Class 4 Help

[sharksurfdude]

Hi guys! new to this site.I see that their is alot of knowledge here.So many thanks in advance.
My project is a 79 ford f-150 4x4.This truck had all of the cage work done by Spirit back in the 80's.the truck was never driven.Thought the years it had changed hands a few times and some of the original drive line parts have been taken off.
So what i have now is a frame,cab and all of the 95% off the cage work done.
I would like to keep it 4x4 so i have the following questions....
1.So do we use a Deaver leaf pack with a 4" lift???? ( running 35" tires)
2.Do we use a Eibach or a Deaver coil in the front with 4" lift?
3.What would be a better front axle? ( i have a drum brake front axle now,someone swapped the original for this one)
4.Thinking a 460 with c-6, what transfer case??????
I know i will have some more latter.Will try to add pictures this weekend.
Many thanks G

[toddz69]

Hi guys! new to this site.I see that their is alot of knowledge here.So many thanks in advance.
My project is a 79 ford f-150 4x4.This truck had all of the cage work done by Spirit back in the 80's.the truck was never driven.Thought the years it had changed hands a few times and some of the original drive line parts have been taken off.
So what i have now is a frame,cab and all of the 95% off the cage work done.
I would like to keep it 4x4 so i have the following questions....
1.So do we use a Deaver leaf pack with a 4" lift???? ( running 35" tires)
2.Do we use a Eibach or a Deaver coil in the front with 4" lift?
3.What would be a better front axle? ( i have a drum brake front axle now,someone swapped the original for this one)
4.Thinking a 460 with c-6, what transfer case??????
I know i will have some more latter.Will try to add pictures this weekend.
Many thanks G

I'm assuming you're not racing the truck? Or even if you're using it as a prerunner type vehicle, my answers are as follows:

1. Yes. Deavers would be a fine choice for the rear.
2. Yes. I believe Deaver sells coils for the front of this truck. There are other vendors out there too with decent front coils - check out Broncograveyard.com for some options. I believe Wild Horses is now also selling full size Bronco sprints.
3. If you have drum brakes, someone probably swapped in an early D44. Still a good axle - just needs later model discs added to it. Junkyard/parts store items.
4. NP205

Todd Z.

[straightaxle]

What do plan to do with the truck? Class 4 is extinct in SCORE, but it could be run in class 8 and I think could be competitive these days. The class 3 winner at the 1000 would have also won class 8.

1. Deaver leaf pack would be OK, but you should talk with them and discuss what the truck will weigh when complete.
2. The Deaver coils might work OK in the front, but you would be money and time ahead just to put coil overs on it to start with. They will give you ride height adjustment and will not try not spit themselves out sideways like coils in the stock buckets. We found the Deaver coils not to be the specs we needed and could not use them.
3. The D44 axle I feel is kind of fragile and will not hold up to a 460, and is probably not up to more than a 302, unless you plan to never leave the pavement. Currie and probably some other Bronco supply companies can set you up with an axle that uses a 9” center section. A D60 is big and heavy. Again, you would probably be money ahead starting with a better axle.
4. A 460 could be made to work, but as you know is heavy. Lighter is better. A C6 is the old stand by, but if you will be running a lot of miles on the highway, a 4R100 is the same thing (but a lot longer) with overdrive. We run a (heavy) 205 as it came from the factory 30 years ago, with the only maintenance being checking the oil. If you want to do any crawling, the low range is not low enough. If you were to use a 208, I think you have to change or modify the cross member and frame to make it fit a 79 frame.

[tnt]

welcome to the board,.....lets see some photos

[Blanco]

welcome to the board,.....lets see some photos
http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/13.gif

[sharksurfdude]

Thanks for the help.I will use the truck as an off road prerunner.I wont do the crawling thing.Looking at 1 spare tire,If mexico settles down it is easy to add a second spare.40 gallon fuel cell on the tail and dual batteries.Of course a jack and cooler and a couple tool bags.I was thinking 3.0 bypass on all four corners with leaf in the rear and the coil spring in the front,Yes it would be easy for me also to do coil overs in the front. I dont have an engine,trans or transfer case.I was also thinking about the 351w/c-6 combo.I have read many times on this site that the 205 is the way to go.if it is bullet proof who cares about a few pounds.
With 35" tires,will the stock front fenders be ok??? I have a drop down hood.
Any advice will be much appriciated.
Will take pictures this weekend (i get home from work and it is dark)
Many thanks G.

[Broncodawg]

You can't go wrong with the 351 for torque, lighter weight and aftermarket support. Nice foundation to start from with the cage done:p

Welcome to the site and post some pics!!!

[straightaxle]

Thanks for the help.I will use the truck as an off road prerunner.I wont do the crawling thing.Looking at 1 spare tire,If mexico settles down it is easy to add a second spare.40 gallon fuel cell on the tail and dual batteries.Of course a jack and cooler and a couple tool bags.I was thinking 3.0 bypass on all four corners with leaf in the rear and the coil spring in the front,Yes it would be easy for me also to do coil overs in the front. I dont have an engine,trans or transfer case.I was also thinking about the 351w/c-6 combo.I have read many times on this site that the 205 is the way to go.if it is bullet proof who cares about a few pounds.
With 35" tires,will the stock front fenders be ok??? I have a drop down hood.
Any advice will be much appriciated.
Will take pictures this weekend (i get home from work and it is dark)
Many thanks G.

