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Frame Swap
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Senior User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 132
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Frame Swap
I am looking to go to a SWB frame on my 78. I want to keep it 2wd, however if I come across a SWB frame that is a 4wd truck are there any issues it making it a 2wd frame? What are the things I would need to do to achieve this? Let me know if this doesn't make sense, it kinda reads funny. Thanks for the help guys!
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 787
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From: Hattiesburg, MS
Not gonna happen. The front frame section is completely incompatible with a 2wd front suspension. Unless you wanted to swap in a straight axle I beam.....similar to the very early Ford 2wd trucks.
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Save the old ones
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 666
Likes: 4
From: Boyne Mich
The best Jeep I ever saw was my buddies CJ5 with a 351W powering it.
I think it would be a lot less work to shorten your frame by cutting some out behind the cab. There was a thread or two on here not long ago that talked about it.
The 2 wd frames need the upper coil spring nests, the Twin I beams mounts and trailing arm mounts - all three are pretty big components that would require precision fab work.
Way easier to find a good 2wd frame.
I think it would be a lot less work to shorten your frame by cutting some out behind the cab. There was a thread or two on here not long ago that talked about it.
The 2 wd frames need the upper coil spring nests, the Twin I beams mounts and trailing arm mounts - all three are pretty big components that would require precision fab work.
Way easier to find a good 2wd frame.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2009
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Easy now! I am 100% Ford when it comes to trucks and old metal. But Jeeps are legendary when it comes to 4x4's! "Its a Jeep thing you wouldn't understand!" 
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 132
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The best Jeep I ever saw was my buddies CJ5 with a 351W powering it.
I think it would be a lot less work to shorten your frame by cutting some out behind the cab. There was a thread or two on here not long ago that talked about it.
The 2 wd frames need the upper coil spring nests, the Twin I beams mounts and trailing arm mounts - all three are pretty big components that would require precision fab work.
Way easier to find a good 2wd frame.
I think it would be a lot less work to shorten your frame by cutting some out behind the cab. There was a thread or two on here not long ago that talked about it.
The 2 wd frames need the upper coil spring nests, the Twin I beams mounts and trailing arm mounts - all three are pretty big components that would require precision fab work.
Way easier to find a good 2wd frame.
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Hattiesburg, MS
LOL!!On a serious note.....nothing says "Muscle" like an I-Beam straight axle. I think it would be uber cool to have a 4x4 frame with a 2wd beam axle up front. ......being a Jeep guy, I'm sure that's something you would understand!!!
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
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I wouldnt see where if you got a 4x4 frame took everything off, suspension, steering axle, and probably the front crossmember a mustang II would not be out of the question. I mean if you want a street strip truck, that would be the way to go in my opinion. I mean power rack and pinion steering, a ton of adjustability and options easy to bag or upgrade in the future. I think Fatman Fab makes a kit up to 72 or a whole frame stub for the front, bet it would work on 73-79 pretty easily, or just call them up they know what to tell you to measure to see if it will work.
