I am really new to the 4x4 scene and I am not really looking to build a giant off road truck. I have an 85 F150 extended cab 8ft bed truck that I would like to do some work to. I also got my hands on an 88 F350 with 4x4 and a rebuilt 5.8L and ZF trans. I would like to put the running gear (axles and leaf springs and such) in my 85. The 88's body was toast and it was only a single cab truck. My main issue is that the 85 is a 2wheel drive truck and I need some help putting the axles and leaf springs on it from the 88. I have been told it can be done but I really dont know where to start. The rear I am not worried about at all but the front I have been told can be tricky. I am pretty mechanical having worked at a shop for about 6 years so I know my way around a vehicle and I have a friend who is a mechanical engineer and whose dad used to do custom automotive fabrication so I have some help but I was just wondering if you guys had any input on what I should do. I know there are some kits out there for swapping the D60 into an F150 I was just wondering if you guys had anything that could help or could point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance guys.

 

Take a look through the sticky at the top of this forum. There are a few good writeups here on performing a SAS from a 4x4 f-150 to a solid axle. Your coil bucket locations are in the same location as the 4x4 version, so using that as a starting point and measuring from there will get you in the right direction if you want to stick with coils up front. If you want to go leaf sprung, take the measurements and suspension parts from the 88 and transfer it over to your 85. There will be much more fabrication involved either way, but as long as you take your time, ask questions along the way when you get stuck, it will be worth it in the end.

 

I know there are kits for installing the solid axle on other trucks do you know if they have any kind of kit like that for my application? Thanks for your help.

 

Sounds like you need to look into a shackle reversal to hang that D60. You have almost all the parts already. There was a build up on a Bronco using tons with a shackle reversal in this forum not too long ago. Although it will have a few small differences it shouldn't be bad.
There is a company called Sky manufacturing that makes the shackle reversal. It is for 92-97 F250 and 350's but I used it on my 89 F250 without a problem. You'll have to do some measuring between both your frames to see if it will work

 

Or you could simply make your own shackle reversal set up, lots of people have. It saves some money if you can weld. As long as your running leaf springs up front, as your F350 has.. it would be really simple to just transfer everything over from one truck to the other.

 

Yeah I was looking at the stickies and they have alot of good info about the SAS but all the ones I saw were with front coil springs and I would like to stay with the leaf springs if possible since its what I already have. I am sorry if I am asking some simple questions I just want to get the best info I can since I am not to familiar with it. I read in one of the stickies that they have a shackle reverse for the rear and I found the one for the 92-97 from skyjacker so am I correct in assuming they have kits for both the front and rear leaf springs?

 

The shackle reversal is for the front only. It takes the swing shackle and moves it to the back of the front leaf spring instead of the front. You might be thinking of the shackle flip which is for the rear, in this case the hanger is turned upside down so that the shackle is then flipped below it, instead of above it. Both will net you lift.

If you have no welding/fabrication skills I would suggest buying a shackle reversal kit from Sky Manufacturing, or a similar company. However, besides the shackle reversal, it all should be pretty straight forward. The rear axle should be no problem at all and the front shouldn't be too bad.

And if you're going from 2x4 to 4x4 you will need the transmission/transfer case as well, if you didn't already think of that.

 

As for the swap, if you have them both side by side, it should be a fairly easy swap. Might have to do some cutting/welding to get the front spring hangers onto your frame though. Do you have any idea how tall you want it when you are done? What size tires?

 

Thank you, I do know how to weld and have some skill with it but I think when it comes to something like this for safety sake I should probably just buy the kit. This truck is going to be used hard for alot of towing and farm work. I dont really plan on lifting it up that much probably just what the stock leaf springs give me. As for tires I'm open to suggestions. I want to just stay with the 16in rims cause they are cheap (sorry a 24yr old in finishing his bachalors starting a paralegal with law school possibly on the way. And I own my own house so bills have a habit of piling up) but as for tires I'm open to suggestions. I already have a complete 4x4 frame with tranmission motor transfer case and axles. Everything is there. It was a complete truck but the body was shot so I just scrapped all the body on her and kept what was left.

 

If that's the case, why not just swap your good 2wd body over to the 4x4 frame and be done. Less hassle of buying lift parts and having to fabricate brackets.

 

extended cab vs regular cab.... if its a extended cab short box, vs a regular cab long box, there would be about 5 inches difference in wheelbase

 

Excately the problem except its an extended cab 8ft bed vs regular cab 8ft bed.

 

Sorry, missed that...

 

I would think that the kit from skyjacker would work because the frames from the 80-96/97 (if its and F250 or above) are the same. All the body parts are interchangeable so the frame should be the same. Anyone have any ideas on this? Also what would be the best place to get aftermarket 8 lug rims? Probably 16in by 12wide.

 

my vote goes for a cab swap and a flatbed on the f350 chassis. simpler in my opinion with less fabrication to go wrong if you feel uncomfortable about it. just make up the two rearmost cab mounts on the single cab frame and viola 1ton 4x4!!!!!!