I will still say that Mexico is only as big a problem as you make it, and people that don't cause trouble, don't have trouble. I would however not recommend hanging with anyone related to the drug business, that will get you popped. We got 17 people in and out of there without a problem whatsoever, Broncodawg even soloed the border crossings coming and going.

We have been able to run 35's on 8" rims with the stock fenders front and back, and often run the axles all the way to the frame with really no fender contact. I know the guys with the later ttb rigs have problems with the tires hitting the stock hvac systems.

If it's just a pre-runner, the D44 will probably work for you just fine, but you have to at least have disc brakes. With the exception of the stock spider gears, we have been able to make ours live very well with lots of trussing (do a search), alloy axles, and CTM joints.

[Blanco]

Broncodawg even soloed the border crossings coming and going.
As I have done many times. :)

[sharksurfdude]

Yes i have raced Baja so many times and i hope the problem goes away soon.
When i got the truck the guy gave me a pair of cherry stock fenders and a drop center hood.I really like the step sides so i will go see my buddy John at Auto fab for fiber glass sides and rear fenders,the fenders are 2" wider than stock.
What are your guys thoughts on John's rear leaf packs????

[Broncodawg]

Going home thru Tecate was no big deal, but going down thru TJ and the toll road solo had me on the edge of my seat.
When I was driving thru San Ysidro, I was hollering out on Weatherman for anyone else crossing and no one came back. Should I have waited for someone to convoy with? Some would say yes, but I was so amped to get to Ensenada, I went for it and drove very careful watching for anything unusual.
Praise God for watching out for my sorry ass!

[sharksurfdude]

Well you see were i work,i hear all the stories.and it just makes you wonder.
Anyway glad that everyone made it back safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[straightaxle]

Yes i have raced Baja so many times and i hope the problem goes away soon.
When i got the truck the guy gave me a pair of cherry stock fenders and a drop center hood.I really like the step sides so i will go see my buddy John at Auto fab for fiber glass sides and rear fenders,the fenders are 2" wider than stock.
What are your guys thoughts on John's rear leaf packs????


I think his leaf packs would work fine, I forgot about those, but you also need to get the traction bar set up at the same time. It's all made to work together. He likes to use the stock shackles, which will work with his setup, and he does not use the military wraps.

[sharksurfdude]

Straight Axle Thanks.Do you guys use a coil or a coil over in the front?
I think you guys us a bypass also?
If you use a coil over would your combo up front be a 2.5 c/o and 2.5b/p?
or a coil spring and a 3.0b/p?
also do you us a 2.0 bump or a 2.5????
Thanks some much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! G

[straightaxle]

We use a 2.5" coil over in the front with a 3.0 bypass. It was what was cheap or what came from the swapmeet. We just use rubber bump stops, the real bump damping is done with the bypass shocks.

[sharksurfdude]

Straight Axle thanks.So this next question will make you guys laugh!!!!
What kind of ride will,does it compare to??? 5/16, class 9?????
Please dont laugh to hard!!!!!

[straightaxle]

That is actually a good question, and SaltToy can answer that one personally, he has been many miles in both a 5/16 and a 3. From what I recall him saying, it is very different. They have to drive the 5/16 pinned at all times, and that means you get beat to death. The truck has a lot more mass, so as long as you are not hitting the stops all the time, it is a much smoother ride. The problem is, even though you are getting a smoother ride, the limited suspension of the 3 truck is bouncing all over the place, which means you don't have contact with the ground and don't have good directional control. In the whoops, we find that you can hit the first two pretty good, but if there is a third big one, that is the one that launches you to the moon! You can't stop, steer, or accelerate when you are in that configuration! On the other hand, the guys that have ridden in both a 3 and an 8 say the same thing about the 3, that the 3 will beat you to death, and the 8 is much more stable. I would like to think the 4 truck will be closer to the 8 with the longer wheelbase and be a lot more stable.

[sharksurfdude]

That sounds cool.I am going to keep it 4x4.I am sure our tech guys can get me close on valving.
What or how do you guys recomend for radius arms????
Again thanks guys for the help.

[straightaxle]

I am partial to the radius arms from West Coast Broncos. They are well built (they better be, we don't carry spares!) and come with brackets that can be welded or bolted to the frame. They are about 10" longer than stock, which are already pretty long. You do have to weld on your own shock mounts, but they will fit the stock spring pads if you use them.

[sharksurfdude]

Hey Straight axle how much wheel travel are you gettind front and rear???

[Broncodawg]

Hey Straight axle how much wheel travel are you getting front and rear???

That there is the $64,000 dollar question.;):cool:

Good luck with your build, you've come to the right place for friendly knowledgeable advice.

[sharksurfdude]

Thanks all! working here all of my friends have great plans!!!!!!!
iam just going to keep it simple class 4 style.
Need a couple parts like a 205 transfer case and change my front axle from
a low pinion d44 to a high pinion.If any one has these and would like to clean
there gararge out give me a pm.
If the guys here had their way they would probally a-arm this thing! LOL.
i promise i will post pictures,couldnt get to it last weekend.Planning again to do it this weekend.