My truck and the 4x4 ZF swap

[MJlogan]

Figured I would try to document my ZF swap so others can have some reference if they decide to tackle this as well. I’ve been reading here for a while, but haven’t posted much. Great info and I’ll try to give back a little in this thread.

Little back story: Bought my truck about 5 years ago. It had sit in a field for 9 years not running. Owner said he would sell it for $250 if I could get it running. Sure enough, after a couple weekends of work and a few fuel lines replaced I got it going. I’ve put around 100k miles on it since with the only problems being one injection pump, one starter, and a lift pump. Has over 250k on it by now. Truck has got me through college and has never done me wrong. Now that I have a somewhat decent job, it is time to give it some love. Here I the only pic I have of the truck back when it was still on the 2wd front end.

EDIT: More recent pics on page 3 of the D60 conversion and ZF install

 

[MJlogan]

6 months ago I got a screaming deal ($200) on a dana 60 frontend. Went through it and swapped it in using spring hangers and shackle hangers that I built myself. Recently, I scored a ZF out of a F super duty for $250. Picked up a 1356 tcase out of the junkyard and started collecting parts. Pulled the trigger on a 13” South Bend clutch/solid flywheel kit and bought a new master/slave.

Swapped in a manual pedal assembly last week. Fabricated a heim jointed pushrod for the clutch master and replaced the stud on the pedal assembly that was very worn out. I also purchased a firewall strengthening plate from the local ford dealership for around $20.

Finally last night I decided (after a couple beers) I’ve compiled enough parts to start the swap, so I started pulling the C6. Progress is slow due to me using simple (and crappy) hand tools but I have it ready to come down tonight. Current plan is to re-use the 2wd C6 crossmember until I can source the proper 4x4 crossmember when I get a front driveshaft for it. Or just modify the C6 xmember to work.

I'll try to update this as the swap progresses. Any questions comments or advice please feel free

 

[SparkandFire]

Good post, keep up the good work, and take LOTS of pictures (we love eye candy)

Your doing the exact swap I planned on the brown truck, you will be amazed how the ZF changes everything.


Thats the nice part of working on these trucks, you can do practically everything with cheap hand tools! Try lifting the cab and changing head gaskets on a 6.0 powerstroke truck with a harbor freight toolkit.

 

[Goofyexponent]

I just did the same thing to my 1993. It was already a 4x4 with the D50 and an E4OD.

Last year I did the D60 swap and noticed a BIG difference in the way the truck drove...for the better!

And just before Christmas, that E4OD was pulled in favor of a ZF S5-47 out of a PSD F Superduty. That really woke the truck up and brought my MPG's up by a little bit.

The next thing I have on the go, is turbocharging the engine, but I plan on doing a mild teardown and studding the spare engine I got, turboing that and installing it in my truck by the end of this year.

 

[MJlogan]

I just did the same thing to my 1993. It was already a 4x4 with the D50 and an E4OD.

I've read through your thread a few times already. Thanks for the help!

 

[hesutton]

Cool project. I'm in the process of swaping a "typ4" mod 460 ZF5 speed in my '86 crew cab (was C6 also). Not there yet, but getting closer. Please keep us up to date and post up some photos.

Heath

 

[MJlogan]

Got the swap mostly buttoned up this weekend. Got the ZF stabbed in on Friday night. Drilled holes in the firewall for the clutch master on Saturday morning. Spent the rest of Saturday in the junkyard after finding out that my 2wd C6 crossmember made the trans sit way too high. Ended up pulling one out of a 86 F150 4x4 with an AOD trans. Also scored a floor plate out of a manual transmission truck while I was there. The AOD crossmember worked out perfect. And for the record F%&* those crossmember wing things.

After bolting the 1356 up I noticed 2 problems. First one was there is no provision for a speedo cable in the tcase I had. Second was the slip yoke from my 2wd C6 driveshaft was too small to contact the seal on the tranny. So back to the junkyard on Sunday where I picked up a 1345 with a fixed yoke and its respective driveshaft. Killed a couple birds with the 1345: got a fixed rear yoke, speedo cable, and the shifter ends up in the right spot for my floor plate. Am I giving up any major strength going from the 1356 to the 1345? I know the 56 has a mag case while the 45 is aluminum? Any major problems with the 45’s?

