Anybody done a Bronco 4wd to 2wd swap?

[Alvin in AZ]

An F250 parts truck in 2wd is a lot cheaper and easier to find than in 4wd.
I don't need 4wd and the rear axle of the Bronco is already limited slip.

Did a little bit of measuring and looks like it'd work. What would be cool is
ahead of time, knowing what parts already interchange between the two.
I guess I need a parts catalog? Or what? New brain maybe?

Sell what 4wd parts that's under the Bronco to help pay for the parts truck?

The idea is to make a manual 5 speed overdrive Bronco with a granny gear.
Stroke the 351W out to 4inch. (it runs fine now at ~125k

What do you think? LOL

Nat sayers and supporters alike, I want to hear what you think of it.

Alvin in AZ

 

[LEB Ben]

Definitely an interesting thought...not anything I would ever do. I've seen it a few times, and there are a few threads on FSB that have been up recently about doing the swap...so that may be some help. Sounds like you could have one helluva sleeper though.

 

[Skandocious]

Well if both trucks have small blocks then it wouldn't be out of the question, though it will definitely be a lot of work. Parts you'll need to swap from the 2wd F250 to the 4wd Bronco:

-2wd front axle (including front driveshaft)
-transmission (output shaft is different from 2wd to 4wd)
---swapping over the 2wd trans will also eliminate the transfer case
-shift lever for 4wd (you'll need to figure out how to cover the hole in the floor, unless it's push-button 4wd)
-rear driveshaft since it's a different length without the TC
---if it's push-button, you'll need to swap the electronic shift module in the passenger kick panel, along with all of the related electronics (this part might prove a bit more challenging)


That should pretty much cover it... That being said-- I think it'd be a lot smarter to keep it 4wd... Why are you considering this? Which part needs to be swapped in the bronco? The transmission? It'd be a lot less work to just swap the transmission.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

I've seen it a few times, and there are a few threads on FSB that have
been up recently about doing the swap...so that may be some help.

FSB? LOL

Typed...
fsb ford bronco
...into Google to figure out what you were talking about.

Already signed up and used "UTfball68" as a reference but they declined it.
You got a user name over there?

A lighter weight front end sounds more useful to me than a 4wd.
The Bronco is mostly just going to be my "car" anyway.
I don't like cars, never did really, and never intend to own another one.

Alvin in AZ

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Skandocious wrote: {newsgroup style;}
>Parts you'll need to swap from the 2wd F250 to the 4wd Bronco:

I inherited a '91 F150 SC (now has 72k on it) with an E4OD.
The Bronco's an automatic and I'm growing to really hate automatics. :/
I've been looking for a manual Bronco for about 2 years and not found
any worth buying. Ran into this deal... a '91 with 124k for $700.
With a new power steering gear and new master cylinder and the rest
looks like new except the paint and the thrown tire tread damage.

>-2wd front axle{s}

...and radius ams too.
I measured them and they are the same length.
And I don't know what all from the steering.

Front end height is a tricky part I'll have to work out later.
Might have to drop the radius arm and axle brackets.
Figure out a way to retain the front sway bar system and maybe the dual
shock setup too.

>-transmission (output shaft is different from 2wd to 4wd)

'91 F250 parts truck that's manual for $500 is in the works right now.
Not sure what all I'm going to have to buy in parts I won't already have.

>-rear driveshaft since it's a different length without the TC

For sure
I'll be making a visit to a drive shaft specialty shop.
I'll have all the material he'll need to get me going tho.

I already need a steering column and the parts truck will have one of those.
I looked for the part it needs to fix it and don't see it in any exploded views,
even the '91 Ford Shop Manual. It's a stub with a plastic ball type coupler
and the plastic ball is broken. If possible I'd like to get rid of that silly stuff
too.

What's left of the F250 will go to a cowboy buddy of mine that runs Fords
of this era. The Bronco parts I'll try to sell cheap.

Thanks for your thoughts, while writing this post out thought of a couple
things I hadn't before.

Got any other ideas?
Yea or nay, it's all good!

Alvin in AZ
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/BroncoColumn.jpg
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/BroncoTC.jpg

 

[LEB Ben]

Yeah Alvin...my username over there is just UTfball.

 

[emtzach]

too bad ure doin this for a daily driver i wanted to do this to my 90 eddie bower and turn it into a slammed 1/4 mile truck i could fit any combo and easily tub the rear with mustang stuff. my dreams crushed literally when a tree landed on it while i was in basic training oh well mabey someday

 

[Skandocious]

Alvin-- as far as radius arms and steering components are concerned, when I said swap the front axle I meant to swap everything over (incl steering, radius arms, drop brackets if needed, suspension, shocks, etc). Much like a solid axle swap except without the "solid" part

If you're really motivated to do it then it's quite possible-- just seems like way too much work. I'd much rather seek out a new tranny that will be a direct bolt rather than swapping all these parts. As it is you're already going to have to swap the tranny so why create more work for yourself?

 

[Lost]

Been done many times using F150 parts Not a bad swap will have to have rear driveshaft made.

I don't know about the F250 4x2 . I want to do opposite on a crew cab . But am wiating to see a frame up close. But i'm told crossmembers r same . As r the coils . The 8 bolt rear will mount fine.

 

[A_G]

-2wd front axle (including front driveshaft)

HUH? skan skan skan.

You need to change over the ibeams...tahts it. Or you just take off the from drivesaft and roll with it.

 

[Skandocious]

HUH? skan skan skan.

You need to change over the ibeams...tahts it.

Eh... what? Can you explain that?

Or you just take off the from drivesaft and roll with it.

