Identifying a donor for SAS

[ld50]

hey,

My father-in-law showed me a frame out back of his new place with both axles still in. He said he figured it was an old F-150, I say it`s gotta be an Early Bronco judging by the wheel base an an old hood I found deeper in the bushes. The rear axle looked like a Ford 9" anyway, and the front axle was offset to the proper side, and had disc brakes on it.
I didn`t have my camera but plan to go back next week to take some pics and look a little closer.

Is there a surefire way to ID this stuff? Any pros out there that could tell me what to look for or suggest pic angles for me to post here.

Wanna go solid axle on the station wagon, might even get that 9" too, if the front axle is a d44...

-cheers

 

[Eddie X]

If it has disk brakes, then the EB front is a 44 and a 1976 or 77 model year, as those are the only ones with disk on them. Besides the correct width, you can tell if it is a early bronc if the front axle is low pinion.

 

[ld50]

So it sounds like a good find then?
Can`t recall much , but I`ll get some pics next week.. or just go there and take the stuff anyways.

 

[bmxking5]

I'd take the stuff anyways. Should be able to sell it pretty quickly if you can't/don't use them. As Eddie said, if the front is LP (low pinion...the yoke for d-shaft is below axle tube) it is an EB front axle. If it's HP (high pinion) straight axle, it's either a 73-79? or 76-79? F150. Also, check the WMS to WMS width (wheel mounting surface). It will tell you whether it's F150/Full-Size Bronco or EB. If it's about 66", it's F150/FS Bronco; if it's ~58-60" WMS it's an EB and would be about the width of your current axles. Pics would help us, if you can't figure it out yourself. Good luck and good find.

 

[ld50]

Well,

She wasn`t an EB after all, probably a fullsize Bronco I guess. It measured about 65 inches or so. I got both axles today, might just swap in both axles after all, but a shame I spent so much on my 8.8 already. Don`t suppose it`s the same wheel nut pattern?

 

[bmxking5]

Nope, it's not the same bolt pattern. You could always cut down the d44 and still run your 8.8. They make new axleshafts to convert your 8.8 to 5 on 5.5. Or you could run adapters.

 

[splodo49]

EDIT. BMX Beat me to the punch
Or you could run like me full width 5 on5.5 in the front stock rear 5 on 4.5. hahah. But its not staying like that i just wanted to get the front done before deployement so i could waste perdiem on my rig. .

 

[ld50]

Hey that would be ideal to shorten and convert the axle to fit what I already have. Guess I have a lot of homework to do.
Where would you find the conversion axle shafts if ya don`t mind me askin?
Wouldn`t they have to be sized to the shortened axle as well?
Thought I seen a guy on here only shorten one side... Yup lots of homework..

 

[splodo49]

If you ask me its too much work to shorten it if you dont have too. I believe the shafts are dutchman shafts. Someone correct me if im wrong. Me i just spacing the rear with 2" spacers on both sides to match the front.

 

[bmxking5]

Oh yeah, you could space out the rear to match the front.

Pretty much anyone who makes custom or aftermarket shafts could make the ones for 5 on 5.5. The 8.8 is a popular axle used in several different vehicles, so it's not too hard to find them. You could part out the 8.8, or sell it on the boards. The 9" is an EXTREMELY easy axle to build. I've found awesome deals on mine and the grand total for building it with a mini spool, 4.88s, rebuilt, and the cost of the axle itself is only $210. I'm still going to convert it to disc brakes, but that's the last thing that will be costing me $$.

For the front d44, you can shorten the passenger side ~6" to match the 8.8, and run an Early Bronco pass side shaft. Keep in mind though, shortening a 78-79 Bronco or F100/150 front axle is a pain, due to the c-wedges being cast into the axle. Are your c-wedges cast in or welded on? Here, I'll get you a pic really quick. If it looks like the pic I attached, it's a 77 or lower(welded on). If it looks like the pic (Picture 14) in this link on the top right, it's 78-79 Cast-In C-Wedges

 

[ld50]

They look cast in to me, all one piece.

 

[Robb]

About a 90% chance of them being cast-on c wedges, being that it has disc breaks.

I don't believe shortening the pass side tube is as much of a pita as many people make it out to be, or as much as I used to make it out to be. It you are looking to shortening it to the exact measurement to allow an eb shaft to be run, yea maybe a pita. But just knocking the c-wedge off should put the tube end in the ballpark of where you want it. From there, you may just have to have your current shaft machined/splined to make it work.

