfer case linkage, just had to pull the carpet back to remove it, then cut in a hole. I had a parts truck in my yard I stole many of the parts from, and there is a foam piece that sits in the hole to block road noise and water, then the plastic trim piece fits on (but the #$%^& holes wouldn't line up right...) Or go electric shift and add the wires and switches?

Soo... things you need:
4wd tranny (or 2wd with parking brake)
4wd zf crossmember
transfer case
transfer case linkage and trim piece
speedometer cable from 4wd truck (its longer to fit, swap your gear though)
transfer case wiring, goes from sensor to a plug in the engine bay
2 bulbs/retainers for the 4wd lights (stolen from spare dash)
front and rear driveshafts for 4wd version of your truck
4wd front axle and however you intend to mount it.... which may include changes to suspension, steering and brakes depending on what you do.

All in all, buy a 4wd truck, its easier, and probably cheaper. I should have held out and done the same, but for the ~$900 I spent on the truck (including new rear shocks, shock mounts and muffler/tailpipe it needed) I couldn't pass up that deal. If you go threw with this, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND having a second vehicle to drive. My truck is currently the only drivable vehicle I have, and its a pain in the *** to do major projects like this, hence why I started with the axle swap in June, didn't get it in until July, still have suspension issues, and finally got the tranny/transfer case on, but still don't have the right crossmember mounted.
Trust me, this is not a mod for those that can't handle the work and time involved. And unless you get the parts ridiculously cheap, its probably not worth it financially either... I haven't totalled things, but in hindsight, I should have waited and paid more for a 4wd truck from the start. Although I did learn a ton about my truck and had some fun doing it, also found out a sneaky way to add tow hooks and a front hitch that fit in nicely. My next project is adding a turbo and redoing the exhaust with parts from a superduty I just got for cheap, but its hard to plan out a new exhaust with out any of the parts in place... *sigh* That will most likely happen over Christmas vacation. Did I mention my truck won't fit in my garage, and I did my swap outside on the driveway? yah that was fun!

 

From memory the solid axle 44 and IFS 44 share very few parts.

The 44 IFS under the 250 and the 44 IFS under the 150 and big Bronco share almost everything.
Hubs (8 lug versus 5 lug) and housings (spring versus leaf) are the main differences.

The IFS 50 and 60 also share some of the same parts, so it really is a stronger axle.

 

Hey thank You for this post, I'm doing some thing similar right now. 93 ford (cummins swap) CC DRW 2wd to 4wd. I got a d60 with 76k miles and almost all front end (springs, hangers, steering box with pitman arm even all the brake parts, etc) except for front spring bracket for under $400 and a np205 for $100. Donor was a 95 DRW

How do You measure the holes for the front spring bracket?
I have so many questions, can You turn Your Pm's ON?

Thank You.

 

I just put the bracket about where I thought it should fit. I compared spot on the truck I took them off of, and tried to get the same place. It was a little weird since the body mount is in the same place, so I couldn't get to all the holes to redrill/bolt. I should probably take some pictures and post them somewhere.

What I really need to do, is redo how I mounted them in the front so I can bolt on the superduty springs I've since acquired.

PM's should be on, you have to hit 25 or so messages before YOU can send them I think...

 

If I am ever able to convert to 4wd (already have the transmission), then D44 TTB is likely the way I will go simply because they are available in a 3.07 ratio. For simply getting traction in mild situations I think it is strong enough. For plowing or trying to drag something out of a ditch in reverse, you are playing the odds. Being automatic, its also easier for me to gently apply power instead of having to feather a clutch.

 

they make 2wd trucks?
once you go 4x4,you will never look twice at any 2wd again,even if its a steal.
id think it has to be WAY cheaper to just keep your eyes open for a 4wd truck and see what you can get for your 2wd guys.
it's hard to let go of old Betsey hey?

 

So true. But up here all the 4wd trucks have been thrashed. As it was, it took me about a year to find a decent 2wd.

Best 4wd I ever drove was my sister's 87' ranger. That thing could go through anything open diffs and all.