For those who don't know, I'm swapping out my axles for a set of 4x4 ones. I've been looking for a while, my main problem is being stuck in the middle of no where. When you have to drive 3 hours or more for parts and don't have a truck to bring them home, it makes things difficult. But I think I may have found what would work, however I'd like some input before I take a large step.


The axles are out of a 1997 F-250HD (Heavy Duty). Has the gearing I'm looking for, but it's possible they're open and not POSI. I'd really love POSI, but that might have to be something I do further down the line as finding a set of POSI 3/4-1 ton axles.. or any axles, or even a axle around here, isn't an easy thing.

I'll have to remove the suspension for them as well, the suspension I have on my 600 I think will prove to simply not work ideally unless I have several thousand pounds in my truck. It's a daily driver. Any tips on removing those? I think everything is riveted in, bolts would just make it easy, lol.


I'm also wanting the brake stuff (master cylinder, PB, pedal, ect), but I am thinking of getting as much of the steering stuff as I can.

The problem there is that the column is damaged and I haven't gotten around to doing a lot of research on how the steering system hooks up. I've been told you can use most column with most axles, so if I just got all the parts besides the column, could I easily find something that would work or is it going to be one of those stupid things where it has to be from this exact make/model/year/options truck? How's all that work? Part of me is wondering if having newer parts isn't going to make it difficult.


Any advise? Opinions (lol relating to the axle choice... don't really care if you don't like my 4x4 idea, lol)

Thanks

 

I think you've got a pretty good plan going. Just to be clear, is the front 4x4 axle on the 97 f-250 IFS? That might take a little fab work to graft in the crossmember, depending on how close the frame widths are. Be sure to get as much of everything as you can. Get all the steering, box, linkage, everything. The column is no biggie. You probably wouldn't want that giant 97 unit, anyway. It would be hard to make work, and look totally out of place. An older or aftermarket unit can be adapted to both the cab and the late model steering box very easily.

Removing the rivets is no big deal. An air chisel or acy/oxy torch will make quick work of them. And don't forget the bfh! ;-) Just make sure you get all the hangers and hardware for the new suspension. You can install them on your old frame with bolts.

Did I miss anything?

 

Air chisel or oxy torch, two things I should own but don't lol. The front of them looks pretty hard to get to, maybe it's easier inside the frame? I manly use a big angle grinder to do most my cutting with...


So on steering boxes like this, I've never actually taken one apart but I assume it connects using a u-joint or something like that? Is this something that I could do some welding and make it work on the '56 column? Guess I'd have to take them both apart and see...

 

Stephen - Finding front axles with posi might be tuff, and not worth the search. I don't think many were built this way. Rear axles with posi should not be as hard to find. As to ride, what if you pulled some leafs out of the springs on the truck now to soften them? That way if you ever did want to take it back to a F600 you could. Just a thought, I know days gone by people would do that on smaller old trucks to take the slam out of the bumps.

 

Stephen, if you've got access to a fax machine, I can send you exploded views of anything you think might help. If you can get me the VIN # of your donor truck, we can tell pretty much anything you'll want to know about what it was built with. Using something fairly newer like this 97 makes sense to me. And I'm assuming your donor truck is a straight axle Dana type like a one ton, because the twin I beam 4x4 would seem like alot of work to adapt to any other vehicle. {Plus, they ride rough...} 97 is that squirrelly year for 3/4 tons...

 

It does have the twin I-beams... crap, maybe I just need to wait on this.