 

[ld50]

Thanks guys,

Don`t the c-wedges have to remain usable for the radius arms? or are ya calling c-wedges something else...

Therefore getting it shortened would involve (a machine shop) getting the whole pass. side tube out of the pumpkin, then shortening it on that side and re-attaching. Then you would need a shaft of the correct length. there`s no way to do it other than that.
- just want to clarify, if the "wedges" are for the radius arms..


Then it`s a matter of fabbing the mounts, figuring the springs out- I have the spring seats off the bronco frame if I need them and should be able to figure all that out.

I guess the other tricky stuff is the steering and the axle shaft connection from t-case.

Well in the meantime I got alot of work to do cleaning up the axle and deciding..

 

[kpgli84]

you can use your stock driveshaft if you move the diff forward about 2" (which will pretty much center it in the fenderwell)

i have pretty much the same front diff, and i am hoping to swap it in this winter along with a FW 9" in the back.

not trying to jack the thread. i just know that we live in the same area and might be able to help each other out with the swaps

 

[splodo49]

Just keep all the cash you would spend on shortening it and use it to rebuild it or go towards an arb or something. I.E. meaning if you dont have all the equipment to do it and, or your not comfortable doing it. Just another idea.
EDIT: Stockdrive shaft works fine for me at full droop. Havent wheeled it yet though .

 

[CodePoet]

Narrowing a 78-79 d44 isn't all that complicated. Grind down the weld that holds that outter portion off (pictured in BMX's post above), beat the sob off, cut the tube, put it back on weld it up.

I'll find a link later, it's about time to go back to work

 

[ld50]

Yeah, but mine is cast there so I don`t think it would work to shorten it there, but I agree it would be fairly easy. I know some real good welders if I had any misgivings about my own work, but I don`t know what to do yet anyway.
I`m a little worried about (If I should go full axle swap) having to lift the ex anymore than say, the height after a basic leaf over axle in the rear. mine is still under, with about three inches susp lift at rear and 2 in front, along with the 2 inch body lift I have about an inch and a half before my luggage racks hit the garage door (but those could come off and get me maybe 2 inches more clearance). The axle over gets me what? 4 inches more or so, so I`m pushing it and might even have to shorten my shackles to give it just enough to clear the garage.

In the meantime, I`m going to rebuild the axle, probably with at least 4.56 gears and a lock-right or some other lunch box type locker. I`ll strip her right down and paint it all nice, then I`ll do the same to the 9 inch. Got lots of time to hash it over while I recondition, I`d love to see those axles in the ex, but at least I could sell the axles fairly easily if I should back out.

-They were sitting a while, the ring gear section that sat out of the oil is a little rusty, but That was coming out anyway. Today I`m pulling the rotors and shafts out, then if I have time I`ll pull the carrier out..

there was a tag on the axle, its very hard to read, looks like:
3 50*D* A C
610085*5

-*DENOTES EITHER ILLEGIBLE OR SPACE. very rusty, hard to tell.

 

[splodo49]

HaHa Hey bmx are you influencing this guy or what. Hey sorry to say but your not the first guy to sas a wagon. Its a growing trend.

 

[bmxking5]

HAHAHA! That's hilarious. BTW, the 35s should be coming in pretty soon for the Radio Flyer! Then it's getting an Atlas.

If you go SOA with stock leaves, you can have anywhere from ~5-6 inches of lift. You have OME springs, correct? If for some reason you decide to get rid of them and run stock springs in the back, let me know cuz I'd love to run those. The smallest amount of lift you can run is 6" so that you'll clear the engine crossmember. You'll still have to trim it, but 6" is the bare minimum. Haha, I can't stop laughing about the Radio Flyer. I'm such a trend setter.

 

[ld50]

Caught that wagon eh?

-Was in the garage and I couldn`t resist.. haha

Yeah, I got OME, gotta tell ya though, now that they`re worn in there`s no beating the left side lean, even if I switch side for side they are just too soft. They rock otherwise.

I see what you mean about the crossmember.

Just trying to get the carrier out right now, doesn`t want to pry out of there nicely, so I`m takin` a breather.
looks like there are a different hub side for side on the axle, one is a little shorter inside and the splines in the hub/rotor are shorter, different year part put in one day I guess.

Prying that rusty axle flange and caliper bracket off was like pullin` teeth too.