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PARKINGLOT
Well-Known Member
Here's some random tech I had stored in notepad files for various research I had been doing. Don't know if any of it is useful, but I'll put it up anyway!
Dana 44 TTB swap:
The D44 pivot spacing is approxamately 1.5" narrower as it sits under
the F-150. You can either redrill your existing pivot brackets with
new holes 3/4" or so to the inside of the existing hole (SJ brackets
will let you do this, others (such as the stock one for the
passengerside) won't have enough "meat" on them and may need to be
modified), or you can bolt the axle into the existing holes by
cutting a total of 1" off the passengerside axleshafts (half-inch
from the mainshaft, half inch from the inner shaft). This will
eliminate the circlip groove so the spring on the slipyoke mod
will be required. Also, you may need to cut a small bit off the TREs
doing it this way, too. The latter method will end up about 1.5"
narrower vs. drilling the brackets.
Most of your questions are answered in this thread.
B. you will have to shorten the drag link a bit but as I recall the
TRE is the same size for the pitman arm.
C. dosent matter. I would run stainless steel ones anyway.
D. I cant remember how much the d35 front driveshaft needs to be
shortened, but I dont think its much at all. That something that
needs to be dealt with after its in the truck.
E. You have to use some washer spacers to use d28/35 arms with the
d44 beams because the d44 beams are a 1/4" or so narrower. If you
want you can use the d44 arms and move the mounts back on the frame a
few inches.
1350/1354 Doubler info:
If you remove the five tail housing bolts, the output shaft will
stick out about a foot. I don't think M5ODs have tail housings so
you might as well make a dead A4LD useful again.
As for the two shifters it's pretty easy. On manual shift cases there
is that little 2.5" piece that bolts onto the case with a stud that
the linkage connects to. You grind out that stud and reverse it so it
goes the other direction. Use a bolt if you destroy the stud. Then
stock linkage will connect to the doubler case.
For the second case, cut the 2.5" piece and weld a lever onto it in
the correct orientaton. You want it so it goes up and almost against
the steel plate when in 4 LO, then it will just clear the t-case
front output in 2 HI. On the top of the lever weld or bolt a hinge.
The other end of the hinge you attach a piece of threaded rod which
will go right into the cab, right next to the first shifter. This
would shift in a push-pull fashion. If you want a "stick" shift style
you'd use a rod connected to the body with a hinge, then the end
opposite the knob would connect with another hinge to the threaded rod.
The stud that holds the 2.5" piece can be taken out and clocked
however you wish. I had mine all out and thought it would have a
notch or flat spot so that you cannot put it together wrong but that
is not the case. I had to mock it up on the tranny to put it back
together right. RB
Yep..you can clock the stud in many different directions. I already
had my whole system assembled and wasn't about to tear it all apart
so I cut the piece and just welded the lever onto it at the right angle
The sector shaft is hollow. As for the amount needing to be bored
out I dont know the exact spec. But it should the turned out close to
the diameter of the tranny output. This is so the tranny output
doesent need to be turned down that much to be pressed into the cut
off sector shaft. You want as much diameter of the tranny output as
if this is to small it could fail due to torsinal load.
Just found the paper that had my shaft lenghts that I measured for
Evan when he made his.
Shaft total lenght, 5 7/8"
Spline lenght, 2 1/16"
EB Dana 44 Swap:
If you’re talking about stock Ford arms and brackets:
The stock Big Bronco (’78 – 79) brackets are easy to bolt on and due
to their drop will allow for acceptable caster for the street, if
that is a concern. Unfortunately, as they are a little low, I
occasionally hang up on mine.
There is just a slight difference between the early Bronco and later
arms. Comparing the stock EB radius arms with the ’78 and ’79, I
think the only real difference is at the nose piece. The front bolt
hole for the coil seat is located farther forward on the nose pieces
from the later brackets (so the coil seat bolt spread is longer). I
had to drill out my new EB coil seats to fit my ‘78 radius arm/nose
pieces. But it is no big deal.
Wild Horses, Toms Bronco Parts, Jeff Bronco graveyard, etc. They all
carry radius arm brackets for the frame. This is probably the most
common and easiest ways of a doing a solid axle swap on a RBV. While
you are there, get a trac-bar bracket and trac-bar if you dont
already have one. Off the top of my head, I think EB D44s have the
steering linkage underneath the knuckle, I'd look into getting a
tie-rod over the knuckle kit if you plan on doing any rock crawling
or extreme 4 wheeling with your rig
I opted for the variable rate 3.5" James Duff early bronco coils.
I've seen the flex they are capable of and have heard good things
about them. I was concerned that they might be too tall for my
liking, but knew I had the option of moving the coil buckets for the
perfect ride height. As it turns out it sits about 4" higher than
the 4" skyjacker system. I like it and think it will be perfect.
At $115 for the pair I couldn't turn them down.
I started to build my own brackets, but changed my mind. Instead I
took KTRangers advice and got my hands on a set of 78-79 F-150 or
Bronco brackets. These brackets have the largest drop of all other
stock brackets and it looks like they were designed for the Bronco
II. I really liked the 45 angle on the inside which will hopefully
come in handy for mounting the tranny cross member when I do the
302 swap. I don't like the idea of the radius arms hanging down that
far, but I was pretty sure I'd need it to help keep the correct
caster. I still might build my own brackets and move the arms up to
the frame, but that will be down the road after the 302 is in. I
paid $25 for the pair which really made the them worth it. I would
have spent a day or two making my own.