As of last night everything is ready to go. Hydraulics are in and bled, carpet is cut and re-installed. 1345 is hooked up. Driveshaft is going to get re-tubed today so hopefully I’ll be driving it later this week. Also got a big pile of parts. So if anyone in so cal needs a 1356 or a quarter million mile old C6 hit me up.

 

[franklin2]

Drilled holes in the firewall for the clutch master on Saturday morning.

That's interesting. I did this swap last year in my 89, and it had a dummy plate on the firewall where the master cylinder went. All I had to do was take it out and bolt the master cylinder in place.

And for the record F%&* those crossmember wing things.

For the record, Ford went to the effort and expense to put those supports in there. If they could have saved a dollar on every truck they built and left them out, I am sure they would have. I had the proper wings and installed them in my swap, but after looking at it, I think if I didn't have the proper wings, I would still put the wrong wings in place and drill at least one hole in the middle of the top of the wing to line up with one of the holes in the top of the frame.

I know a lot of guys are on here are running without the wings, but I believe it adds strength to the frame in that area. It's just like the floor joists in your house with the blocking between them, or the braces inbetween the I beams in the roof of a large building. The braces keep the joists or the I-beams from twisting under the weight. I believe the factory wings hold the top of the frame straight and keep it from twisting, and spread the load between the top of the "C" and the bottom of the "C" of the frame.

 

[MJlogan]

That's interesting. I did this swap last year in my 89, and it had a dummy plate on the firewall where the master cylinder went. All I had to do was take it out and bolt the master cylinder in place.


For the record, Ford went to the effort and expense to put those supports in there. If they could have saved a dollar on every truck they built and left them out, I am sure they would have. I had the proper wings and installed them in my swap, but after looking at it, I think if I didn't have the proper wings, I would still put the wrong wings in place and drill at least one hole in the middle of the top of the wing to line up with one of the holes in the top of the frame.

I know a lot of guys are on here are running without the wings, but I believe it adds strength to the frame in that area. It's just like the floor joists in your house with the blocking between them, or the braces inbetween the I beams in the roof of a large building. The braces keep the joists or the I-beams from twisting under the weight. I believe the factory wings hold the top of the frame straight and keep it from twisting, and spread the load between the top of the "C" and the bottom of the "C" of the frame.

I completely agree on the "wings" I just got done with 6 years of mechanical engineering school and definitely understand the necessity of them. They will be going back in... unfortunately.

And as far as the firewall goes, i was under the impression that there would be dummy plates. From the cab side, it looked like there were just knockouts I could punch through. After great attempts to knock them out, I fired up the drill.

 

[Diesel_brad]

Sharp truck and nice project

 

[OLDBULL8]

X2 Sharp truck, like the powder Blue color. But how do you get in a junk yard on Sunday? Around here they close on Sat at noon. Fence is too high, besides that those German Sheppards look vicious.

 

[MJlogan]

X2 Sharp truck, like the powder Blue color. But how do you get in a junk yard on Sunday? Around here they close on Sat at noon. Fence is too high, besides that those German Sheppards look vicious.

Im fortunate enough to live within 20 minutes of 3 awesome self service junkyards. Open 7 days a week til 4:30pm. Glad to see there are other fans of the baby blue color! I personally love it, but it certainly doesnt help trying to attract girls my age (26)

 

[jonathan]

X2 Sharp truck, like the powder Blue color. But how do you get in a junk yard on Sunday? Around here they close on Sat at noon. Fence is too high, besides that those German Sheppards look vicious.

in ca theres a lot more places open on sunday

 

[Optikalillushun]

the 80-86s dont have the dummy plate.

oh and nice ride, thats really clean for sitting all those years.

 

[biggin92]

need more pics !!!