well I finealy got the 79 on the road for a real drive ,this is my 428 powered 4 speed 4X4...muffler is shot ..but it sounds damm good ..to me anyhow..the thing's that have my interest are ,,it feels like a damm gokart the tyres dance and squeel when I start off or downshift ..it tracks fine if you let go of the stearing wheel dosen't wander at all ,but if I hold the wheel to tiight it realy want's to wander..any movement at the wheel it head's in a new direction ..it is this normal? It has 33 inch tyres all the stearing linkage seems tight...or is it the short wheelbase that I'm not used to? normaly I drive an overloaded 1 ton work truck..so short question is a bronco supposed to feel like a go kart at speed?

 

Shorter wheelbase will feel a bit squirrely if you are used to something with a much longer one. I like to remind folks that the Bronco was built on the F-series chassis which means it got all the capabilities that they did. Consider for a minute that a Bronco has the exact same steering setup and range of motion that an F-150 crew cab, long bed has. Now in that truck, the turning radius probably still wasn't great but if you consider how greatly affected the radius will be when you lop that wheelbase in HALF or better you begin to realize just how nimble the Bronco really is in the steering dept. That and your 79 has the old power steering setup most likely with the Saginaw unit which provides rather robust assist when compared to the newer Ford PS pumps.

Something to consider though is suspension components. Old worn shocks and springs can let the truck rock around on the frame a lot where it wouldn't if the shocks were new and/or bushings weren't worn and springs not sagging. This may not be the case either but its something to look at. "Body roll" with a short wheelbase is felt more readily than with long wheelbases too.

 

thank's for the reasurance.there is NO body roll this thing has 4 shocks up front 2 to a side .and a massive sway bar in the rear..it sit's level and handels great but like you said half the lenght and the same stearing. when I said gocart .I ment it is awsome to play with compaired to my E350 ,I forgot it can be fun to drive at legal speeds...the bronco is takeing some gettin used to...so if it's the same as a f150 I should be able to swap seats from a newer truck with little or no problems.?? and that rear drive shaft..it realy doesn't look strong enough .is there an easy upgrade or do I need a costom shaft?

 

My '78 feels and rides like a modern truck. There is zero bump steer, and no squirrely behavior whatsoever. It has all new skyjacker suspension with 6 leaves in the rear, single front shocks, all poly bushings, and no sway bars, 4" suspension lift with 3" body lift and 35s. I drive the speed limit on back roads, even around corners, and the handling is very secure. One thing also, I'm running the Cummins power steering pump and the original Bronco steering box, and if I recall, the Cummins pump makes more pressure. It's a lot easier to steer than my brother's '07.
As for seats, I know most Ford seats will swap, even car seats. I had Mustang seats in my old truck, and this Bronco has high back '93 Aerostar seats bolted to the original Bronco tracks/mounts.
The rear shaft in a '78 Bronc uses the tiny 1310 joints and double cardan is equally as puny. But the '79 Bronco has the larger 1330 joints and bigger double cardan. They used those same 1330 joints from '79 up to '96, they're much better than the '78 setup. (I upgraded my truck with the newer style 1330s when I made the shafts) Yours should already have the larger 1330s in it. If so, it'll hold up ok for street and mild offroad use. Mine hasn't broken yet with 2000 miles of Cummins power.

 

good to know thanks for the infromation...the truck is new to me and I am learning as I go ,my newest vehicel has 400,000 miles on it so the bronco smees very tight and responsave not what i figger a 1/2 ton truck should feel like..and getting it with a blown posi rear I guess that is poof that the drive shaft is not the week link

 

It'll become the weak link if you add lots of suspension lift and/or don't grease it.

 

I went from a 74 chevy long bed with no power stearing into my 82 bronco and damn near killed my self until I got used to it...squirelly doesnt even begin to describe the feeling!

 

so it is a sport truck!!! after driveing an overloaded 1 ton all day the bronco is a lot of fun!

 

Put a stabilizer shock on the front end.

 

she's already got 4 shocks on her now all up front...or do you mean the little bent thing across the front??

 

A steering stabilizer shock is like a regular shock but laid horizontal across the front of the suspension. You have to install a bracket for each end but they are usually bolt-ons (mine are).

 

sorry just funning ..mine was bent when I got the truckso I took it off...I have been told it was a mistake to do that..

 

OK guy's I took it to an alinement shop, the front end is all good everything is tight greased and straight..no problems..the guy's there said the only problem is the "nut" behind the wheel...I just never had a truck that handels better then ...damm near anything I have driven in a while..