Ford questions

junkyard jim · Aug 13, 2007

Looking to convert my flatbed '78 F350 to 4x4 and I'm repowering it currently. PO took out the 460 and I'm putting in a 400 (found out this due to different motor mounts on the frame) Anyone done the swap? Can I just torch a notch in the 460 mount pads or is it all different?
Also, what steering box would I need for 4x4 with a straight axle? The current one, one from a Ford car (like the '79 Towncar I'm parting for the motor) or the '84 full size Bronco one I have?

Outback · Aug 13, 2007

Done this swap.
The most common engine in that era was the 351M-400. Go to the junk yard and set the correct frame towers. They bolt in. then sell the towers that you have for the 460 you should be able to get a good price for them.
Everything will bolt up and you can use un-modded mounts.

Steering gear box you haven't said enough about how you want to do the swap. What parts? How are you going to mount stuff. Will you be actually wheeling this. Are you going to torch the frame , etc, etc.
You do know that the 2WD frame is not the same as the 4WD frame...:beer:

angelfly · Aug 13, 2007

Yeah your gonna be torching stuf of your front end and fabbing up leaf mounts and a shackle mount. i suggest offroaddesign.com they make chevy parts but the front end suspension pieces and easily adaptable for a ford platform. also are you going sotck 4x4 steering or cross over. . . still alot of unknowns with what you asking. . . what do you want to do with it???

Poohbair · Aug 13, 2007

angelfly said:
i suggest offroaddesign.com

They make nice stuff, but my buddy waited 8 months for parts from them...

angelfly · Aug 13, 2007

Poohbair said:
They make nice stuff, but my buddy waited 8 months for parts from them...

really damn i ordered new shackle mounts shackles and a shackle flip kit and it cam in 1 week. must have been a hard to find part or sumthing.

for upfront mount of your leaf springs ford and chevy uses a bolt on shackle mount that mount on the inside of your frame and houses the bushing and shackle. ford stock ones a 3 holes and chevy 4 simply buy the ord ones super strong and drill and mark holes on frame for where you want your shackle. its really really easy

1 grumpy · Aug 13, 2007

Or you might talk to comet I think he might be getting rid of a 4x4 frame real soon.Just a thought.And I could be wrong.

angelfly · Aug 13, 2007

1 grumpy said:
Or you might talk to comet I think he might be getting rid of a 4x4 frame real soon.Just a thought.And I could be wrong.

That a **** ton of work to take an empty fram and transplate all your **** back to the 4x4 one when you could just cut off the frame and the firewall and run 2x4sq tubing up from the firewall

Poohbair · Aug 13, 2007

angelfly said:
really damn i ordered new shackle mounts shackles and a shackle flip kit and it cam in 1 week. must have been a hard to find part or sumthing.

Yeah... it was a tierod and a set of 0 rates... pretty rare stuff :booo:

Glad that you had better luck with them, because they do make nice stuff but they will never see a penny of my money.

1 grumpy · Aug 13, 2007

Poohbair said:
Yeah... it was a tierod and a set of 0 rates... pretty rare stuff :booo:

Glad that you had better luck with them, because they do make nice stuff but they will never see a penny of my money.

You still got's the bronco that I saw you wheeling on momorial day weekend?

Poohbair · Aug 13, 2007

1 grumpy said:
You still got's the bronco that I saw you wheeling on momorial day weekend?

Yup, but you wont see it on the trail ever again... That is my baby and I dented her on Memorial Day so I took off the winch, winch bumper, and it wont see a trail again.

Now as far as converting the 1 ton, it shouldn't be a problem to just weld on some home fab spring mounts and throw the axle underneath it! Deal w/ the steering box after you get the axle in and see how things line up.

junkyard jim · Aug 14, 2007

I'm planning to use the front frame from a 4x4 for the stock mounts and stuff. I prefer my shackles forward (like my J4000 was) for nice ride, but we'll see. Probably won't see a lot of wheeling, but plan to use it for offroad recovery and scrap hauling later on.

junkyard jim · Aug 14, 2007

Outback said:
Done this swap.
The most common engine in that era was the 351M-400. Go to the junk yard and set the correct frame towers. They bolt in. then sell the towers that you have for the 460 you should be able to get a good price for them.
Everything will bolt up and you can use un-modded mounts.

Steering gear box you haven't said enough about how you want to do the swap. What parts? How are you going to mount stuff. Will you be actually wheeling this. Are you going to torch the frame , etc, etc.
You do know that the 2WD frame is not the same as the 4WD frame...:beer:

I suppose a high steer would be a good idea. My driveway is pretty close to some areas of Reiter, especially in winter time (it will be used to haul building materials and equipment for building my new house too)