Greetings from southwest asia, I havent been able to post for a while, cuz Ive been with my unit in the Air Force, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, I have a quick question for someone, Ive got a 98 4x4 and Im lookin to do a straight axle conversion!! Ive heard that you can "bolt up" a 78 or 79 1/2 ton axle, and it will be pretty much a direct bolt up, but Im not too sure, I have access to many a junk yard, and I was just wonderin if what Ive heard is true!!! If any of you guys have heard of it, or done it please post a couple of pix!! Im very seriously considering it!!! Thanks in advance guys, and I will be back to post more once I get back in the states!!!

 

no. not a 78 0r 79. i guess you mean out of a ford. they have coil front end. with a C clamp style radious arm set up. and nothing is going to just bolt up. your best bet is a leaf spring style setup. so you need to start with a front end that is from a truck with leaf springs. and your going to need some welding. there is nothing to bolt leafs to. you need to make everything. and have it welded to your truck. and then there is steering. good luck.

 

there is company called fabritech not [ fabtech] they do have a web site. they offer a kit that converts your truck to a strait axle most impressive looking. its not cheap but what your trying to do is not going to be anyway. try www.setstr8.com

Dale

 

I am planning a similar conversion on my F-150. And, we have already done a strait axle swap, swapping out of a 74 bronco into a 85 bronco II. (this was a dana 44 ft) it was pretty simple on the bronco, cuz the coil spring mounts on the axle line up under the coil spring buckets on the frame and all you have to do is use a lift spring (however much you want to lift?) The Radius arm setup is great!! and pretty easy to get located under the vehicle. all you need to do is get radius arm/frame brackets for the dana off of the donor vehicle. and get it mounted on your truck in the proper location. then you will need to fabricate your own trac-bar and match it to your drag linkage on your steering setup. If you look on TheRangerStation.com you can see detailed tech info on the dana 44 swap into rangers and Bronco II's and for an F-150 it would be very very similar. I would say if you are comfortable that you can get the new strait axle located strait ( or you have a respectable amount of patience) go do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ps. remember you'll need a custom driveshaft, new brakelines (if you lift) and you'll probably have a different lug pattern.

 

Thank you guys much for all the info!! It looks nice, wonder what the price is??LOL, I hopefully will be able to do this next year!! I will be bill free here shortly so then its time to build away!!! LOL!! I hope that I can do this!! It looks awesome!! Thanks again guys for all the help and settin me straight!!