Dana 44 TTB swap:
The D44 pivot spacing is approxamately 1.5" narrower as it sits under
the F-150. You can either redrill your existing pivot brackets with
new holes 3/4" or so to the inside of the existing hole (SJ brackets
will let you do this, others (such as the stock one for the
passengerside) won't have enough "meat" on them and may need to be
modified), or you can bolt the axle into the existing holes by
cutting a total of 1" off the passengerside axleshafts (half-inch
from the mainshaft, half inch from the inner shaft). This will
eliminate the circlip groove so the spring on the slipyoke mod
will be required. Also, you may need to cut a small bit off the TREs
doing it this way, too. The latter method will end up about 1.5"
narrower vs. drilling the brackets.
Most of your questions are answered in this thread.
B. you will have to shorten the drag link a bit but as I recall the
TRE is the same size for the pitman arm.
C. dosent matter. I would run stainless steel ones anyway.
D. I cant remember how much the d35 front driveshaft needs to be
shortened, but I dont think its much at all. That something that
needs to be dealt with after its in the truck.
E. You have to use some washer spacers to use d28/35 arms with the
d44 beams because the d44 beams are a 1/4" or so narrower. If you
want you can use the d44 arms and move the mounts back on the frame a
few inches.
1350/1354 Doubler info:
If you remove the five tail housing bolts, the output shaft will
stick out about a foot. I don't think M5ODs have tail housings so
you might as well make a dead A4LD useful again.
As for the two shifters it's pretty easy. On manual shift cases there
is that little 2.5" piece that bolts onto the case with a stud that
the linkage connects to. You grind out that stud and reverse it so it
goes the other direction. Use a bolt if you destroy the stud. Then
stock linkage will connect to the doubler case.
For the second case, cut the 2.5" piece and weld a lever onto it in
the correct orientaton. You want it so it goes up and almost against
the steel plate when in 4 LO, then it will just clear the t-case
front output in 2 HI. On the top of the lever weld or bolt a hinge.
The other end of the hinge you attach a piece of threaded rod which
will go right into the cab, right next to the first shifter. This
would shift in a push-pull fashion. If you want a "stick" shift style
you'd use a rod connected to the body with a hinge, then the end
opposite the knob would connect with another hinge to the threaded rod.
The stud that holds the 2.5" piece can be taken out and clocked
however you wish. I had mine all out and thought it would have a
notch or flat spot so that you cannot put it together wrong but that
is not the case. I had to mock it up on the tranny to put it back
together right. RB
Yep..you can clock the stud in many different directions. I already
had my whole system assembled and wasn't about to tear it all apart
so I cut the piece and just welded the lever onto it at the right angle
The sector shaft is hollow. As for the amount needing to be bored
out I dont know the exact spec. But it should the turned out close to
the diameter of the tranny output. This is so the tranny output
doesent need to be turned down that much to be pressed into the cut
off sector shaft. You want as much diameter of the tranny output as
if this is to small it could fail due to torsinal load.
Just found the paper that had my shaft lenghts that I measured for
Evan when he made his.
Shaft total lenght, 5 7/8"
Spline lenght, 2 1/16"
EB Dana 44 Swap:
If you’re talking about stock Ford arms and brackets:
The stock Big Bronco (’78 – 79) brackets are easy to bolt on and due
to their drop will allow for acceptable caster for the street, if
that is a concern. Unfortunately, as they are a little low, I
occasionally hang up on mine.
There is just a slight difference between the early Bronco and later
arms. Comparing the stock EB radius arms with the ’78 and ’79, I
think the only real difference is at the nose piece. The front bolt
hole for the coil seat is located farther forward on the nose pieces
from the later brackets (so the coil seat bolt spread is longer). I
had to drill out my new EB coil seats to fit my ‘78 radius arm/nose
pieces. But it is no big deal.
Wild Horses, Toms Bronco Parts, Jeff Bronco graveyard, etc. They all
carry radius arm brackets for the frame. This is probably the most
common and easiest ways of a doing a solid axle swap on a RBV. While
you are there, get a trac-bar bracket and trac-bar if you dont
already have one. Off the top of my head, I think EB D44s have the
steering linkage underneath the knuckle, I'd look into getting a
tie-rod over the knuckle kit if you plan on doing any rock crawling
or extreme 4 wheeling with your rig
I opted for the variable rate 3.5" James Duff early bronco coils.
I've seen the flex they are capable of and have heard good things
about them. I was concerned that they might be too tall for my
liking, but knew I had the option of moving the coil buckets for the
perfect ride height. As it turns out it sits about 4" higher than
the 4" skyjacker system. I like it and think it will be perfect.
At $115 for the pair I couldn't turn them down.
I started to build my own brackets, but changed my mind. Instead I
took KTRangers advice and got my hands on a set of 78-79 F-150 or
Bronco brackets. These brackets have the largest drop of all other
stock brackets and it looks like they were designed for the Bronco
II. I really liked the 45 angle on the inside which will hopefully
come in handy for mounting the tranny cross member when I do the
302 swap. I don't like the idea of the radius arms hanging down that
far, but I was pretty sure I'd need it to help keep the correct
caster. I still might build my own brackets and move the arms up to
the frame, but that will be down the road after the 302 is in. I
paid $25 for the pair which really made the them worth it. I would
have spent a day or two making my own.
