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axle swaps?

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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 12:12 AM
  #1  
Jamie Miles's Avatar
Jamie Miles
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From: Alto, GA
axle swaps?

Will the dana 60 and leaf springs out of a '77 F250 Camper Special bolt up under a '79 F350 that was originally a dually? Looking to drop my '71 F250 body onto the '79 F350 frame, and use the full suspension under it I have from a '77 Camper Special. Just kind of piecing a truck together out of spare parts..

Thanks.
 
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 07:22 AM
  #2  
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northeaster79
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From: trenton ns canada
I believe in the 77 F250 up until half way through the year was still considered a highboy and they did have narrower rear frame rails the later F250/350's
I'm not sure weather or not the pads on the housings are spaced differently because of this.I would measure from center bolt to center bolt on each housing and see if the are the same.
 
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 12:37 PM
  #3  
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hillbillyk
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From: Elkton, MD
if it is a dually then it's 2wd, not a highboy. why not just take the dual wheels off and bolt on single wheels? That truck should have the dana 70 rear, which was also used on single wheel f-350's, and the single wheels bolt right on. Also if it is a dually it has the narrow springs and narrow frame, so the f-250 axle will not bolt it, but you can weld on new spring pearches and make it fit. why not just put the body on the 77 frame?
 
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Old Jan 13, 2010 | 01:12 PM
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starmilt
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From: Faibanks Ak.
It depends on if the dually came from the factory as a cab and chassis or a dually bed.
If it came with a pickup box and fenders it should work.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2010 | 01:04 AM
  #5  
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Jamie Miles
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From: Alto, GA
Originally Posted by hillbillyk
if it is a dually then it's 2wd, not a highboy. why not just take the dual wheels off and bolt on single wheels? That truck should have the dana 70 rear, which was also used on single wheel f-350's, and the single wheels bolt right on. Also if it is a dually it has the narrow springs and narrow frame, so the f-250 axle will not bolt it, but you can weld on new spring pearches and make it fit. why not just put the body on the 77 frame?
Both trucks are 2 wheel drive. I don't have the '77 F250 frame, I just have the complete front and rear suspension from it. The F350 frame is just a stripped out old truck that's just the frame and a rusty, beat up old '79 cab still on it. axles, springs and everything were stripped off in a junkyard, long gone. Would the original dana 60 from the '71 F250 bolt up under the '79 F350 since/if it has the narrow stuff? I have the whole '71 F250, but the frame is bent in the middle from a tree falling on the bed. The cab and all front body panels are in great shape though. I plan to pull some pretty heavy loads with the truck, and that F350 frame sure looks nice and beefy.

Originally Posted by starmilt
It depends on if the dually came from the factory as a cab and chassis or a dually bed.
If it came with a pickup box and fenders it should work.
It was a "chassis cab" that had an old Holmes 440 wrecker on it.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2010 | 03:41 AM
  #6  
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hillbillyk
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From: Elkton, MD
I have never done the 72 and earlier axle swaps, but I think they should be the same, you would just have to measure to be sure, you can use the 77 axle if you move the spring pearches, and have the spring mounts for the frame. I think the best bet would be to measure the 71 axle and see if it's the same.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2010 | 05:05 AM
  #7  
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NumberDummy
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Originally Posted by starmilt
It depends on if the dually came from the factory as a cab and chassis or a dually bed.
Ford didn't offer a Styleside DRW pickup until 1980, and then only as an F350.

1953/79 F350's were sold as a Cab & Chassis, or with a Platform (flat bed) or Platform & Rack (stake bed).
 
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