He said he wants the reduced weight-- dragging around the front 4wd axle for no reason could result in reduced gas mileage.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Cool, thanks for the help guys, between "Lost" and the Full Sized Bronco site
there's been quite a few guys have made the swap one way or the other and
has given me the confidence that I can do it too.

Seems as tho "Ford learned how to make the same part twice" by the early
90's?

I've got two buddies interested in the left overs from the '91 F250 already.

Just waiting for the title mess to clear.

Alvin in AZ

 

[Alvin in AZ]

He said he wants the reduced weight-- dragging around the front
4wd axle for no reason could result in reduced gas mileage.

Yeah, and just simplify it for longevity.

Even the most tricked out 4wd has to drive down the highway to get
to the rough stuff. This one will just be seeing dirt roads and some
steep spots on un-bladed roads just like my '75 has for 34 years.
90% is highway miles.

Just talking to a friend tonight and he's got one spot on his ranch that
he can't climb with any 2wd pickup he's ever tried it with, has to use
4wd. LOL I climbed that spot over and over when I was there baby
sitting the ranch last year with my '75 with Traction Loc and 322# of
lead 'n' hardware in the rear bumper and my dumb-ditch-digger version
of a traction bar, it was no sweat and no kiddin.

http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/bumper1.jpg
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/zerks.jpg

Works for me.
His "un-licensed, ranch only" pickups are early 90's F250s with C6's. -ick-
And prob'ly just have 1wd too. :/

If that rear axle tomorrow turns out to have Traction Lok, he'll want it
for sure, after talking to him tonight about that steep spot. LOL

Alvin in AZ

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Lower dual shock brackets for the front end of a '91 F150 2wd?

Can't use factory Bronco 4x4 stuff because there's a difference in the
height (up and down thickness) of the eye-beams and traction-beams
so the dual shock brackets won't swap worth anything. Going to have
to make a pair unless someone knows of some pre-made-ones for sale,
that I also like the looks of.

Any ideas?

Kind of a tricky thing to search for, get too much chaff. :/

Alvin in AZ

 

[Lost]

Not many 2 wd drives here so I have not paid attention to them . U the dual shocks may be hard to find. Just run the rear one. for now. But its just a simple mount have one made up.

 

[dragogt]

Stupid question but why not "SAS" it than gut the front axle...

 

[flareside_thunder]

Also, the F250 fronts have different mounting points for the Ibeams than the half tons do.....so expect to have to drill holes or do some welding.

 

[Lost]

Didn't relealize he was doing a F250 front . But the mounts for arms is trivial .
center crossmember is same. But why do the swap for road travel and put f250 suspension on it ..

Parts trucks is cheap ..

But to each his own good luck

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Thanks for the replies.

Thought about using a '90 F250 front end but decided against it.
(that's the parts truck I got the ZF and pedal assembly out of

Also have a '91 F150 to use as a parts truck and that's the front
end I need a front shock adapter for. Since the '91 Bronco has a
spot for an extra shock on its frame, might as well use it?

Was just wondering if anyone had any idea where to look for them
before I go and make a pair is all. Don't expect any to be available
but didn't want to be kicking myself for not asking, if they are.

The lower shock mount needs to be a couple inches lower than the
"rear" shock's lower mount. So it's not as easy to make as it would
be otherwise. The front shock needs extra room to work, since
it "travels" farther than the rear shock.

FiNgured that out when I added a shock to the front of my '75.

For the '75 2wd I simply measured everything and drew it out on a
big sheet of cardboard instead of using trigonometry. I didn't trust
my rusty "trig" using abilities.

Alvin in AZ

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Failure! LOL

A 2wd front axle assembly ain't gonna work in my Bronco, IMO.
Finally got around to pulling all the front-end stuff out from all
three vehicles... '90 F250, '91 F150-SC and '91 Bronco.

This thread pops up when searching for: "4wd to 2wd" Bronco
So I figure I should rattle-on about what all's wrong with it.

The 2wd axle's knuckle is ~2+1/2" higher than the 4wd knuckle.
So, to keep it level, it needs a 2+1/2" lift kit, well there's more
to it than that since the 2wd's steering lever on the knuckle will
be lowered by ~2+1/2" so you're gonna add to the bump-steer
it's already got, without a lowered pitman arm. Don't know if a
4" lift-kit pitman arm would fix that (or be too much) since I've
never seen one of 'em before. That's just one little thing along
with a few other little things.

Like my 2+1/2" lift kit was junky. Ok for ram-rodding around, I'd
guess but the parts just don't line up where they should for a
freeway queen IMO, they should put the parts straight down
2+1/2" from where they were and that's not the case with the
Tuff Country parts I got. Called 'em and suggested they put their
parts in a jig before welding. LOL ...and he said "they do! ".
Ok, so "they do" when you're watching, yeah BTDT sort of stuff
myself, so not blaming anyone!

------------------

Where I'm at on all this -today- is, thinking I'll keep the TTB's
"beams" but "gut 'em" remove the differential and axles and just
save those parts for later, or for sale.

It'll be cool, I'll be keeping the Bronco's tight-turning-radius and
steering geometry for sure that way. ...was wondering if I'd
lose any of the tight turning radius after the 2wd swap.

------------------

I've never repacked the front wheel bearings on a 4wd before!
So when I do that to the Bronco I'll be schemeing on ways to
leave parts out of it. LOL It's got automatic hubs. ('91 EB)

Anyway, so there you go, I now say "don't do it" unless you
want to lower the back of the Bronco along with the front, see?

...it'll look like a 2wd Dodge Charger tho. ick!

Alvin in AZ
ps- After I do my homework (read the Ford Shop Manual
I'll start a new thread about repacking the Bronco's (4wd)
front bearings and what all I need that you guys suggest.