i'm thinking about converting my great grandpa's old 87 F150 4x2 to 4x4 down the road a bit and i had a few questions...first, is the Ford SROD 4 speed transmission able to convert to take a transfer case or am i gonna have to find another? if i can convert it...what exactly do i need to do and where can i find parts?

second, i want to go leaf sprung...how do i measure to properly place the leaf hangers? or if someone on here has done the swap...where did you get your spring hangers and where did you mount your hangers?

i know i'll probably have plenty of other questions but they'll come later...thanks in advance!

 

more questions while I have people reading...are there any kits out there to streamline all this process or does everything have to be fabbed up? what, if any, are the frame differences between 2wd and 4wd 80-96 Ford's? is there a minimum lift requirement? are there any engine mount mods to clear the oil pan? what spring length do I need to look for? What spring placement do I need to go for? any help would be great!

 

You can do a direct bolt in of a 4x4 setup from a '80-'96 F-150 or Bronco, but that only gives you the not quite the best Dana 44 TTB.

If your fab skills are halfway there, do some readings at the solid axle swap section of fullsizebronco.com and put in some real running gear from a F-350.

Also, the SROD was done in '84. '85-'87 trucks have the TOD which is an equally crappy unit. Either way, no tranny can be made to hang a transfer case on without a full tear down and parts swap.

Adrianspeeder

 

If you want a leaf-sprung 4WD, you should sell the 2WD F150 & buy a 4WD F250/350. That's the quickest, cheapest, easiest, smartest, safest way to convert.

 

I wouldn't want to get rid of my grandpa's truck though.

Adrianspeeder

 

Yea selling the F150 is out of the question...may end up just looking for a 4x4 to play with if I don't do the swap...thanks guys!

 

If you swap all that stuff, it won't be his truck any more, anyway. If you want the truck to remind you of your grandfather (weird, but OK), maintain it. Buy something else to flog.

 

I went through this same debate in my head, and yes I'm a master-debater (haha). I ended up leaving the truck 2x4, for the exact same reason. My grandfather bought the truck brand new when I was 4, put a pop-up camper on it, and from then on out every summer we were driving to different states\monuments, etc. By the time I was in Junior High we had been to 20+ states in it. He gave it to me on my 21st B-day, and I always want it to remind me of those good times I had with my Grandpa (I don't think its weird, but OK). I ended up leaving it as 2x4 because Steve is right, it wouldn't be the same truck if I changed it. My plans now are to buy a Bronco, beef it up, and have fun with it.

 

I agree...I'm leaving it stock...

 

What I've done is leave it stock unless something breaks, then make it better. For example I had a leaky injector, so I upgraded to Explorer injectors, my power steering pump started to leak\make noise, so I upgraded to a saginaw pump. There a few other things I have done, but thats the rule I try to follow, if it breaks, replace it with something better.

 

What lb/HR are stock injectors? and what are Explorer injectors? did you notice a gain in power?

 

19 lb\HR, and so are Explorer injectors, but they are a newer generation and more efficient. The stock injectors spray gas out of one hole, Explorer injectors spray out of 4...basically. They are a direct swap on a 302, I'm not sure on a 300 but I'll go check it out really quick.

Edit: looks like the 300 has a lower # injector, so those wont work.

 

oh ok, thank you for checking anyhow though!

 

I think stock sixxer injectors are 15 or 17lb. Not 100% on that. Where's steve when ya need him.