Sierra Drifter
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- San Ramon Ca
F250 were leaf spring, so no wedges. I used a hp D44 and mathing D60 from a 78 F250. I went full width with 8 lug, and RE bracket kit.
Front D44 conversion questions...
- Thread starter sullivanclan
- Start date
F250 were leaf spring, so no wedges. I used a hp D44 and mathing D60 from a 78 F250. I went full width with 8 lug, and RE bracket kit.
gump
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- two harbors, mn
I used the 79 bronco 44, kept it full width (obviously) and am running the radius arms. Due to inexperience on my part with regard to suspenion design, a practicly non-existant budget, and the desire to work with what I had I reworked the stock arms that were torched off the truck before I got the axle. Extended them with square tube to where I thought the frame mounts should've been. The frame mounts ended up right about at the front of the uni-rail before it turns upwards. As anyone with more experience with this swap will tell you, this is too short. The radius arm design has an inherent bind to it (search hp44 bind and you'll get a lot about this), and the shorter arms don't soak it up very well, so my front flexes like a radio flyer wagon. At first I thought about wristing an arm. Thing is, as I've wheeled it and gotten used to it, I find it extremely predictable. I hang rear tires all day long, but with a spooled 9" out back that isn't much of an issue. I actually like knowing that wherever my front tires are planted the rig is supported by the suspension and there isn't a foot of slop between the rigs weight and the tire that's drooped out. I can read the terrain ahead and know which way the body's going to tilt and when. All in all I like the way it works, but I'm still tweaking it here and there.
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
Did you read this article from our own FAQ section? Pretty much tells you what you need to know.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=101344
Short story, '77 and under F150 housing, cut off the wedges and narrow the axle. Chevy knuckles that are flat top so you can do high steer, the pass side knuckle will need to be machined and drilled and tapped for the high steer arms. Chevy spindles and calipers, and F150 hubs and rotors if you want 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern. Chevy or Waggy hubs and rotors if you want 6 lug bolt pattern. D44 stuff is interchangeable, so virtually any year parts will work on all the outer stuff. Ford hubs and rotors from the later years TTB front axles will work.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=101344
Short story, '77 and under F150 housing, cut off the wedges and narrow the axle. Chevy knuckles that are flat top so you can do high steer, the pass side knuckle will need to be machined and drilled and tapped for the high steer arms. Chevy spindles and calipers, and F150 hubs and rotors if you want 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern. Chevy or Waggy hubs and rotors if you want 6 lug bolt pattern. D44 stuff is interchangeable, so virtually any year parts will work on all the outer stuff. Ford hubs and rotors from the later years TTB front axles will work.
