2x4 to 4x4 swap. What years for parts?

[quickster]

Hey all. I can't find a donor truck anywhere, so I'm thinking I'm going to have to piece the parts together from different trucks/ people whatever. I have a '91 F350 dually Lariat and was wondering if parts like front suspension and cross members from later models like '92-'97 would work. Or a e4od and transfer case from a power stroke would work.
I would just say screw it and buy a 4x4 gasser, but this truck runs too good to get rid of. I need 4x4 for the winter- the truck is just too light in the rear and I need the space for tools and material' so no ton of stone in the back for me. Maybe a a list of what fits what floating around somewhere? Thanks

 

[Randy Bush]

I have a 93 dually IDIT , limited slip been driving for years in snow country. That said a lot of pieces to find to make it 4x4, parts from a cab and chassis is your best bet. to keep it as a one ton and a cab is chassis is all you will as a 4x4 in those years.

 

[DaveBen]

The gasser tranny will NOT work with a diesel. The bell housing will not bolt up. I have heard that the 429 gasser will bolt up with some bolt hole mods but I don't know for sure. The tranny will have to be messed with to get the shift points right (rpms).

 

[quickster]

I wouldn't use gasser parts on the swap, just need to know if 92-97 parts would fit on the 87-92 frame. There are dead early powerstroke trucks all over. Would a e40d from a PS work on a early 7.3? They're the same block, right? And the front diff, the shackle bolt holes all the same?

 

[quickster]

newer front clips fit on older models----shouldn't the frames be the same?

 

[Jimbanjer]

For your front axle you will be better off going with a 86 through 91 as they have king pins instead of ball joints

 

[quickster]

I seen a guy with a kingpin front diff on Craigs for sale. That's what made me start thinking of doing this piece by piece. but I don't want to get 75% on the parts then nothing. Or some thing comes up and I'm out of cash.

 

[Randy Bush]

For your front axle you will be better off going with a 86 through 91 as they have king pins instead of ball joints

But again if you only what to use one set of rims , duals, the front axle will need to come from a cab and chassis truck, as duallys with pickup box where never make as 4x4 from the factory in those year. One could use a single wheel axle but IMO would look funny.

 

[quickster]

If I could get a front and rear set of axles, I would swap the bed no problem. Or keep it dually. I see mid 90's 4x4 dually Dodge's all around here.

 

[quickster]

If I could get a front and rear set of axles, I would swap the bed no problem. Or keep it dually. I see mid 90's 4x4 dually Dodge's all around here.

 

[Randy Bush]

If I could get a front and rear set of axles, I would swap the bed no problem. Or keep it dually. I see mid 90's 4x4 dually Dodge's all around here.

Dodges,but not Fords unless they where modified.

 

[quickster]

what needs to be modified?

 

[Randy Bush]

1 ton duallys that are 4x4. They all are built with cab and chassis parts. Or 2x4 dually boxes where put on them. Ford did not built dually 4x4 until 1999 , like my picture. I guess there was a good number of companies out there that did after market conversions though.

 

[u2slow]

The 92-97 axles work fine. I put a '93-94 diff into my buddy's '90 F250 4x4. 95-97 have the better brakes.

You can get the leaf hangers off any 80-91 leaf sprung 4x4... like the F250 w/TTB. The springs themselves just aren't quite right for a monobeam axle. There's aftermarket hangers too, Sky Mfg, etc.

I don't consider the front dually hubs essential. Going SRW in the front opens the door to some wider/stronger tires. There's plenty of aftermarket dually conversion spacers if you can't find the correct hubs.

 

[quickster]

That's what I'm trying to find out. Thanks. Ideally I would like to find a front and rear set SRW. Do you know if a trans and transfer case off a powerstroke would work ? Sucks getting attached to a truck, otherwise I would sell and look for something else.

 

[u2slow]

Ideally I would like to find a front and rear set SRW. Do you know if a trans and transfer case off a powerstroke would work ?

Under a flatdeck, I'd say just put SRW wheels on the DRW diff. I should also add, a locking diff in a 2wd goes a long ways.

I know the 5 speed crosses over from PSD to IDI. So its a physical bolt-up. I don't know about the electronics for E4OD; if they change or stay the same. Transfer case is interchangeable. The 96-97 have a fixed yoke instead of a slip.