Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

[Andrew 68]

Ok guys,

I would like to say hi because I am new here on the forum. I have been reading threads for a couple of weeks now but just joined today. I have a couple of questions and a list of parts as I will be starting to make the mare trail worthy. Any help would be great!

I have a set of full width axels out of a 79 full size bronco.
I also have a 5.5 suspension lift with extended radius arms, and adj. track bar

I am curious what gears came in these axels. The bronco has a 400 in it.
Also I would like to know what I will need to do the complete swap, (will drive lines work? Do spring buckets line up with the correct axel location?) Anything else to be aware of.


I also have 5 late 60's to mid 70's 2x2 ford pickups
a 91 station wagon with a fuel injected 5.0
a jeep wagoneer.
These pickups are all different configurations as my grandfather used them for his business before they were parked. What parts would be good to rob of these vehicles. My plans are to take a T-18 out of one of the pickups and replace my 3 one a tree. Also to do the 4x4x2 steering box conversion. Any other suggestions would be great.

Thanks, Andrew

[71BRONCO71]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Do spring buckets line up with the correct axel location?)

The rear will need new spring perches welded on.

The front will bolt right up. You will have the front coil's "bowed" a little but The majority of us on this board call it OAKIE Flex. I plan on swapping in a 79 FW HP44 from a bronco also.

[Fungus232]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

First off, welcome to the madness!

Couple things with your plans that you'll need to think about. Stock '68 will have the old Borg-Warner style U-joints and yokes coming off the xfer case as far as drivelines go. If sticking with the D-20 swap the yokes out for the spicer style (all the J shifts came with these). With 5.5" lift you'll need longer driveshafts so instead of having you're old ones swapped over to spicer style AND lengthened I'd just get new ones made.

The axles you're looking to run will most likely have 3.50 gears in them if still stock. You could either remove your stock coil buckets on the frame and space them out to line up with the front end & reweld or just live with the slight bow (no apparent effect on performance). Ballistic Fab used to make a real nice set of adjustable buckets that took out most of the bow but not sure if they're still mfg them.

As far as the donor pool of rigs you listed you have available give us some more details on them and we might be able to point out some useable parts.

Last but not least...

[Andrew 68]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Thanks guys this is exactly the info I was looking for. Also I will be sell the extra parts off the donor rigs if anyone is interested.

[Fungus232]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Also I will be sell the extra parts off the donor rigs if anyone is interested.

Absolutely! Let us know exactly what you've got (year, model, 4x4 or 4x2, etc) & post some pics of'em. I've got a '71 F-250 project up in Chico I'm always looking for parts for. Would love a sliding rear window & good dash pad for a '68-'72 F-series!

[Andrew 68]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

I add a pic to my avatar for ya! I will get some pic of the rigs that I have and post them!

[FLYINHIE]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Ok guys,
Do spring buckets line up with the correct axel location?) Anything else to be aware of.
Thanks, Andrew

You can look at my build thread pics,1st post under flyinhie build. I cut my front spring buckets off and spaced them out 2" from the frame. I used 1/4" plate and a cut off wheel and grinder and cardboard templates to plate the sides of the buckets and tie them back to the frame. I also moved my C-wedges in an inch. I have VERY LITTLE spring bow and the spring buckets look factory if you don't know what your looking at. It took an afternoon but was well worth the effort. Spring buckets came off pretty easy with a cut off wheel. A couple tight areas but otherwise simple. Check to make sure you can get your grinder in there first because you don't want to get halfway through and realize you can't finish the removal. T.

[Andrew 68]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Flyinhie, those look great, man those machined radius arms look awesome too. Maybe I can convince my boss to let me borrow his machinist for a bit and have me build some similar. Nice work!

[earlybronco72]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Ballistic does still sell the adjustable buckets, and now they also sell adustable shock mounts not sure if they have taken care of there old issues, but it seems like they have changed some of there business practices.

[Fungus232]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

I believe Ballistic is under new ownership so not sure how the backlog/ customer service is these days.

[welndmn]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Thanks guys this is exactly the info I was looking for. Also I will be sell the extra parts off the donor rigs if anyone is interested.

If the deal is sweet enough I'd buy the waggy parts.
The only thing I can think on them that would swap good on the bronco is the disc brakes and the (if it has it) tilt column.

[FLYINHIE]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Flyinhie, those look great, man those machined radius arms look awesome too. Maybe I can convince my boss to let me borrow his machinist for a bit and have me build some similar. Nice work!

Thanks but back to the buckets. If your going to go F/W your going to have everything out of the way for the swap. I would seriously consider moving your buckets out. You could easily go 2 1/2" out each side and box it all around with plate and your spring geometry would be real close. Very little inward flex of the springs. Looks like a pain in the ass but once you get in there and start cutting it's not a hard job at all.

[Andrew 68]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Ya I think I will, you also mentioned moving the radious arms? I havnt really looked at that yet but can I just custom build radious arms to fit or do I need to move where they connect on the axel?

[JusticeJMB]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Ya I think I will, you also mentioned moving the radious arms? I havnt really looked at that yet but can I just custom build radious arms to fit or do I need to move where they connect on the axel?

on a '79 FW axle the radius arm wedges are cast so you won't be able to move those. I think James Duff is coming out with "extended" coil mounts for use on an EB with full width axles to fix the curve in the coil springs.

[FLYINHIE]

Re: Full width axels out of 79 full size bronco

Ya I think I will, you also mentioned moving the radious arms? I havnt really looked at that yet but can I just custom build radious arms to fit or do I need to move where they connect on the axel?

There are LOTS of options for radius arms out there. Just search radius arms on this site and you will see a lot of people doing a lot of different things. From purchasing rad arms to building extentions out of stock arms or just go completely custom like I did. To be fair I based my design on someones prodution arms.(Previously Cage) I took their concept and went to town on my own from there. I moved my Cs in because I didn't want to make up the entire difference in width with moving my buckets out. I didn't want that much lever twisting action applied to my frame so I split it up by moving my Cs in an inch and my buckets out two inches. Not to mention I wasn't bound by someone elses radius arm geometry because I was building my own. So with that in mind I could move things where ever I wanted because I was building the rad arms around that location. What I was trying to achieve by moving all of that was to get the springs sitting square under the buckets. With all that said almost everyone I've encountered with FW has left their buckets and wedges in place and just allow the springs to bow inward. Enough people are running them like that without any issues it would be perfectly acceptable for you to do the same. It's ALL up to you.