4x4 conversion

Tynian

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Hello everyone,


I want to change my truck to a 4x4. Whats involved ? What are the best materials to buy? Transmision included. I would really like to stay with an automatic trans but will sacrifice if a manual will help me out better at the pulls.

Thanks guys
 

hugeredford

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i converted a 93 350 dually to 4x4 put in a dana 60 and divorced 205 made three drive shafts all you need is the spring hangers, springs, and shackles for the front. the hangers are riveted on factory but I just welded them. the whole project took a four day weekend.
 

Tynian

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i converted a 93 350 dually to 4x4 put in a dana 60 and divorced 205 made three drive shafts all you need is the spring hangers, springs, and shackles for the front. the hangers are riveted on factory but I just welded them. the whole project took a four day weekend.


hugeredford

can you walk me through this project as I have no clue where to start? :angel:

Talked with a guy today at the building supply about my conversion plans,
he says that every conversion he's ever heard of failed, do to broken front axle? He said something about using my military id to purchase some kind of military truck axle and it wouldn't break. :confused:

Anyway, I'll get the full scoop on this military ,truck axle ,idea from him this weekend and post asap.

I'm sure you guys know what to do just letting you know what I,ve been up to down here in the :draw southland.
 
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Camarogenius

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WOW!!!
Talk about Kismet!!
I just posted in the dana 60 swap thread before I saw this one. As far as a transfer case, I've already got a divorced 203. I like them better than a 205. Flame away.
Next I'm going to start prowling junkyards for the leaf spring front end.
 

Mr_Roboto

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Converting a 2wd to 4wd is certainly a lot of work, and if done improperly can ruin a truck. I have no idea where the "breaking axle" thing would come from. All an axle cares about is the weight and useage. They don't care if it's an original 2wd chassis.

Maybe this guy knows people using discarded Jeep axles for truck use or something...

If it was me I'd look for a 4wd chassis and transfer the body and drivetrain over. There was a 4wd F250 chassis that sold on eBay a couple days ago for $150....
 

hugeredford

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The best place for you to start is have another daily driver. Also go look at either a 250 of 350 4x4 or better yet have one available to look at when your working. Then jack the frame up and put is on some very safe blocks of wood, the engine will be putting ALOT of weight on the jackstands when placed behind the suspension hangers. take off all you suspension, springs, traction arms, axles, and sway bars. Then spend about a half day cutting off the brackets with a grinder, I wouldn't use a torch because it will make the rivets hard to drive out. then go get measurements off another 350 4x4 to place the rear spring hanger brackets. then weld on those brackets its very important to have proper welds if you didn't already know that. then I put on the springs with the factory shackles bolted on and held them up with a jack. the frame is the same width as a 4x4 but doesn't have the holes and boxed frame in the front to bolt in front shackles so I took 2 peices of 1/2" x 3" flat iron with the proper bolt holes and welded them too each side of the frame rails, by the way you will need to have the bumper off to do this. then bolt up the spring and repeat on the other side. I welded on the shock towers the track bar bracket on the truck was homemade because i didn't have one, my suggestion is go find one and bolt to the crossmember. the steering you will need to get off of a 4x4 350, it bolts right on. your rear end also gets lifted 4" to be at 4x4 350 height.
The transfer case is not a complicated set up but is hard to explain but basically i made two L-shaped brackets that ride on top the frame rails to drop the case low enough to just clear the cab floor by maybe 1/2". the case is about 12" away yoke to yoke, to couple the tranny and t-case I took 2 slip yokes and cut about half the splines off 1 of them slid in the right length of splined shaft welded it then the other yoke slides on the other end making one side solid and one slide a slip. the front and rear shaft I then cut to length you will probably have to drop the carrier bearing to get the rear shaft straight. I was able to use the 2wd cross member but depending where the case ends up it may not clear. the np 205 is bullet proof unlike the factory bw 1356
With this set up you can pull the tranny w/out the t-case out and you also won't have to find a 4x4 tranny to put in in the first place
Another thing i'm prettyyyy shure your not going to break a dana 60 unless you plan on jumping the grand canyon.
the conversion I did was on a 1993 Not a 1994 they COULD BE DIFFERENT but i doubt it.
You would be the king of ford trucks if you made the front suspension coil over like the new superduties-just a thought, it would be very cool
by now everyone thinks i'm rambling LOL i'll try to figure out how to post pics
WARNING: not responsible for death injury and/or loss of pride resulting from this post
 
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Tynian

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HUGEREDFORD,

Thanks for the info, if you can get some pics as well I would appreciate it
very much.

I am assumming the np 205, is the transfer case, that I need to buy/ find somewhere?

Also, I got that I could use my existing e40d tranny?

I understand that I need to box the front end ,soes I can weld the front spring brackets on.

I will have to find/purchase, 2, dana 60 axles?

The new 4x4 springs , shackles will auto matically lift the truck to 4x4 hieght?


You were saying something about the superdutys?

hugeredford, Im an idiot when it comes to terminology of the suspension system, please dont use abreviations.

I can and will do this job I just need a ,clear reference ,as you are kindly begining to reveal to me.


Thanks again
 

Camarogenius

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A 205 is widely considered the best transfer case. I hold a different opinion.
You only need one dana 60 front axle, with the differential on the driver's side.
In order to keep your current transmission, you need to find a divorced transfer case, with a driver's side drop.
Your transfer case must have the front axle drive yoke, or "drop" on the same side of your truck as the differential on the front axle. on front 4x4 axles, the differential is always offset to one side or the other.
you must make sure that your ring and pinion ratio is the same front and rear.
If you're a novice, and will be teaching yourself as you go anyway, I would suggest learning to hot rivet, or use grade 8 bolts in place of the rivets. I don't believe in welding on a frame. Opinions vary on this, and most will tell you that it's just fine, but I know a little about tempering steel, and I don't want to ruin the heat treat on the frame.
 

hugeredford

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i'm going to agree using grade 8 bolts is probably best but out of pure lazyness i welded if you want I have the transfer case and could make the drop brackets for maybe $500 but the fun in these projects is doing it all yourself you need to buy a divorced np 205 the case are totally different on married cases
 

Tynian

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Thanks guys ,
I will start looking for the divorced np 205 transfer case, with the drop on the drivers side , soes i can keep my current tranny. It must fit the front danna 60 axle that I will also be looking for. This is gonna be a fun project, you guys are great. :hail


hugeredford ,
If I can't find the right case I would definately consider buying yours, just have to verify that it will match up to the dana 60 that I have to get, as
"Camarogenius", suggested.

Oh yea, I'm picturing that I'm gonna have to cut a hole in the floor to mount the 4x4 engaging lever?



Send me some pics please :angel: I be needing some visual enlightenment. :popcorn
 
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hugeredford

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there is all ready a shift hole in the floor right where the factory shifter would go you must cut the carpet take out 4 screws and melt the glue from the underside with a heat gun. All the cases are the same and so are the axles you just might have to either change yokes or get u-joints that go between series for instance a cross between a 1310 and a 1410 just for example. A drive shaft shop should be able to get you these special part I know that spicer sells yokes for the np205 and dana 60
 

hugeredford

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there are a couple of 205 transfercases on ebay right now for $300 or less just what you need and both have yokes and mounting bushings and one in illinois even has some driveshafts that would be good to cut up for parts and a pto
 

Tynian

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I'm sad right now guys, the Croc hunter died,
*******-it, he sould have stuck to land, son of a *****.

I really loved that guy.
 
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