Just got my 1989 ford f150 4x4 and want to sas and i have researched alot into doing it. I'm getting a sterling 10.25 from a 1991 ford f250 from a salvage yard next week and the front axle is still there but its leafs. Would it be easier to find a 75.5-79 f150 and get that axle from it or get the one from the 91 f250?

 

You got lots of options
do you want leafs or springs up front? How big are you going ? Plans for the truck?
If you plan on going big seriously consider the d60, I did the 44 now im ripping it out for a 60. Expensive but definietly has its perks.

78/79 bronco/f150 axles (coil sprung d44) are pretty abundant on craigslist for a decent price and are a simple swap, which I did, and changed it to 8 lug to match the sterling

the old f250 axles are leaf d44's but already 8 lug

then every d60 from the old body style is leaf and 8x6.5 but can be changed to coils, Im slowly doing this now

all the coil sprung 60's are an easy swap (05+ superduty) but are metric not 8x6.5 so you would need a sterling 10.5 rear not a 10.25

if your going leafs then a 85.5+ leaf sprung will be the right distance between perches to fit your frame, the 78/79 has a 32" gap oppossed to I believe a 36

 

It doesnt matter to me what i have up front i have a friend with a 74 k20 so i know how the leafs will ride. I want to fit 37s with a 6 inch lift to 8 inch lift and thats as big as i will go. plans just to take it thorough mud no rock crawling for me. The reason i was talking about leafs because if found a 1991 ford f250 at the local junkyard i go too. it has the sterling 10.25 with 4.10 and a l/s and it has leafs in the front idk what axle it has in the front i didn't look. and all the 78/79 axles i find on craigslist are like 400 bucks the axles out of the f250 are 200 for both.

 

Any 80-97 F-250 is gonna have the equally junk 44HD TTB or 50 TTB up front.

Gotta get a 350 for a solid 60.

Adrianspeeder

 

Dang, well i will still get the rear end from the f250 if the driveshaft on it will fit my truck because rclark12 said my drive shaft will be too long.

 

Look what i found today! http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/cto/3647579135.html gonna hit this guy up when i get out of school. will get the front axle if its a dana 44 i will get the coil buckets axle and radius arms and brackets and maybe the rear if its a ford 9 inch. im gonna get all new steering stuff from broncograveyard.com and james duff

 

Make sure it is at least a full float Sterling rear. Some of the lighter GWVR 250's only came with the semi float Sterling.

Adrianspeeder

 

Dont pull a drive shaft untill the swap is all said and done. Then measure out what size shaft you need. I dont know what my new shaft came from I just know I needed a certain length and my buddy had one that worker. That f250 will be, as mentioned, ttb and you dont want the leaf springs from it. You want leaf springs from a solid axle. And I believe there is a difference between the f250 and 350 springs (I beleive I read that on fsb, wveryone claims the f350 diesel springs are best but double check that) I didnt do leafs obviously so I never pay too much mind to that. I know people love the ride from superduty springs though. For leaf your best bet is an 86+ d60, or get a 78/79 d44 leaf sprung and move the perches to the same as frame perch width or just build a brace to inboard the springs. Id reccomend a sky manufactoring shackle flip kit for the front. Actually I would shackle flip both if the plan isn't alot of towing. At 8 inches and 37s, and not planning on wheeling it to bad I would think youd be absolutely fine with a 44. A+I have buddies who run much bigger under em and they survive. I personally like 1 ton stuff though.

 

Nice deal on the truck just rebuild those axles. God only knows how long its sat. Are you automatic or manual, no speed sensor on a ford 9". You could always do a vssr relocator but thats kinda pricey, its why I didnt run a 14 bolt

 

Im automatic and i was planning on rebuilding them. I might just get the front and keep stock rear end just get 4.10 gears or might just jump up to 4.56 since i gotta rebuild the front anyways and i already have a l/s in the rear.

 

89 was the first year of the optional E4OD over the C6 for the 351. Do you have the E4OD? If so, you'll need to keep your VSS and limited only to the 8.8 or 10.25 Sterling rear.

Adrianspeeder

 

I have the C6.

 

I tohught all the automatics had a vssr sensor on the axle? Guess Im wrong, both my trucks have e4ods so I have nothing to reference, if you can run the 9" lucky you. Good axles

 

I will check for a sensor tomorrow and yeah they are that's why i want it haha, but if i cant get it the 8.8 i have now will hold up fine.

 

Sent the guy a email about the axle no response yet really bummed.