1984 F250 2WD to 4WD Project
 

I have an '84 F250, but it's only 2WD. Recently a friend of mine converted his 2wd over to a 4wd and said it was very easy installing the axle and T-case. I was just wondering what front axle and T-case I should be looking for that will go good with my truck. Here are my spec's.

*3.73 Gears in a full-floating rear axle (Dana 60, I think...is there a way to tell?).
*Ext. Cab
*4 Speed manual transmission with granny gear.
*1984 w/ 6.9 diesel.
*170,000 miles

I also want to get a 6" suspension lift, but I am curious whether or not I should convert to leaf springs in the front, since I have coil springs right now. Any info or advice would be great.

P.S. If you are just going to tell me to buy a 4WD truck, please don't even bother posting. This is meant to be a project for me and keep me occupied over this summer, I love the truck to death and just can't get rid of it for a simple 4WD truck. These 6.9's are badass.

Hi roscofan93,
As for telling you to buy a 4X4 might I suggest trying to find a parts truck with a rusted out body or such on craigslist? That way you have the parts and an example to work from. Also might provide you with other needed parts. Just a suggestion.
Try searching on the site for the other information you need. There is currently a member converting his F150 to a 4X4. It looks to be a fun summer project. Good luck and just post lots of pictures.
Also, welcome to FTE. There is an incredible amount of information shared on this site.

You should buy a f250 4x4 donor truck(diesel) to make it a bolt in job. If your friend had a f150, then yes the swap is very easy. Not so with a f250.

Your 2wd frame is different from a 4x4 f250 frame. Your rearend ratio is also oddball, most all 4x4 frontends will be 3.55 or 4.10 gears. So if you get a donor, it will come with matching front and rearend gears. For a bolt in job and make it as factory, you will need to slip the frame and running gear under your body and swap your engine in place. You will need the donor tranny and transfer case, so make sure the type of tranny is what you want(4 speed, 5 speed, c6, e4OD).

The next option is some fabrication. You can use your frame if you modify and re-enforce the front where the leaf spring shackles mount, and bolt in the rear spring mounts. You have to use front leaf springs for this conversion. You can also use one of those shackle reversal kits to mount the front leaf springs under your 2wd frame. This will give you some lift also. In this option, you will still be better off with buying a donor 4x4. You still will need a diesel 4x4 tranny, transfer case, the frontend, the matching rearend, etc. You can save a lot of money getting a donor.

If you want to go for it and get a donor with the heavy duty dana 60 front axle, buy a donor that is a 85.5 and up f350. This will have the heavy straight front axle in it.

First of all welcome. Second search is your friend. Third, these guys are telling you your best options. I am currently doing my F150, but it is a bolt in deal, not so with yours. I had a donor truck that I got everything off of. I didn't have to but it made having all the parts easier. You will definitely need it not just for parts but as an example to go by.

Unless you go with a 70's dana 44 you will have to swap to leafs in the front, or do a butt ton of cutting and welding.

I'm not telling you to do this, but if I had to do this over again, I probably would have bought a good 4x4 in the first place.

Hey thanks for the quick replies. I am sort of new to the whole truck scene. Just got this truck last August, but I'm learning fast. I'm taking automotive classes in college right now and need lots of advice lol.

If I went and got this (1984 F250 4wd 6.9 diesel), would I be able to keep my coil springs up front, or would I have to put in leaf springs?

And will a 70's Dana 44 bolt right up to my 4x2 frame and suspension?

You will not be able to keep your coil springs. Ford only used the coil springs with a f150. All f250's had leaf spring suspensions up front.

A 70's dana 44 will not bolt up. With some modification I believe it can be used. Only the dana 60 from a 85.5-up f350 will bolt in with the correct steering linkage and driveshaft if you are leaning toward a solid axle. Of course the dana HD ttb dana 44 will bolt up, as well as the dana 50 ttb, as they were originally installed in your truck if it had come with 4wd.

I thought only the 4x4 F250s had leafs....

This is true, my 2wd F250 has coil springs. I heard somewhere on YouTube that since it is diesel, it has a 1 ton suspension though. Any info on that?

I think I'm just going to go with a TTB up front. If I can get a doner truck with one, then I will just use the leaf springs that come with this lift kit (http://roughcountry.com/suspension/4...0_80-98_4.html) and convert it over from coils.

Yes, I forgot and left the 4x4 part off.

That is not true. Ford put the Dana 44 HD ttb as standard under regular cab pickups with the diesel. It depended solely on the GVW rating of the vehicle as to what front suspension it got from the factory, not the engine.


If you do this, you need to modify the front frame horns of your truck's frame. Your 2wd truck has a open "C" type frame member at the front. The 4x4 frames had a closed tube with a hole in the bottom. The closed tube supported the shackle on both sides, and then the shackle hung down through the hole in the bottom to the leaf spring. If you can weld a support on your frame for the shackle, you will be ok.

If you go looking for a ttb, you might as well get the larger one, the dana 50. It will bolt in the same as the 44, but it's a stronger unit with larger hubs, bearings, ball-joints, etc. You can find these on 85-down f350's, f250's that are extended cab, and I have heard some special order f250's may have one underneath the front. But I believe your priority is going to be to get a diesel compatible 4x4 tranny, so you might end up with the dana44 hd frontend. It's ok and will hold up with normal use. I have one under my diesel and I have a snowplow on it also, and it does fine.

Are the horns the only thing that has to be modified on the 2wd frames?

I am also doing a swap on an 84 F250. I have an 80 F250 donor that will be giving up its Dana 50 ttb and Dana 60 rear.

I found out a lot of the early trucks like these had a bracket riveted to the front frame on the 4x4's. So if you have a donor frame, you can drill the rivets out and move this bracket over to your 2wd frame and bolt it in to support the front shackle. And few more holes to drill here and there and it should go in after you get rid of the other 2wd stuff.