Bronco Diesel Swap Question

[swampdigger]

What coils are you guys putting up front, and how does it affect the height in the end? Taller, shorter, or same as stock?

Also, anyone have any ideas on what a set of Super Duty coils would do up front? How do they compare to the TTB coils?

 

[Agnem]

Not taller. Not shorter. But bigger. Use a set of F-250/F-350 2WD springs up front on the Bronco, and this will result in a stock ride height. I have no idea if superduty springs would work, but I'd say there is significant difference in the frame that will probably result in something different.

 

[seawalkersee]

x2. I have the F-250 springs ready to swap in mine. They appear the same except for the thickness of the material used.

Chris

 

[swampdigger]

I'd like to jack the front end up about 6 inches... hillbilly style of course... make new axle pivot brackets, extend the radius arms.. and do something about the springs... longer springs would be nice!

Might come down to spacers, and chopping down the coil buckets a bit.

 

[Camarogenius]

Lifting it 6"? Wouldn't it be easier to convert to leaf springs?

 

[seawalkersee]

I have a solid axle that will eventually go under it. I think the 4" springs I have will also work as they are thicker than the factory ones. Just FYI, if you are running a F-150 and want to level it out, steal the springs out of a 250 and shove them in. Did it yesterday and the body is level now. Wont be after the swap, but ya know...

Chris

 

[swampdigger]

Seawalkersee, what axle are you using?

I have access to a '78 3/4 ton dana 44... but I think it's gonna be more hassle than lifting the TTB. Different lug pattern, steering issues, and I think the spring mounts are narrower .

 

[riotwarrior]

Ranger....if you want to maintain the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern it's likely best to use a 78-79 Bronco D44 or 73-79 D44 from an F150 SAS that way is not all that difficult.

The best Dana 60 is any in the 80 up body style preferably with Kingpins VS ball joints of the newer stuff.

 

[seawalkersee]

Im going to swap out to a D44. I do not think I will have any problems with the weight and power from the engine as I am not trying to make a 500hp power king. If I didnt break it with the 357, I think I am good with the IDI since I am just trying to keep it efficient.

Chris

 

[swampdigger]

I'd love to score a D60, but they don't really exist around here. The junkyards are thin, and the vehicles rusting away in people's driveways are few.

I tried finding some info on doing a hub swap for that 3/4 ton solid axle, to get a 5 hole pattern on it, but came up short.

Agreed, seawalker.... our engines really don't put out much torque, it's just available across the whole powerband. And without a locker, I think you'd be hard pressed to bust a dana 44.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Ranger....if you want to maintain the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern it's likely best to use a 78-79 Bronco D44 or 73-79 D44 from an F150 SAS that way is not all that difficult.

Actually if I were him I'd keep that 3/4-ton D44 he gots now, and just swap out the spindles/knuckles - the 3/4-ton axle is considered a heavy-duty D44, and as such has much thicker axle tubes - shafts inside are the same as the halfton/Bronco D44, but the whole housing is much stronger. Folks with Broncos and F150s swap their stock 5-bolt spindles out for 8-bolt ones fairly often (usually dictated by a rear upgrade do a 10.25 Sterling axle), so he should be able to do the opposite easily.

 

[riotwarrior]

Actually if I were him I'd keep that 3/4-ton D44 he gots now, and just swap out the spindles/knuckles - the 3/4-ton axle is considered a heavy-duty D44, and as such has much thicker axle tubes - shafts inside are the same as the halfton/Bronco D44, but the whole housing is much stronger. Folks with Broncos and F150s swap their stock 5-bolt spindles out for 8-bolt ones fairly often (usually dictated by a rear upgrade do a 10.25 Sterling axle), so he should be able to do the opposite easily.

Well if he wants a simple swap the Brocno/F150 axle is the way to go because he can keep is stock coil buckets or go to the old style use radius arms and voila instant SAS, the F250 D44 has leaf pads in the wrong location for our frames so new ones would need fabbing, then the added issue of completely redoing the suspension to leaf.

IMHO, the coil spring D44 is the way to go!

I am going leaf and D60 on my Bronco because I will be doing some serious off roading that would in all likely hood twist out the coil spring/radius arm setup....

 

[seawalkersee]

No, its the light duty, as in solid axle 150 D44. Not worried about breaking it.

Chris

 

[greythorn3]

im putting a 6.9 non turbo in my 78 bronco as we speak!

Ray

 

[Agnem]

im putting a 6.9 non turbo in my 78 bronco as we speak!

Ray

Pictures!