talked to my brother in law about a v8 in the bronco.. always a thrill.

[millermayhem]

I have been informed that the chasis would rip its self apart from a 302 implant, let alone the stock rear axle and dana 28 that would explode with the force of a small nova. All his buddys who had done a v8 conversion before had the RBV in the wrecking yard within a years time.

Oddly enough I am not hearing the horror stories on the forum. I could see how a high powered v8 would cause destruction to the weaker drivetrain. but I am looking at a rather pedristrian v8, with a 2bbl mild cam, ect.

opinions?

 

[4.0B2]

It depends on the skinny pedal and if you do it right. The frame is plenty strong for the motor. The axles... Well easy on the skinny pedal. When these ppl Mess them up they are at fault. I'd do an 8.8 and d35 swap or f150's. You can break the d28 with a 2.9. Ask me how I know!? Lol

 

[Shran]

Anything can be broken.... I have seen Toyota 22REs break Dana 60 stuff. I would swap in an 8.8 and Dana 35 front if you are really worried. I thrashed my D28 and 7.5 with my 2.9 and never broke anything... the axles are the only thing you should even worry about though.

 

[4.0B2]

i snapped axle shafts.. but oh well... d35 coming soon. you can break anything... with any motor. and 22re's are actually pretty stout. lol

 

[4x4junkie]

That's funny about the frame lol. It's the same gauge metal fullsize frames are stamped from (such as on the FS Bronco), nothing to worry about there.

What needs to go are the stock D28 & 7.5" axles, and the stock transmission if you're putting in a V8. Like said these items are hardly even adequate for the little V6. The stock transfercase is a pretty sturdy piece however.

 

[cammeddrz]

but I am looking at a rather pedristrian v8

ford made a lot of those........

and on another note your "friend" doesn't quite know what he is talking about. it wouldn't take a v8 to "explode the d28 like a nova" they're crap no matter what engine is in them.

very few v8 rbvs still have a 28....or the 7.5 rear for that matter. but that's got nothing to do with having a v8 the d35/8.8 axle swaps are like step #1 for any bronco II

 

[cammeddrz]

looks like 4x4junkie posted the exact same thing i was saying at the exact same time.....

and another thing if you're willing to send your rig to the junkyard over something as simple as a blown diff, you probably don't have any business putting a v8 into it in the first place

 

[4.0B2]

looks like 4x4junkie posted the exact same thing i was saying at the exact same time.....

and another thing if you're willing to send your rig to the junkyard over something as simple as a blown diff, you probably don't have any business putting a v8 into it in the first place

agreed! if you start modifing, it never ends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! doing a motor swap will cause trans, will cause t/case, then drivelines and axles... built axles! talk about expensive. one thing starts a domino effect.

 

[Shran]

agreed! if you start modifing, it never ends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! doing a motor swap will cause trans, will cause t/case, then drivelines and axles... built axles! talk about expensive. one thing starts a domino effect.

Yeah that's exactly how you end up with $10,000 into a truck that you bought three years ago for $50... FML.

 

[Totalled]

Meh. I wheeled mine for a year with the 302 and D28/7.5. I finally spit a cap on a front shaft and tore it down for the lift/axle swap.

 

[bobbywalter]

i have to say most of the trucks i worked on in the past did end up in the scrap yard rather quickly. gm/ford/jeep


but, not because the frames suck. just the people driving them had em done for them.


seems people let shit go if they dont do it themselves fairly easily, which has burned me out helping/performing swaps.

after stepping off into a few of these guys, its understandable now. no one wants to touch these types of vehicles, and when you dont know a ratchet from muffler bearings.... fawk it is a regular conclusion.


a pedestrian v8, is a piss waste of effort. a 4.0 would be ideal imo if pedestrian v8 is the goal, as the 4.0 is superior to them.

 

[4.0B2]

I agree. The 4.0 is an awesome swap, a lot more cost effective for sure. It's an easy swap! And the power is nice. Everything is.

 

[Shran]

I somewhat agree with the 4.0 option but on the other hand he is already running a carburetor. The 2bbl 302 swap he is talking about would be ideal with a C5 and stock transfer case behind it in my eyes. Just from an easy standpoint. The 4.0 swap in something that wasn't fuel injected to begin with is a considerable amount more work for a lot of people.

 

[millermayhem]

yeah, I could mate a 4.0 to the c5 with an ecu from an manual tranny... but I am concerned about 20 year old electronics. I just wished there was a carbed intake for the 4.0, unless I missed one?

btw, do I have to use a high temp grease for the muffler bearings? or will the blinker fluid do in a pinch?
.
as Shran said, the existing carb does lend to some challenges. If I go with the V8 I would go with a c4 and pilfer the tail and output shaft off of the c5 to make it a go. although Shran also writes that I could use the stock c5 ( with a bellhousing swap I suspect) I thought it would also requier the valve body also?

 

[Shran]

yeah, I could mate a 4.0 to the c5 with an ecu from an manual tranny... but I am concerned about 20 year old electronics. I just wished there was a carbed intake for the 4.0, unless I missed one?

btw, do I have to use a high temp grease for the muffler bearings? or will the blinker fluid do in a pinch?
.
as Shran said, the existing carb does lend to some challenges. If I go with the V8 I would go with a c4 and pilfer the tail and output shaft off of the c5 to make it a go. although Shran also writes that I could use the stock c5 ( with a bellhousing swap I suspect) I thought it would also requier the valve body also?

No carbed intake for the 4.0. The issue with the 4.0/C5 is the kickdown rod, which the 4.0 doesn't have... the A4LD has a cable... I am sure there is a way to make something work, just haven't done any research yet because I am not ready to do the swap yet.

I said run the C5 behind a V8 because there was a good chance you already have one in your truck. You'd need the bellhousing, torque converter and possibly the valve body from a C4. If you have a manual tranny right now then I'd just use a C4 to begin with. If you want to keep the manual there are a lot of options.